GMU 231 - Gardner, Washington

Steep, largely roadless unit centered on the Methow Valley drainage in Okanogan County. Elevation ranges from 2,800 ft in the valley floor near Twisp to 8,579 ft on the main ridgelines, with Gardner Mountain and North Gardner Mountain both exceeding 8,900 ft. Multiple steep drainages drop 3,000 ft in under a mile. North slopes are dominated by dense old-growth conifer (ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir, Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir). South-facing slopes open into rocky rangeland and bitterbrush. Southern end transitions to open rolling rangeland approaching Twisp. The 2018 Crescent Mountain fire affected the southern border area. Alpine lakes (Rainy Lake, Ann Lake) fed by Lyall Glacier snowmelt provide year-round water at elevation.

Okanogan National Forest makes up the majority of the unit; the western fringe is Wenatchee National Forest, with Copper Pass dividing the two forests. The Methow Wildlife Area (including the Big Valley Unit) provides additional public access along the valley floor. Small parcels of BLM and Washington State DNR land exist. Highway 20 (North Cascades Highway) forms the northwestern boundary. Primary motorized access is via Twisp River Road (USFS Rd 4440/44) and its spur roads heading north into the ONF. Most of the interior is hike-in or horse-pack country only — no through-roads. Private orchards and ranchland occupy the lower Methow Valley floor around Twisp and Winthrop; landowner permission required for those parcels. Localized closures may apply within the Methow Wildlife Area; check current regulations.

Dense old-growth conifer on north-facing slopes and upper drainages. Ponderosa pine and bitterbrush on south-facing slopes below 5,000 ft. Riparian alder and cottonwood along creek bottoms. Open subalpine meadows and talus fields above 7,000 ft. Brushy post-fire regeneration in the 2018 Crescent Mountain burn on the southern edge provides transitional mule deer browse. Lower valley floor is irrigated orchards and pasture (primarily private).

Mule deer summer at high elevations (6,000–8,000 ft) on alpine and subalpine slopes, migrating down to valley-edge wintering areas near Twisp and Winthrop farmland by late October–November. Deer use the Big Valley Unit of the Methow Wildlife Area as transitional range and move to agricultural edges at dusk and dawn. Whitetail deer are a small population confined almost entirely to private riparian corridors along the Twisp and Methow rivers — access to quality whitetail ground requires landowner permission. Elk have no established resident herd in this unit; transient animals are occasionally encountered but should not be counted on. Black bears are broadly distributed across forested slopes; color-phase (cinnamon/blonde) animals are present. The unit lies within the North Cascades Grizzly Bear Recovery Zone — hunters should be aware and take appropriate precautions.

Mule deer populations have declined markedly from historical levels and are described by local biologists as 'in terrible shape.' Hunting pressure on accessible ONF road-ends is moderate to high; the roadless interior receives far less pressure. The unit's special-permit quality hunts (Hunt 1027, Hunt 1209) are competitive draws with 508 and 659 applications respectively for 10 permits each — drawing one requires patience. No elk general season exists for GMU 231 as of 2026. The unit borders the Okanogan Highlands and is not in tribal ceded territory managed by the Colville Confederated Tribes, though hunters should verify current tribal co-management agreements. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) surveillance is ongoing in eastern Washington; check WDFW CWD rules before transporting carcasses.