GMU 260 - Foster Creek, Washington

Rolling to flat Columbia Plateau shrub-steppe, 800–2,900 ft elevation. The Columbia River forms roughly 40 miles of the western and northern boundary, with steep breaks dropping to the river representing the only significant topographic relief. Interior is open sagebrush/grassland interspersed with dryland wheat fields and irrigated orchards. Foster Creek bisects the unit north-south before emptying into the Columbia at Bridgeport. Eastern side of Dyer Hill provides modest terrain variation.

Total unit area approximately 141 sq mi. Public land is roughly 18% (~22,000 acres), concentrated in two WDFW wildlife areas: (1) Sagebrush Flats Wildlife Area (multiple units, accessed off Bridgeport Hill Road / Hwy 17, with Bridgeport Unit just south of town); (2) West Foster Creek Wildlife Area Unit (~1,063 acres, 5 miles south of Bridgeport via Bridgeport Hill Road off Hwy 17, within GMUs 260/262). An additional 8,302 acres along the southeast border is enrolled in the Hunt by Written Permission (HWBP) program. The remaining ~80% is private agricultural land (orchards, dryland wheat, rangeland) with no guaranteed public access. Hunter registration is required via drop-box at the West Foster Creek unit. A Discover Pass is required for all WDFW wildlife area parking.

Dominant cover is big sagebrush and bitterbrush on plateau uplands, transitioning to native bunchgrass (bluebunch wheatgrass) and rabbitbrush on disturbed sites. Columbia River corridor has riparian willow/cottonwood. Dryland wheat stubble fields and irrigated orchards (apple, pear) provide key food resources in fall. Former cultivated fields within the wildlife areas have been restored to shrubsteppe and riparian vegetation. Wetland and beaver-pond habitat present along Foster Creek drainage.

Mule deer use shrub-steppe and agricultural edges during early season, concentrating near water sources and drainages in dry years. Rut activity begins late October and runs through late December. As hunting pressure builds — especially opening weekend of modern firearm — deer retreat to private land pockets and thicker coulee draws. Post-rut movement in late November–December pushes deer lower toward river-bottom cover.

GMU 260 is NOT managed for elk or white-tailed deer — both populations are low to nonexistent. Primary quarry is mule deer bucks (3-point minimum for muzzleloader; general modern firearm season typically any buck). Hunter pressure is high on opening weekend of modern firearm. Success rates are modest: 2024 harvest data shows 62 total deer taken by 232 modern-firearm hunters (16% success); muzzleloader hunters achieved ~25% success. Multiple-weapons tag holders showed the highest success (44%). Sage grouse and sharp-tailed grouse are protected statewide — do not hunt. A Discover Pass is required to park at WDFW wildlife areas. No tribal ceded territory overlap identified for this unit; confirm current status with WDFW before hunting.