GMU 335 - Teanaway, Washington

Steep eastern Cascades terrain rising from Kittitas Valley shrub-steppe (~1,600 ft) to subalpine ridges above 7,000 ft (Hawkins Mtn 7,106 ft, Gallaher Head 6,339 ft). The Teanaway River and its forks cut deep drainages through ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, grand fir, and western larch. A large 2017 wildfire burned through the middle of the unit, converting old-growth timber to native grasses, buckbrush, and young saplings that now provide excellent browse for deer and elk. Timberline sits around 5,600 ft; Malcolm Mountain to Elbow Peak corridor is roadless backcountry. Roughly 80% of the unit has slopes of 34 degrees or less.

Public land dominates the unit. Wenatchee National Forest covers the northern and upper drainages. L.T. Murray Wildlife Area (118,300 acres across five units, including the 216-acre Teanaway Valley unit 13 miles NE of Cle Elum) provides critical winter range with elk feeding sites operating mid-December through mid-March. Teanaway Community Forest (adjacent, state-owned) is open to non-motorized hunting with access via Hwy 970 and the Teanaway Road DNR kiosk. BLM Spokane District and DNR parcels are interspersed throughout. Yakama Nation ceded territory overlaps portions of Region 3; tribal members with off-reservation treaty rights may hunt under Yakama Nation regulations on open/unclaimed land within the ceded area—non-tribal hunters should verify boundaries and comply with state licensing. Discover Pass required for WDFW/DNR trailheads.

Lower elevations: shrub-steppe with bitterbrush, sagebrush, and bunchgrass transitioning to ponderosa pine parkland. Mid-elevations: mixed conifer (Douglas fir, grand fir, larch) with dense riparian corridors of cottonwood and willow along the Teanaway forks. Post-2017 burn matrix: native grass meadows, young aspen, tender buckbrush, and sapling conifers providing high-quality early-season browse. Upper elevations: subalpine fir, open meadows, rocky talus near ridge tops. Turkey use lower riparian corridors and transition to Teanaway Community Forest at higher elevations by May.

Elk in GMU 335 are actively managed to minimize conflict with adjacent agricultural lands (Kittitas Valley hay and alfalfa). Elk Area 3911 covers the lower portions of GMU 335 where most resident elk concentrate; Master Hunters may take antlerless elk in 3911 with modern firearms Aug 1–Jan 20 under a damage-control protocol, requiring archery hunters in that zone to wear hunter orange/pink. Elk and deer push to higher elevations and away from roads once seasons open; the wilderness drainages in the upper Teanaway offer the best late-season opportunity. Mule deer (plus mule-black-tailed hybrids and some black-tails) use different elevational bands—deer improve noticeably after significant snowfall drives animals from adjacent high country into GMU 335. Mule deer rut runs late October through late December; elk rut peaks early September. Cougars follow deer and elk to winter range at lower elevations by mid-November.

GMU 335 consistently records the highest deer harvest and hunter days (40% of District 8 turkey hunter-days) in District 8. Opening weekend elk and deer pressure is very heavy; biologists recommend hunting the final 2–3 days of modern firearm season or switching to archery/muzzleloader for a higher-quality experience. Quality any-bull elk special permits exist for the broader Yakima herd area (separate draw); Teanaway is characterized as challenging steep-forest terrain best suited for hunters willing to penetrate beyond road corridors. No bear ID test required for GMU 335 (requirement only applies to 12 specific western-slope GMUs). Elk hoof disease (Treponeme-associated hoof disease) present in District 8—hunters should report suspicious animals. 2025–2026 regulations note that one special-permit hunt unit was closed in the license year; verify current permit availability via WDFW myWDFW portal. Teanaway Road seasonal road kiosk at GPS 47.20774, -121.77318.