GMU 342 - Umtanum, Washington

GMU 342 is bisected by the Wenas Valley, which drains southeast to the Yakima River near Selah. The unit runs roughly from Umtanum Creek in the north to the Naches River in the southwest and the Yakima River along the east. Elevations range from approximately 1,156 ft in the lowland river bottoms to around 2,280 ft on the Cleman Mountain ridgelines. The eastern two-thirds of the unit is open, rolling shrub-steppe and native bunchgrass rangeland interspersed with sagebrush, buckbrush, and scattered riparian corridors along tributary creeks (Wenas, Roza, North Wenas). The western margin rises into more broken terrain with forested draws, cliff and talus formations, Ponderosa pine parklands, and Douglas-fir at higher elevations. The most rugged terrain lies in the Oak Creek Wildlife Area on the southwest edge, offering the deepest canyon country.

Approximately 68% of GMU 342 is public land, composed primarily of state-owned parcels (roughly 61% of unit area) that include the Wenas Wildlife Area (106,742 acres spanning GMUs 342, 334, 340) and the Oak Creek Wildlife Area (40,922 acres, spanning GMUs 342, 360, 364, 368). Federal land is limited: approximately 5% USFS (Wenatchee National Forest fringe) and 1% BLM (Spokane District). Private land at roughly 32% is concentrated in the Wenas Valley agricultural corridor and along North Wenas Road. The Yakama Nation Reservation boundary lies south and west; while the unit itself is not on the reservation, much of central Washington falls within Yakama Nation ceded territory (12 million acres across nine counties), meaning tribal members with off-reservation rights may hunt open and unclaimed lands within the ceded area. Key access routes: North Wenas Road (from Selah or Naches) reaches the south Wenas Wildlife Area; Umtanum Road / Ellensburg Pass Road (from Ellensburg) accesses the north portion. US Highway 12 provides access to Oak Creek Wildlife Area six miles west of Naches. A Green Dot road management system restricts motorized travel to designated open roads on all state wildlife areas. A Discover Pass is required for state wildlife area parking.

Lower elevations (1,100-1,600 ft): sagebrush (big and basin), bitterbrush, buckbrush, native bunchgrasses (bluebunch wheatgrass, Idaho fescue), and scattered riparian willow/cottonwood along drainages. Mid-elevations (1,600-2,000 ft): antelope bitterbrush, serviceberry, chokecherry, and Ponderosa pine parkland with grass understory. Upper slopes and canyon heads (2,000-2,280 ft): Douglas-fir, grand fir, and mixed conifer with shrubby understory. Oak woodlands appear in the Oak Creek drainage. The Wenas Wildlife Area is described by WDFW as dominated by shrubsteppe with conifer forest in riparian zones and at higher elevation. Dry canyon walls support cliff and talus habitat used by California bighorn sheep (permit-only in adjacent GMUs).

Elk use the timbered draws and Ponderosa pine parklands on the western slopes of Cleman Mountain and the Oak Creek drainages during fall hunting seasons, moving down to lower shrub-steppe in winter where WDFW operates supplemental feeding stations at Oak Creek and Cleman Mountain. Mule deer concentrate in the sagebrush-buckbrush uplands and canyon rims throughout the unit, with bucks often pushing to higher, more broken terrain before the archery opener. A WDFW-documented winter wildlife sanctuary encompasses the Oak Creek Feeding Area, Clover Springs Feeding Area, and Cleman Mountain Feeding Area (no hunting Dec. 15 - Mar. 31). Wenas Valley creek corridors (North Wenas, Umtanum, Roza, Wenas Creek) serve as travel lanes and security cover for both deer and elk. Elk rut typically runs from the first week of September through mid-October. GMU 342 historically records among the highest elk populations in District 8.

GMU 342 has no modern firearm general season for either deer or elk under current WAC 220-415-020 and WAC 220-415-050 (2024-2026 cycle); hunting is archery and muzzleloader only for general tags. Early and late archery deer seasons may overlap damage-control elk hunts in Elk Areas 3911 and 3912 (portions of GMU 342). A 3-point minimum antler restriction applies to mule deer for all general seasons. White-tailed deer are present but less common than mule deer; the late archery white-tailed deer season runs through Dec. 15 with an 'any deer' tag. The Yakama Nation holds off-reservation hunting rights throughout the ceded territory area; hunters should be aware of potential tribal jurisdiction on open and unclaimed public lands. Seasonal closures: campfires prohibited April 15 - October 15 on state wildlife areas; Cleman Mountain area closed to motorized vehicles December - April 30; Oak Creek winter closure Dec. 30 - May 1 in Sanford Pasture. Total 2021 hunter count reported at 2,467 with 140 animals harvested (5.7% average success).