GMU 485 - Green River, Washington

Steep to moderately steep Cascade foothill terrain ranging from roughly 1,200 to 4,800 feet elevation. The unit is dominated by dense second-growth and old-growth conifer forest — Douglas fir, western hemlock, and grand fir — with riparian corridors along the Green River and its tributaries. Clearcut patches at various stages of regrowth create edge habitat. Notable features include large power-line corridors cleared through the forest, railroad grades, and the Green River itself. Terrain mellows somewhat toward the western margin of the unit. Slope data indicates 80% of the area has slopes of 33 degrees or less.

GMU 485 is almost entirely owned or controlled by the City of Tacoma as a municipal watershed (Tacoma Water). WDFW estimates approximately 30% of the 141-square-mile unit (roughly 27,000 acres) is accessible public land including some Snoqualmie National Forest and state land parcels; the remainder is Tacoma watershed land. The City of Tacoma actively enforces trespass year-round. Permit holders receive authorized access to the watershed. The unit was created in 1984 from the larger Stampede GMU (466) via an agreement between the Washington Department of Game and the City of Tacoma. Public road access is limited; hunters primarily use unimproved watershed roads under permit. The Green River Natural Area (trailheads at Metzler, Doreen Johnson Conservation Area, and O'Grady) borders the unit but is primarily a non-hunting recreation area. Large private and checkerboarded timber company blocks exist along unit margins.

Primarily closed-canopy Douglas fir and western hemlock forest with grand fir and red alder along stream drainages. Clearcut regeneration areas provide browse including native grasses, forbs, and shrubs such as buckbrush and vine maple. Power-line clearings offer additional forage and edge hunting opportunities. Riparian zones along the Green River provide movement corridors for elk and deer. The thick wet-forest understory is typical western Cascade lowland habitat favoring Roosevelt elk and black-tailed deer.

Roosevelt elk use the unit year-round, concentrated in old-growth and mature timber stands during summer and moving to lower-elevation clearcuts and brushy areas in fall and winter. Black-tailed deer follow similar elevation gradients, dropping to lower benches and river bottoms during the rut in October-November. Bears are active in berry patches, clearcuts, and riparian areas from spring through fall. The rut for elk typically begins in early September and runs approximately one month. Power-line and railroad corridors serve as natural travel routes.

This is one of the most exclusive permit hunts in Washington State. The entire GMU is a CLOSED AREA to all big game hunting year-round except for special permit holders. During the general westside elk season and general/late deer seasons, even bird hunting is prohibited for non-permit holders. The City of Tacoma enforces trespass violations year-round. Only 5 deer permits (hunt code 1050, any buck, Oct 17-21 and Nov 7-11) and 4 elk permits (hunt code 2027, any bull, Oct 17-21 and Nov 7-11) are issued annually. With 500+ deer applicants averaging 19 points and 960+ elk applicants averaging 16 points, expect to wait 15-20+ years to draw. Bear and cougar may be taken by permit holders with appropriate tags. Hunter orange/fluorescent pink required during permit seasons. Mandatory harvest reporting applies.