GMU 520 - Winston, Washington

Rolling to moderately steep Cascade foothills; main unit sits 400–1,600 ft with a narrow National Forest 'boot' ridge in the east rising to 2,600–4,800 ft. Major drainages include the Cowlitz River/Riffe Lake, Toutle River, Green River, and Salmon Creek. Ridge-and-draw topography with year-round water at Vanson and Deadmans Lake. Approximately 80% of slopes are 20 degrees or less, making foot access practical across most of the unit.

85% private (primarily Weyerhaeuser Saint Helens Tree Farm spanning GMUs 550, 520, 524, 556). ~11% state DNR lands scattered through the central unit plus a small parcel west of I-5. ~3% USFS (Gifford Pinchot NF) confined to the eastern boot section. Weyerhaeuser motorized access permits cost $250–$400; non-motorized $75–$125. Free access is available on Weyerhaeuser parcels enrolled in the WDFW Private Lands Hunting Access Program (WDFW #914 Weyerhaeuser-Skamania adjacent unit). Road closures on Weyerhaeuser land can occur without notice — confirm gate status before hunting. The unit is served by a network of logging roads and forest trails; main access corridors run off SR-12 and US-12 along the Cowlitz valley.

Dominated by industrial timber company land with heavy historic logging and active clear-cut rotation. Patchwork of clearcuts in all stages of regrowth — early-successional brush and alder provide high-protein browse; mature second-growth Douglas fir and western red cedar offer thermal cover. The USFS eastern boot has older stands. Low-elevation riparian corridors along the Cowlitz and Toutle are a year-round deer and elk travel corridor. Habitat is well-suited for black-tailed deer and Roosevelt elk given the browse diversity.

Deer and elk concentrate in early-successional clear-cuts for browse in early fall, transitioning to lower-elevation timber edges and riparian corridors as temperatures drop in November. During general firearm season, elk move to heavier timber cover under pressure. The eastern USFS ridge holds bull elk in September during the rut, accessible via the Gifford Pinchot boot. Black-tailed deer rut runs late October through late December; bucks work brushy clear-cut edges. Black bears are present unit-wide and particularly active in berry patches and logged areas in August–October.

GMU 520 ranked among top three general-season elk harvest units in District 10 in 2017 and 2018. 2021 total harvest was 662 animals across all species (3,663 hunters, 18.1% overall success). A 3-point minimum (one side) antler restriction applies to all Roosevelt elk seasons. Quality bull elk special permit (Hunt 2031, Women's Firearm, 1 permit, Sep 28–Oct 2) draws 76+ applications with ~21 average points — do not apply without confirmed private land access. Winston antlerless deer special permits (Hunts 1310, 1342, 1542) offer the only legal antlerless deer opportunity. No bear identification test required for this GMU. GMU 520 is not in a closed bear zone. Unit is not listed in any special elk antlerless permit table as of 2025–2026 regulations.