GMU 601 - Hoko, Washington

Rolling hills with some steep terrain; broken mix of mature conifer forest and clearcuts at varying stages of regeneration. Snag Peak is the highest point at 2,034 feet, located in the unit interior. Coastal influence from the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the north. River flats along the Hoko River corridor. Temperate rainforest conditions with extremely high annual precipitation on the west Olympic Peninsula. No alpine terrain — unit sits in the coastal foothills below Olympic National Park.

Approximately 91% private land (private industrial timberland), 9% state (DNR) and Makah tribal reservation lands. A few sections of state land in the eastern corner offer the primary public access. Most timber company roads are gated; some can be accessed on foot or mountain bike. No Olympic National Forest land within the unit. Olympic National Park borders the unit to the south/southwest — hunting inside ONP is unlawful. Private timber companies are increasingly shifting to fee-access programs. Hunters must obtain landowner permission for most of the unit. No towns within the GMU; primarily a day-hunt unit.

Old-growth and second-growth Douglas fir, western red cedar, Sitka spruce, and western hemlock. Clearcuts in various regeneration stages provide critical edge habitat and forage for elk and bear. Brush, salal, sword fern, huckleberry, salmonberry, and thimbleberry dominate understory. Coastal influence brings Sitka spruce near the strait. Extremely dense vegetation makes visibility difficult; sticking to timber openings and clearcut edges is essential for glassing.

Some elk herds are year-round low-elevation residents while others migrate seasonally into higher elevations, mostly into Olympic National Park. Hunters find opportunities as elk move out of ONP during hunting season. Elk use patterns in Hoko have been studied in relation to human disturbance on the Hoko-Dickey timberlands. Black-tailed deer are sparse in western District 16 including Hoko; rut runs late October through late December. Black bear are present throughout but seen infrequently due to thick vegetation; early fall focus should be on higher elevations and regenerating timber stands with berry-producing shrubs.

Hoko is rated by WDFW as limited opportunity for general season hunters compared to neighboring units (602 Dickey, 607 Sol Duc, 612 Goodman, 615 Clearwater) due to predominance of private gated timberland. Most elk harvest occurs in the western District 16 GMUs with more public land. Tribal harvest is significant in this unit — total elk harvest (state + tribal) runs 15-30 annually even when state general-season bull harvest is in single digits. Treponeme-associated hoof disease (TAHD) has been confirmed in adjacent GMUs (603, 607) but not yet confirmed in 601 as of 2025; hunters should submit hooves if harvesting limping elk. Bear use of hounds or bait is prohibited statewide. All successful bear hunters must submit a premolar tooth within 5 days. Night hunting restrictions apply during deer and elk seasons. Private timber companies are increasingly shifting to paid-access programs — contact landowners early. Research on elk movements and habitat use in relation to human disturbance was conducted specifically in GMU 601 and 602.