GMU 607 - Sol Duc, Washington

Temperate rainforest river-bottom and lower foothill terrain dominated by the Sol Duc and Bogachiel river drainages. Dense old-growth and second-growth Douglas fir, Sitka spruce, western red cedar, and western hemlock characterize the landscape. Logged-over hillsides and regenerating clear-cuts create edge habitat critical for elk and bear. Elevations range from near sea level river bottoms to foothills approaching the ONP boundary. Extremely high annual rainfall (100-140 inches on the west side) keeps vegetation lush year-round. Higher-elevation forestlands transition into Olympic National Park where hunting is prohibited.

Approximately 76% public land: 63% USFS (Olympic National Forest), 12% DNR state land, 1% NPS boundary. Remaining 24% is private industrial timberland (Rayonier, Green Crow, Merrill and Ring). All GMUs in this area include gated roads — some allow hunter access on foot or mountain bike, others are closed entirely. Hunters must obtain permission for private timber lands and obey all posted signs. No ferry or boat access required; primary vehicle access via US-101 and logging road networks off Highway 101 near Forks, WA. Several areas limit vehicular access but walking/biking past gates is generally permitted on USFS and many DNR roads.

Classic Olympic Peninsula temperate rainforest: old-growth Sitka spruce and western red cedar stands along river bottoms; second-growth Douglas fir dominant on mid-slopes; extensive clear-cut regeneration units with dense brush (salmonberry, sword fern, oxalis) that elk and deer favor for browse; huckleberry, serviceberry, thimbleberry, blackberry, and salal berry patches at higher elevations critical for black bear in fall. Understory is extremely dense, making visibility limited and spot-and-stalk hunting challenging. River bottoms and edge habitat between timber types offer best visibility windows.

Roosevelt elk are largely year-round residents in lower-elevation habitats, with some herds seasonally migrating to high alpine meadows inside Olympic National Park during summer, then pushing back out onto public and private timberlands bordering the park during hunting season. The Sol Duc and Bogachiel river drainages serve as major elk movement corridors. Hunters scout for elk exiting ONP and traveling along river systems. Black-tailed deer are sparse in western District 16 GMUs. Black bears move between regenerating timber stands and higher-elevation huckleberry patches seasonally — concentrated in berry patches at elevation in early fall, dropping to timber harvest units later in the season.

GMU 607 is part of District 16's west-end cluster (along with GMUs 602, 612, 615) that consistently produces the highest elk harvest in the district. Bull harvest peaked at 53 in 2018 and 48 in 2019; dropped to fewer than 10 in 2023 but rebounded to ~20 in 2024. Standard harvest opportunity is for three-point minimum bull elk (general season, over-the-counter). A new antlerless elk permit opportunity was added in 2018 to manage damage complaints in the Forks area. Tribal co-management: west Olympic Peninsula tribes hold co-management rights; tribal harvest accounts for a portion of total elk take (fewer than 10 bulls annually). Elk hoof disease (treponeme bacteria) is an active concern on the Olympic Peninsula — hunters are asked to report observations of limping elk to WDFW. Modern firearm is the primary hunting method; muzzleloader and archery hunters also present with fluctuating numbers. Black bear hunter success was 5% in 2024 (4 bears harvested, 75 hunters). Deer density is low west of the Elwha — 57 state bucks harvested in 2024, making this primarily an elk unit. Olympic NP boundary effect: it is unlawful to hunt inside ONP, but elk exiting the park onto bordering USFS/DNR lands during season is a well-known pattern.