GMU 621 - Olympic, Washington

Rugged east slope of the Olympic Mountains from Port Angeles south to Lake Cushman, elevation 0–7,136 ft. Lower river valleys along Dosewallips, Duckabush, Hamma Hamma, and North Fork Skokomish feature dense old-growth and second-growth rainforest. Upper elevations transition to subalpine meadows and steep rocky terrain. Buckhorn, The Brothers, and Mount Skokomish Wilderness Areas occupy the western boundary and are entirely roadless. The coastal/lowland edges are heavily timbered with mixed private and public parcels.

Olympic National Forest dominates (~72% of unit is public land). Sizeable DNR state lands also present, particularly in the Lilliwaup Swamp area. Private timber company lands with limited access exist at lower elevations near the Hood Canal corridor. Road access via US-101 on the east side with spur roads up each river drainage (Dosewallips, Duckabush, Hamma Hamma, Skokomish roads); many spur roads are gated or seasonally closed. Wilderness areas require foot or pack stock access only. No ferry access required — the unit is road-accessible from US-101.

Dominant cover is dense Douglas fir, western red cedar, Sitka spruce, and western hemlock old-growth and mature second-growth forest with heavy understory of sword fern, vine maple, and devil's club. River bottoms have alder, big-leaf maple, and willows providing elk browse. Subalpine zones feature mountain hemlock and subalpine fir with huckleberry fields. Logged-over DNR and private lands provide edge habitat with blackberry, fireweed, and alder that attract deer and bear. Annual precipitation ranges from 60 inches on the east rain shadow side to over 140 inches on the west-facing slopes.

Roosevelt elk herds congregate along the four Hood Canal drainages year-round or migrate seasonally into Olympic National Park for summer range, returning to lower river valleys in fall. Bucks on the north end push out of ONP onto adjacent National Forest and DNR land during the late October rut. Some Duckabush elk have shifted south toward the Hamma Hamma drainage. Elk largely avoid heavily roaded areas; best concentrations are in mid-elevation forest between 1,000–3,500 ft. Bear activity peaks in berry-producing clearcuts and riparian corridors in late summer and fall.

GMU 621 is closed to general elk seasons per WAC 220-415-050 — elk hunting is by special bull permit only. The unit historically fields roughly 13 permits per year across rifle (8), archery (4), and muzzleloader (3 or 1 depending on year). Five-year average hunter success is low: ~8% rifle, ~7% archery, ~6% muzzleloader, reflecting dense cover and challenging terrain. At least 250 elk estimated in the unit; population is below objective, contributing to restrictive permit quotas. Black-tailed deer general seasons are open (archery, modern firearm, muzzleloader). Treponeme-associated hoof disease prevalence is low in this unit (only 2 positives recorded). Tribal harvest also occurs. Private land permission is often needed to access the best elk concentrations near Dosewallips and Duckabush.