GMU 648 - Wynoochee, Washington

Rolling to moderately steep conifer forest on the southwestern Olympic Peninsula. The unit runs from Wynoochee Lake in the north down to Highway 12 in the south. Elevation ranges from near sea level along river valleys to roughly 2,000–3,500 ft on ridgelines in the northern portion near the Olympic National Forest boundary. Terrain in the northern ONF fringe is steeper; the southern and central portions are characterized by gentler logged-over slopes in various stages of timber regrowth. The Wynoochee River and its tributaries drain the unit east toward Grays Harbor. Approximately 222 miles of Forest Service roads exist in the broader Wynoochee watershed. Slopes average moderate with roughly 80% of public land having slopes equal to or less than 22 degrees.

WDFW Motorized Access Rating: Poor. Primary landowners are Weyerhaeuser (general access permit, enhanced permit, and lease tiers), Rayonier (seasonal permit, recreational lease, and general permit tiers), Green Diamond (dot system — mostly non-motorized; some roads open seasonally if fire danger is low), and Campbell Global (dot system — some motorized access roads opened as hunting season approaches). Grays Harbor County, Olympic Resource Management, and American Forest Management also hold parcels. The Hoquiam and Aberdeen watersheds within the unit are closed to public access entirely. Archery and muzzleloader hunters typically face more restricted motorized access than modern firearm hunters. Several landowners have cooperative road management agreements with WDFW. Hunters must follow posted signs and dot-system color codes (red = no motorized, yellow = weekends only, green = motorized on maintained roads). Mountain bikes with trailers are a popular way to access gated areas where non-motorized access is permitted. E-bikes are frequently restricted on private timber lands.

Second-growth and managed conifer forest dominates — primarily Douglas fir, western hemlock, and western red cedar in varying age classes. Three- to nine-year-old clear-cut units provide the highest deer and elk forage and visibility. Older second-growth and limited old-growth stands occur in the northern ONF fringe. Riparian corridors along the Wynoochee River and tributaries hold red alder, bigleaf maple, and dense understory shrubs. Berry-producing shrubs — salmonberry, elderberry, and devil's club — are abundant in recent cuts and make prime black bear habitat. The Hoquiam and Aberdeen municipal watersheds occupy a closed portion of the unit. Orchards and small agricultural parcels occur at lower elevations.

Roosevelt elk in GMU 648 belong to the Olympic elk herd (shared with GMUs 618, 638, and 642) rather than the Willapa Hills herd, which is generally more productive. Elk densities are lower than in the Willapa Hills GMUs (658, 672, 673, 681). The Olympic herd elk do not experience the severe winter conditions that cause die-offs, so populations are relatively stable year to year. Elk commonly forage in timber harvests but often visit them only at dawn, dusk, or at night, spending days in closed-canopy forest, swamps, and creek bottoms. Later in the season, pressure pushes bulls onto steep-terrain benches with thick cover. Treponeme-associated hoof disease (TAHD) has been confirmed in GMU 648 elk — WDFW operates a TAHD Incentive Program; hunters harvesting limping elk and submitting hooves are entered in a special permit drawing. Roosevelt elk rut begins as early as the first week of September and runs approximately one month. Black-tailed deer home ranges are very small (avg 86 acres, max ~243 acres); deer concentrate in 3–9 year old clearcuts. Buck rut activity peaks the last week of October through first week of November. Black bears are abundant and best found scouting open terrain and berry-producing clearcuts.

GMU 648 is one of the top four deer-producing units in District 17 (alongside 660, 663, and 672), with 2025 seeing the highest district deer harvest on record (2,022 animals). It is also one of the top three black bear units in the district (alongside 660 and 663), and a regular producer of cougar. Elk hunting is less productive here than in Willapa Hills GMUs — hunters seeking mature trophy bulls are directed by WDFW toward adjacent GMUs 618 (Matheny) and 638 (Quinault Ridge) instead. District-wide deer hunter success runs 15–20%. An antlerless elk permit hunt (95 permits) runs Nov. 24–Dec. 15. A modern firearm buck deer special permit (any-buck, ~10 permits) runs Nov. 1–16. Several timber companies have shifted from free access to fee-based access programs in recent years, reducing hunter pressure on permit-only areas. Hunters are advised to contact the WDFW Region 6 office in Montesano (360-249-4628) for current access conditions. Forest grouse (ruffed and blue/sooty) provide supplemental hunting opportunity.