Wannacut GMU 209 deer hunting: harvest, seasons and permits
WDFW's harvest report shows 130 deer taken in GMU 209 Wannacut in 2025, 3 of them on special permits. General-season hunters numbered 428 (WDFW's archery, modern firearm, muzzleloader and multiple-season counts added together), with 1,831 hunter days. GMU 209 is 26.8% public land open to hunting, the largest share BLM (21,758 acres), measured from WA DNR's public land maps.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: WDFW reports for 1997 to 2025. Seasons and permits: WDFW's 2026 pamphlet with its April 2026 corrections. Land: WA DNR, 2026-10.
BLMDNR state trust landWDFW landNational wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted)Bureau of ReclamationOther public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 209Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 2, North Central Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 116,075 acres (181 square miles) |
| Counties | Okanogan |
| Public land open to hunting | 26.8% (31,131 acres) |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 130 (94 in 2024) |
| General-season hunters, 2025 | 428 |
| Modern firearm, 2026 | Oct. 17-27, any buck |
| Deer special permit hunts, 2026 | 4 hunts, 18 permits |
| Towns in and near it | Oroville, Tonasket, Riverside and Conconully |
Also for GMU 209: black bear hunting.
How many deer are taken in GMU 209?
WDFW reports 130 deer taken in GMU 209 in 2025, against 94 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 251, in 2002. WDFW's figures average 121 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 127 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Deer taken, all hunts | General season | Special permit | Antlered | Antlerless | General-season hunters | Hunter days | Deer per 100 general hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 130 | 127 | 3 | 129 | 1 | 428 | 1,831 | 30 |
| 2024 | 94 | 91 | 3 | 92 | 2 | 434 | 1,875 | 21 |
| 2023 | 140 | 136 | 4 | 128 | 12 | 403 | 1,519 | 34 |
| 2022 | 96 | 91 | 5 | 83 | 13 | 468 | 1,875 | 19 |
| 2021 | 144 | 134 | 10 | 125 | 19 | 450 | 1,954 | 30 |
| 2020 | 149 | 140 | 9 | 131 | 18 | 484 | 1,843 | 29 |
| 2019 | 129 | 116 | 13 | 111 | 18 | 480 | 2,005 | 24 |
| 2018 | 127 | 114 | 13 | 104 | 23 | 461 | 1,816 | 25 |
| 2017 | 102 | 95 | 7 | 86 | 16 | 475 | 2,076 | 20 |
| 2016 | 130 | 121 | 9 | 114 | 16 | 572 | 2,430 | 21 |
| 2015 | 164 | 151 | 13 | 144 | 20 | 460 | 1,930 | 33 |
| 2014 | 169 | 156 | 13 | 147 | 22 | 528 | 2,155 | 30 |
| 2013 | 105 | 100 | 5 | 87 | 18 | 474 | 1,940 | 21 |
| 2012 | 155 | 144 | 11 | 131 | 24 | 490 | 2,093 | 29 |
| 2011 | 122 | 110 | 12 | 102 | 20 | 476 | 1,856 | 23 |
| 2010 | 109 | 100 | 9 | 90 | 19 | 496 | 2,059 | 20 |
| 2009 | 116 | 106 | 10 | 100 | 16 | 478 | 1,872 | 22 |
| 2008 | 106 | 82 | 24 | 77 | 29 | |||
| 2007 | 86 | 86 | not split out | 83 | 3 | 550 | 2,407 | 16 |
| 2006 | 119 | 119 | not split out | 110 | 9 | 565 | 2,277 | 21 |
| 2005 | 90 | 90 | not split out | 87 | 3 | 465 | 1,839 | 19 |
| 2004 | 121 | 121 | not split out | 118 | 3 | 561 | 2,255 | 22 |
| 2003 | 63 | 63 | not split out | 62 | 1 | 414 | 1,728 | 15 |
| 2002 | 251 | 251 | not split out | 178 | 73 | 984 | 3,732 | 26 |
| 2001 | 196 | 196 | not split out | 142 | 54 | 792 | 3,009 | 25 |
| 2000 | 119 | 119 | not split out | 119 | 0 | 568 | 1,771 | 21 |
| 1999 | 60 | 60 | not split out | 60 | 0 | 716 | 3,238 | 8 |
| 1998 | 59 | 59 | not split out | 59 | 0 | 652 | 1,633 | 9 |
| 1997 | 22 | 22 | not split out | 22 | 0 | 785 | 2,005 | 3 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer, GMU 209, 1997 to 2025), read through WDFW's Hunt Planner harvest table. "All hunts" is WDFW's general plus special permit total where it publishes one (from 2008), otherwise the general season. Where WDFW gives no all-weapon hunter count, the hunters and days shown are its per-weapon counts added together. Deer per 100 general hunters is worked out from WDFW's own two figures. The averages above are of WDFW's yearly figures.
How did each weapon do in GMU 209 in 2025?
The modern firearm general season drew the most deer hunters in GMU 209 in 2025: 278, who took 76 (27.4% success by WDFW's count).
| Weapon, 2025 general season | Hunters | Hunter days | Deer taken | Success (WDFW) | Days per animal (WDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 91 | 493 | 34 | 37.4% | 15 |
| Modern firearm | 278 | 1,120 | 76 | 27.4% | 15 |
| Muzzleloader | 10 | 30 | 6 | 60% | 5 |
| Multiple-season tag | 49 | 188 | 11 | 22.4% | 17 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer general season, 2025).
What size bucks come out of GMU 209?
WDFW counts antlered deer by the points on one side. In 2025, the most common was 4-point: 73 of 129 antlered deer.
| Year | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 or more | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 73 | 20 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 | 1 | 41 | 31 | 19 | 2 |
| 2023 | 0 | 2 | 57 | 56 | 13 | 12 |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 35 | 10 | 13 |
| 2021 | 0 | 3 | 50 | 52 | 20 | 19 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer, antler points).
When is deer season in GMU 209 in 2026?
General seasons for all hunters in GMU 209, by weapon: archery: Sept. 1-25 (any deer, white-tailed deer), Sept. 1-25 (3 pt. min., mule deer), Nov. 25-Dec. 15 (late season, any deer, white-tailed deer) and Nov. 21-30 (late season, 3 pt. min., mule deer); muzzleloader: Sept. 26-Oct. 4 (any buck, white-tailed deer) and Sept. 26-Oct. 4 (3 pt. min., mule deer); modern firearm: Oct. 17-27 (any buck, white-tailed deer) and Oct. 17-27 (3 pt. min., mule deer).
| Weapon | Season | Deer | 2026 dates | Legal deer | Who | WDFW's notes for GMU 209 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modern firearm | General season | White-tailed Deer | Oct. 17-27 | Any buck | All hunters | |
| Modern firearm | General season | Mule Deer | Oct. 17-27 | 3 pt. min. | All hunters | |
| Archery | Early archery season | White-tailed Deer | Sept. 1-25 | Any deer | All hunters | |
| Archery | Early archery season | Mule Deer | Sept. 1-25 | 3 pt. min. | All hunters | |
| Archery | Late archery season | White-tailed Deer | Nov. 25-Dec. 15 | Any deer | All hunters | |
| Archery | Late archery season | Mule Deer | Nov. 21-30 | 3 pt. min. | All hunters | |
| Muzzleloader | Early muzzleloader season | White-tailed Deer | Sept. 26-Oct. 4 | Any buck | All hunters | |
| Muzzleloader | Early muzzleloader season | Mule Deer | Sept. 26-Oct. 4 | 3 pt. min. | All hunters |
Source: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, pages 23, 24 and 25, with WDFW's April 2026 corrections. WDFW can change a season during the year: check WDFW's regulations page before you go.
Which special permit deer hunts include GMU 209?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 4 deer special permit hunts that take in GMU 209, with 18 permits in all. The applicant counts and average points are the ones WDFW prints for the 2025 drawing; the 2025 results are from WDFW's harvest report for each hunt number.
| Hunt | Name and category | Tag | 2026 dates | Legal deer | Unit or area | 2026 permits | 2025 applicants / average points (WDFW) | 2025 result: hunters, deer taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1512 | Wannacut Youth only | Modern | Oct. 17-27 | Any Buck, White-tailed antlerless | GMU 209 | 5 | 69 / 3 | 0 hunters, 0 taken |
| 1569 | Wannacut Youth only | Muzzleloader | Sept. 24-Oct. 4 | Any Buck, White-tailed antlerless | GMU 209 | 3 | 5 / 1 | 0 hunters, 0 taken |
| 1608 | Wannacut Hunters 65 or older | Modern | Oct. 17-27 | Any Buck, White-tailed antlerless | GMU 209 | 5 | 67 / 5 | |
| 1708 | Wannacut Hunters with disabilities | Modern | Oct. 17 - 27 | Any Buck, White-tailed antlerless | GMU 209 | 5 | 24 / 4 |
Sources: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, pages 35, 36, 37 and 38; WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer individual hunts, 2025). A hunt's 2025 result is shown only where the 2025 hunt had the same number and name.
How much public land is in GMU 209?
26.8% of GMU 209 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 31,131 of its 116,075 acres. The largest share is BLM, 21,758 acres or 18.7% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 6,274 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 209 |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 21,758 | 18.7% |
| DNR state trust land | 6,274 | 5.4% |
| WDFW land | 2,737 | 2.4% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 362 | 0.3% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 104 | 0.1% |
| National wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted) | 22 | under 0.1% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 209, by WDFW's own boundaries: Scotch Creek Wildlife Area (1,510 acres here) and Sinlahekin Wildlife Area (1,205 acres here; units Driscoll Island and Horse Spring Coulee).
Measured by FilledTag inside WDFW's GMU boundary (WDFW game management units, in effect April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027) from WA DNR Major Public Lands (non-DNR) and WA DNR Managed Land Parcels, read 2026-10. Tribal land is not counted as public. National wildlife refuges, military land and "other public" land (state parks, county, city and other agencies) are not counted as open to hunting: each sets its own rules.
How do you get to GMU 209?
Highways through the unit: US 97 (about 6 miles inside it). Towns inside: Oroville. Nearby: Tonasket (on the line), Riverside (12 miles), Conconully (14 miles) and Omak (18 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 209?
GMU 209 touches 2 other GMUs. Their public land and WDFW's 2025 deer numbers, for comparison:
| GMU | Name | Public land | Deer taken, 2025 | General hunters, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 204 | Okanogan East | 47.7% | 780 | 3,317 |
| GMU 215 | Sinlahekin | 72.4% | 219 | 1,238 |
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season in GMU 209 in 2026?
By WDFW's 2026 pamphlet, the general deer seasons open to all hunters in GMU 209 are archery: Sept. 1-25 (any deer, white-tailed deer), Sept. 1-25 (3 pt. min., mule deer), Nov. 25-Dec. 15 (late season, any deer, white-tailed deer) and Nov. 21-30 (late season, 3 pt. min., mule deer); muzzleloader: Sept. 26-Oct. 4 (any buck, white-tailed deer) and Sept. 26-Oct. 4 (3 pt. min., mule deer); modern firearm: Oct. 17-27 (any buck, white-tailed deer) and Oct. 17-27 (3 pt. min., mule deer).
How many deer are taken in GMU 209?
WDFW reports 130 deer taken in GMU 209 in 2025: 129 antlered and 1 antlerless. The most in one year since 1997 was 251, in 2002.
Which special permit deer hunts include GMU 209?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 4 deer permit hunts for GMU 209: 1512 Wannacut (5 permits), 1569 Wannacut (3 permits), 1608 Wannacut (5 permits) and 1708 Wannacut (5 permits). Applications for 2026 closed May 20.
How much public land is in GMU 209?
26.8% of GMU 209, 31,131 of its 116,075 acres, is national forest, BLM, DNR trust, WDFW, Reclamation or national recreation area land; the largest share is BLM. Measured by FilledTag from WA DNR's public land maps.
What town is closest to GMU 209?
Oroville is inside the unit. Just outside: Tonasket (on the line), Riverside (12 miles) and Conconully (14 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 209
Beginning where the Similkameen Rd crosses the US-Canadian border; E on the US-Canadian border to the eastern shore of Lake Osoyoos; S along the eastern shore of Lake Osoyoos and the eastern shore of Okanogan River to the Fourth Street Bridge at the town of Tonasket; NW on Fourth Street on the Fourth Street Bridge to County Hwy 7; S on County Hwy 7 to North Pine Creek Rd; SW on North Pine Creek Rd to the Horse Springs Coulee Rd, north of Aeneas Lake; N on Horse Springs Coulee Road to Loomis-Oroville Rd, west of Spectacle Lake; W and N on Loomis-Oroville Rd to Similkameen Rd; N on the Similkameen Rd to the US-Canadian border and the point of beginning.
From WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, Game Management Unit Descriptions.
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Where these numbers come from
- Harvest, hunters, days and success: WDFW Game Harvest Reports.
- Seasons, special permits, applicants and points: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations.
- Public land: WA DNR Major Public Lands (non-DNR) and WA DNR Managed Land Parcels, read 2026-10. GMU boundary: WDFW game management units, in effect April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
- Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
FilledTag is not part of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Numbers are copied from WDFW and the State of Washington, or measured from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag. WDFW's regulations are the final word on every rule.
Washington hunting Washington deer by GMU Region 2 GMU 204 GMU 215