Sinlahekin GMU 215 deer hunting: harvest, seasons and permits
WDFW's harvest report shows 219 deer taken in GMU 215 Sinlahekin in 2025, 18 of them on special permits. General-season hunters numbered 1,238 (WDFW's archery, modern firearm, muzzleloader and multiple-season counts added together), with 6,146 hunter days. GMU 215 is 72.4% public land open to hunting, the largest share DNR state trust land (137,390 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.
National forestBLMDNR state trust landWDFW landNational wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted)Bureau of ReclamationGMU 215Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 2, North Central Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 273,171 acres (427 square miles) |
| Counties | Okanogan |
| Public land open to hunting | 72.4% (197,823 acres) |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 219 (258 in 2024) |
| General-season hunters, 2025 | 1,238 |
| Modern firearm, 2026 | Oct. 17-27, any buck |
| Deer special permit hunts, 2026 | 8 hunts, 43 permits |
| Towns in and near it | Riverside, Loomis, Conconully, Tonasket and Omak |
Also for GMU 215: elk hunting, black bear hunting.
How many deer are taken in GMU 215?
WDFW reports 219 deer taken in GMU 215 in 2025, against 258 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 502, in 2015. WDFW's figures average 282 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 342 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 | 219 | 201 | 18 | 207 | 12 | 1,238 | 6,146 | 16 |
| 2024 | 258 | 232 | 26 | 226 | 32 | 1,292 | 6,323 | 18 |
| 2023 | 246 | 220 | 26 | 208 | 38 | 1,321 | 6,873 | 17 |
| 2022 | 287 | 271 | 16 | 234 | 53 | 1,559 | 7,863 | 17 |
| 2021 | 400 | 343 | 57 | 314 | 86 | 1,636 | 7,892 | 21 |
| 2020 | 353 | 305 | 48 | 293 | 60 | 1,701 | 8,592 | 18 |
| 2019 | 321 | 275 | 46 | 258 | 63 | 1,604 | 8,205 | 17 |
| 2018 | 305 | 249 | 56 | 222 | 83 | 1,514 | 7,597 | 16 |
| 2017 | 343 | 274 | 69 | 246 | 97 | 1,654 | 7,942 | 17 |
| 2016 | 387 | 314 | 73 | 306 | 81 | 1,699 | 8,411 | 18 |
| 2015 | 502 | 432 | 70 | 411 | 91 | 1,636 | 7,742 | 26 |
| 2014 | 444 | 388 | 56 | 360 | 84 | 1,650 | 7,902 | 24 |
| 2013 | 284 | 236 | 48 | 228 | 56 | 1,590 | 7,992 | 15 |
| 2012 | 390 | 328 | 62 | 298 | 92 | 1,625 | 7,778 | 20 |
| 2011 | 359 | 311 | 48 | 281 | 78 | 1,532 | 7,087 | 20 |
| 2010 | 320 | 266 | 54 | 246 | 74 | 1,666 | 7,837 | 16 |
| 2009 | 373 | 315 | 58 | 285 | 88 | 1,705 | 7,874 | 18 |
| 2008 | 291 | 247 | 44 | 218 | 73 | |||
| 2007 | 247 | 247 | not split out | 217 | 30 | 1,675 | 7,956 | 15 |
| 2006 | 235 | 235 | not split out | 199 | 36 | 1,607 | 7,702 | 15 |
| 2005 | 373 | 373 | not split out | 340 | 33 | 1,799 | 8,663 | 21 |
| 2004 | 420 | 420 | not split out | 378 | 42 | 2,034 | 9,864 | 21 |
| 2003 | 294 | 294 | not split out | 264 | 30 | 1,786 | 8,794 | 16 |
| 2002 | 457 | 457 | not split out | 334 | 123 | 2,036 | 10,104 | 22 |
| 2001 | 352 | 352 | not split out | 247 | 105 | 1,814 | 8,702 | 19 |
| 2000 | 358 | 358 | not split out | 348 | 10 | 2,270 | 8,757 | 16 |
| 1999 | 187 | 187 | not split out | 175 | 12 | 2,311 | 14,529 | 8 |
| 1998 | 155 | 155 | not split out | 139 | 16 | 2,352 | 9,295 | 7 |
| 1997 | 102 | 102 | not split out | 96 | 6 | 1,575 | 5,826 | 6 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer, GMU 215, 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 215 in 2025?
The modern firearm general season drew the most deer hunters in GMU 215 in 2025: 769, who took 123 (16% success by WDFW's count).
| Weapon, 2025 general season | Hunters | Hunter days | Deer taken | Success (WDFW) | Days per animal (WDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 304 | 1,646 | 38 | 12.6% | 43 |
| Modern firearm | 769 | 3,601 | 123 | 16% | 29 |
| Muzzleloader | 44 | 162 | 17 | 38.6% | 10 |
| Multiple-season tag | 121 | 737 | 23 | 19% | 32 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer general season, 2025).
What size bucks come out of GMU 215?
WDFW counts antlered deer by the points on one side. In 2025, the most common was 3-point: 85 of 207 antlered deer.
| Year | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 or more | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | 9 | 85 | 71 | 38 | 12 |
| 2024 | 24 | 12 | 72 | 86 | 32 | 32 |
| 2023 | 5 | 3 | 84 | 86 | 30 | 38 |
| 2022 | 16 | 4 | 88 | 90 | 36 | 53 |
| 2021 | 9 | 19 | 136 | 114 | 36 | 86 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer, antler points).
When is deer season in GMU 215 in 2026?
General seasons for all hunters in GMU 215, 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 215 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 215?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 8 deer special permit hunts that take in GMU 215, with 43 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1024 | Sinlahekin Quality Deer | Modern | Nov. 1-20 | Any Buck | GMU 215 | 5 | 909 / 15 | 9 hunters, 7 taken |
| 1206 | Sinlahekin Buck Deer | Modern | Nov. 1-20 | Any white-tailed buck | GMU 215 | 10 | 1,872 / 10 | 11 hunters, 6 taken |
| 1404 | Central Okanogan Second Deer | Any | Sept. 3-Oct. 6 | Antlerless | Deer Area 2014 | 5 | 304 / 6 | 2 hunters, 1 taken |
| 1416 | Sinlahekin Second Deer | Modern | Oct. 17-27 | White-tailed, antlerless | GMU 215 | 5 | 498 / 6 | |
| 1513 | Sinlahekin Youth only | Modern | Oct. 17-27 | Any Buck, White-tailed antlerless | GMU 215 | 5 | 151 / 3 | 2 hunters, 0 taken |
| 1609 | Sinlahekin Hunters 65 or older | Modern | Oct. 17-27 | Any Buck, White-tailed antlerless | GMU 215 | 5 | 201 / 6 | |
| 1709 | Sinlahekin Hunters with disabilities | Modern | Oct. 17 - 27 | Any Buck, White-tailed antlerless | GMU 215 | 5 | 69 / 8 | |
| 1744 | Sinlahekin Hunters with disabilities | Muzzleloader | Sept. 24-Oct. 4 | Any Buck, White-tailed antlerless | GMU 215 | 3 | 7 / 2 |
Sources: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, pages 26, 29, 32, 35, 37, 38 and 39; 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 215?
72.4% of GMU 215 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 197,823 of its 273,171 acres. The largest share is DNR state trust land, 137,390 acres or 50.3% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 137,390 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 215 |
|---|---|---|
| DNR state trust land | 137,390 | 50.3% |
| National forest | 35,272 | 12.9% |
| BLM | 13,439 | 4.9% |
| WDFW land | 11,558 | 4.2% |
| National wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted) | 2,817 | 1% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 164 | 0.1% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 215, by WDFW's own boundaries: Sinlahekin Wildlife Area (13,692 acres here; units McLoughlin Falls, Carter Mountain and Sinlahekin) and Scotch Creek Wildlife Area (1,158 acres here).
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 215?
Highways through the unit: SR 20 (about 11 miles inside it) and US 97 (about 11 miles inside it). Towns inside: Riverside and Loomis. Nearby: Conconully (on the line), Tonasket (on the line), Omak (5 miles) and Oroville (9 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 215?
GMU 215 touches 6 other GMUs. Their public land and WDFW's 2025 deer numbers, for comparison:
| GMU | Name | Public land | Deer taken, 2025 | General hunters, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 203 | Pasayten | 100% | 11 | 271 |
| GMU 204 | Okanogan East | 47.7% | 780 | 3,317 |
| GMU 209 | Wannacut | 26.8% | 130 | 428 |
| GMU 218 | Chewuch | 94.8% | 226 | 1,220 |
| GMU 224 | Pearrygin | 87.1% | 159 | 1,292 |
| GMU 233 | Pogue | 45.7% | 150 | 888 |
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season in GMU 215 in 2026?
By WDFW's 2026 pamphlet, the general deer seasons open to all hunters in GMU 215 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 215?
WDFW reports 219 deer taken in GMU 215 in 2025: 207 antlered and 12 antlerless. The most in one year since 1997 was 502, in 2015.
Which special permit deer hunts include GMU 215?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 8 deer permit hunts for GMU 215: 1024 Sinlahekin (5 permits), 1206 Sinlahekin (10 permits), 1404 Central Okanogan (5 permits), 1416 Sinlahekin (5 permits), 1513 Sinlahekin (5 permits) and 1609 Sinlahekin (5 permits), and more in the table above. Applications for 2026 closed May 20.
How much public land is in GMU 215?
72.4% of GMU 215, 197,823 of its 273,171 acres, is national forest, BLM, DNR trust, WDFW, Reclamation or national recreation area land; the largest share is DNR state trust land. Measured by FilledTag from WA DNR's public land maps.
What town is closest to GMU 215?
Riverside and Loomis are inside the unit. Just outside: Conconully (on the line), Tonasket (on the line) and Omak (5 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 215
Beginning at the eastern boundary of the Pasayten Wilderness border and the US-Canadian border; E on the US-Canadian border to the border station on Similkameen Rd; SE on the Similkameen Rd to the Loomis-Oroville Rd; S on the Loomis-Oroville Rd, through the town of Loomis, then E to the Horse Springs Coulee Rd west of Spectacle Lake; S on the Horse Springs Coulee Rd to the North Pine Creek Rd; NE on the North Pine Creek Rd to County Hwy 7; NE on County Hwy 7 to Fourth St and the Fourth St Bridge which crosses the Okanogan River into the town of Tonasket; SE onto the Fourth St Bridge and the Okanogan River; S along the eastern shore of the Okanogan River to the Tunk Creek Rd bridge crossing the Okanogan River at the town of Riverside; SW on Tunk Creek Rd to State St; S on State St to 2nd St; W on 2nd to Cutoff Rd; SW on Cutoff Rd to US Hwy (US) 97; N on US 97 to the South Pine Creek Rd; W on the South Pine Creek Rd to Fish Lake Rd; W on Fish Lake Rd to South Fish Lake Rd, along the south shore of Fish Lake; SW on South Fish Lake Rd, to the Sinlahekin Rd; SW on the Sinlahekin Rd, along the north shore of Conconully Lake, to Lake St E, in the town of Conconully; W on Lake St E to N Main St; N on N Main St to the Salmon Creek North Fork Rd; N on US Forest Service (USFS) Rd 38 (Salmon Creek North Fork Rd,) to USFS Rd 3820; N on USFS Rd 3820 over Lone Frank Pass, to USFS Rd 39; N on USFS Rd 39 to the USFS Rd 300 at Long Swamp trailhead; W on the USFS 300 to USFS Trail 342; N on USFS Trail 342 to USFS Trail 343; E on USFS Trail 343 to its junction with USFS Trail 533 and USFS Trail 341; E on USFS Trail 341 to USFS Trail 375; E on USFS Trail 375 to the eastern boundary of the Pasayten Wilderness Area; N on the Pasayten Wilderness Area boundary 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 203 GMU 204 GMU 209 GMU 218 GMU 224 GMU 233