Slide Ridge GMU 246 deer hunting: harvest, seasons and permits
WDFW's harvest report shows 39 deer taken in GMU 246 Slide Ridge in 2025, 7 of them on special permits. General-season hunters numbered 214 (WDFW's archery, modern firearm, muzzleloader and multiple-season counts added together), with 950 hunter days. GMU 246 is 99.4% public land open to hunting, the largest share national forest (100,405 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 forestDNR state trust landGMU 246Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 2, North Central Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 101,132 acres (158 square miles) |
| Counties | Chelan |
| Public land open to hunting | 99.4% (100,531 acres) |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 39 (47 in 2024) |
| General-season hunters, 2025 | 214 |
| Modern firearm, 2026 | Oct. 17-27, any buck |
| Deer special permit hunts, 2026 | 3 hunts, 13 permits |
| Towns in and near it | Chelan, Entiat and Pateros |
How many deer are taken in GMU 246?
WDFW reports 39 deer taken in GMU 246 in 2025, against 47 in 2024. The most in one year since 2000 was 126, in 2015. WDFW's figures average 55 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 79 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 | 39 | 32 | 7 | 39 | 0 | 214 | 950 | 15 |
| 2024 | 47 | 42 | 5 | 47 | 0 | 307 | 1,542 | 14 |
| 2023 | 78 | 72 | 6 | 68 | 10 | 326 | 1,342 | 22 |
| 2022 | 47 | 40 | 7 | 42 | 5 | 361 | 1,677 | 11 |
| 2021 | 66 | 59 | 7 | 62 | 4 | 322 | 1,563 | 18 |
| 2020 | 86 | 80 | 6 | 75 | 11 | 375 | 1,710 | 21 |
| 2019 | 87 | 81 | 6 | 73 | 14 | 413 | 1,833 | 20 |
| 2018 | 42 | 36 | 6 | 35 | 7 | 384 | 1,756 | 9 |
| 2017 | 93 | 85 | 8 | 82 | 11 | 415 | 1,833 | 20 |
| 2016 | 86 | 78 | 8 | 79 | 7 | 330 | 1,547 | 24 |
| 2015 | 126 | 114 | 12 | 126 | 0 | 299 | 1,207 | 38 |
| 2014 | 59 | 47 | 12 | 53 | 6 | 268 | 1,079 | 18 |
| 2013 | 72 | 61 | 11 | 65 | 7 | 329 | 1,334 | 19 |
| 2012 | 57 | 46 | 11 | 53 | 4 | 249 | 995 | 18 |
| 2011 | 54 | 44 | 10 | 50 | 4 | 294 | 1,206 | 15 |
| 2010 | 68 | 57 | 11 | 61 | 7 | 285 | 1,197 | 20 |
| 2009 | 64 | 54 | 10 | 60 | 4 | 285 | 1,192 | 19 |
| 2008 | 44 | 30 | 14 | 40 | 4 | |||
| 2007 | 29 | 29 | not split out | 28 | 1 | 227 | 1,114 | 13 |
| 2006 | 38 | 38 | not split out | 35 | 3 | 267 | 1,075 | 14 |
| 2005 | 47 | 47 | not split out | 47 | 0 | 247 | 1,072 | 19 |
| 2004 | 44 | 44 | not split out | 44 | 0 | 243 | 1,025 | 18 |
| 2003 | 39 | 39 | not split out | 38 | 1 | 245 | 1,186 | 16 |
| 2002 | 35 | 35 | not split out | 35 | 0 | 214 | 948 | 16 |
| 2001 | 27 | 27 | not split out | 24 | 3 | 202 | 861 | 13 |
| 2000 | 30 | 30 | not split out | 30 | 0 | 281 | 771 | 11 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer, GMU 246, 2000 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 246 in 2025?
The modern firearm general season drew the most deer hunters in GMU 246 in 2025: 183, who took 26 (14.2% success by WDFW's count).
| Weapon, 2025 general season | Hunters | Hunter days | Deer taken | Success (WDFW) | Days per animal (WDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 6 | 30 | 0 | 0% | |
| Modern firearm | 183 | 826 | 26 | 14.2% | 32 |
| Muzzleloader | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0% | |
| Multiple-season tag | 23 | 87 | 6 | 26% | 15 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer general season, 2025).
What size bucks come out of GMU 246?
WDFW counts antlered deer by the points on one side. In 2025, the most common was 3-point: 18 of 39 antlered deer.
| Year | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 or more | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 8 | 13 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 20 | 14 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 | 1 | 25 | 30 | 12 | 10 |
| 2022 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 19 | 5 | 5 |
| 2021 | 0 | 2 | 26 | 24 | 10 | 4 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer, antler points).
When is deer season in GMU 246 in 2026?
General seasons for all hunters in GMU 246, by weapon: archery: Sept. 1-25 (any deer, white-tailed deer) and Sept. 1-25 (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 246 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| 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 246?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 3 deer special permit hunts that take in GMU 246, with 13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1032 | Slide Ridge Quality Deer | Modern | Nov. 1-20 | Any Buck | GMU 246 | 11 | 648 / 18 | 8 hunters, 5 taken |
| 1077 | Slide Ridge Quality Deer | Archery | Dec. 1-8 | Any Buck | GMU 246 | 1 | 99 / 9 | |
| 1089 | Slide Ridge Quality Deer | Muzzleloader | Nov. 25-30 | Any Buck | GMU 246 | 1 | 133 / 16 |
Sources: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, pages 27 and 28; 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 246?
99.4% of GMU 246 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 100,531 of its 101,132 acres. The largest share is national forest, 100,405 acres or 99.3% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 126 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 246 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 100,405 | 99.3% |
| DNR state trust land | 126 | 0.1% |
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 246?
No numbered highway crosses the unit. Nearby: Chelan (12 miles), Entiat (16 miles) and Pateros (17 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 246?
GMU 246 touches 4 other GMUs. Their public land and WDFW's 2025 deer numbers, for comparison:
| GMU | Name | Public land | Deer taken, 2025 | General hunters, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 243 | Manson | 72.1% | 167 | 711 |
| GMU 244 | Clark | 99.5% | 7 | 104 |
| GMU 245 | Chiwawa | 88.6% | 76 | 611 |
| GMU 247 | Entiat | 75% | 135 | 960 |
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season in GMU 246 in 2026?
By WDFW's 2026 pamphlet, the general deer seasons open to all hunters in GMU 246 are archery: Sept. 1-25 (any deer, white-tailed deer) and Sept. 1-25 (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 246?
WDFW reports 39 deer taken in GMU 246 in 2025: 39 antlered and 0 antlerless. The most in one year since 2000 was 126, in 2015.
Which special permit deer hunts include GMU 246?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 3 deer permit hunts for GMU 246: 1032 Slide Ridge (11 permits), 1077 Slide Ridge (1 permit) and 1089 Slide Ridge (1 permit). Applications for 2026 closed May 20.
How much public land is in GMU 246?
99.4% of GMU 246, 100,531 of its 101,132 acres, is national forest, BLM, DNR trust, WDFW, Reclamation or national recreation area land; the largest share is national forest. Measured by FilledTag from WA DNR's public land maps.
What town is closest to GMU 246?
No town or Census-listed community is inside it. The nearest towns are Chelan (12 miles), Entiat (16 miles) and Pateros (17 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 246
Beginning on the south shore of Lake Chelan at the Glacier Peak Wilderness boundary at Bearcat Ridge; SE along the south shore of Lake Chelan to Twenty-five Mile Creek; SW up Twenty-five Mile Creek to US Forest Service (USFS) Rd 8410 (Slide Ridge Rd); S and E on USFS Rd 8410 (Slide Ridge Rd) to USFS Trail 1448, at Stormy Mountain; NW on USFS Trail 1448 to USFS Trail 1445 (Fourmile Ridge Trail); W on USFS Trail 1445 to USFS Trail 1443; W on USFS Trail 1443 to Lake Creek; SW down Lake Creek to the Entiat River; NW up the Entiat River to the Glacier Peak Wilderness Area boundary; NE on the Glacier Peak Wilderness boundary to south shore of Lake Chelan at Bearcat Ridge 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 243 GMU 244 GMU 245 GMU 247