Steptoe GMU 139 elk hunting: harvest, seasons and public land
WDFW's harvest report shows 59 elk taken in GMU 139 Steptoe in 2025. General-season hunters numbered 327 (WDFW's archery, modern firearm, muzzleloader and multiple-season counts added together), with 1,558 hunter days. GMU 139 is 2.9% public land open to hunting, the largest share DNR state trust land (16,178 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 landBureau of ReclamationOther public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 139Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 1, Eastern Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 849,081 acres (1,327 square miles) |
| Counties | Lincoln, Whitman and Spokane |
| Public land open to hunting | 2.9% (24,618 acres) |
| Elk taken, 2025 | 59 (64 in 2024) |
| General-season hunters, 2025 | 327 |
| Modern firearm, 2026 | Oct. 31-Nov. 8, any elk |
| Towns in and near it | Pullman, Colfax, Tekoa, Latah, Waverly and Sprague |
Also for GMU 139: deer hunting.
How many elk are taken in GMU 139?
WDFW reports 59 elk taken in GMU 139 in 2025, against 64 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 64, in 2024. WDFW's figures average 51 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 37 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Elk taken, all hunts | General season | Special permit | Antlered | Antlerless | General-season hunters | Hunter days | Elk per 100 general hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 59 | 59 | 41 | 18 | 327 | 1,558 | 18 | |
| 2024 | 64 | 64 | 35 | 29 | 332 | 1,432 | 19 | |
| 2023 | 52 | 52 | 0 | 26 | 26 | 282 | 1,116 | 18 |
| 2022 | 47 | 47 | 29 | 18 | 281 | 1,114 | 17 | |
| 2021 | 32 | 32 | 22 | 10 | 262 | 1,127 | 12 | |
| 2020 | 52 | 52 | 30 | 22 | 296 | 1,295 | 18 | |
| 2019 | 38 | 38 | 22 | 16 | 251 | 1,016 | 15 | |
| 2018 | 24 | 24 | 12 | 12 | 168 | 765 | 14 | |
| 2017 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 22 | 11 | 172 | 642 | 19 |
| 2016 | 40 | 40 | 24 | 16 | 178 | 727 | 22 | |
| 2015 | 14 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 182 | 872 | 8 | |
| 2014 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 221 | 938 | 5 | |
| 2013 | 33 | 33 | 15 | 18 | 237 | 1,030 | 14 | |
| 2012 | 39 | 39 | 18 | 21 | 223 | 867 | 17 | |
| 2011 | 19 | 19 | 14 | 5 | 197 | 828 | 10 | |
| 2010 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 118 | 472 | 8 | |
| 2009 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 135 | 486 | 8 | |
| 2008 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 1 | ||||
| 2007 | 10 | 10 | not split out | 7 | 3 | 105 | 411 | 10 |
| 2006 | 9 | 9 | not split out | 5 | 4 | 86 | 256 | 10 |
| 2005 | 3 | 3 | not split out | 1 | 2 | 75 | 279 | 4 |
| 2004 | 10 | 10 | not split out | 4 | 6 | 100 | 339 | 10 |
| 2003 | 3 | 3 | not split out | 2 | 1 | 86 | 335 | 3 |
| 2002 | 5 | 5 | not split out | 2 | 3 | 101 | 392 | 5 |
| 2001 | 4 | 4 | not split out | 1 | 3 | 93 | 329 | 4 |
| 2000 | 18 | 18 | not split out | 6 | 12 | 105 | 264 | 17 |
| 1999 | 3 | 3 | not split out | 3 | 0 | 101 | 342 | 3 |
| 1998 | 0 | 0 | not split out | 0 | 0 | 23 | 55 | 0 |
| 1997 | 2 | 2 | not split out | 0 | 2 | 35 | 26 | 6 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk, GMU 139, 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. Elk 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 139 in 2025?
The muzzleloader general season drew the most elk hunters in GMU 139 in 2025: 152, who took 28 (18.4% success by WDFW's count).
| Weapon, 2025 general season | Hunters | Hunter days | Elk taken | Success (WDFW) | Days per animal (WDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 20 | 100 | 6 | 30% | 17 |
| Modern firearm | 146 | 538 | 21 | 14.4% | 26 |
| Muzzleloader | 152 | 851 | 28 | 18.4% | 30 |
| Multiple-season tag | 9 | 69 | 4 | 44.4% | 17 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk general season, 2025).
What size bulls come out of GMU 139?
WDFW counts antlered elk by the points on one side. In 2025, the most common was 5-point: 14 of 41 antlered elk.
| Year | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 points | 6 or more | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 11 | 18 |
| 2024 | 5 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 29 |
| 2023 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 26 |
| 2022 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 18 |
| 2021 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 10 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk, antler points).
When is elk season in GMU 139 in 2026?
General seasons for all hunters in GMU 139, by weapon: archery: Sept. 12-24 (any elk); muzzleloader: Oct. 3-9 (any elk) and Nov. 25-Dec. 8 (late season, any elk); modern firearm: Oct. 31-Nov. 8 (any elk). WDFW also lists 2 restricted general seasons here (master hunters only).
| Weapon | Season | 2026 dates | Legal elk | Who | WDFW's notes for GMU 139 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modern firearm | General season | Oct. 31-Nov. 8 | Any elk | All hunters | |
| Modern firearm | General season | Dec. 9-31 | Antlerless only | Master Hunters only | |
| Archery | Early archery season | Sept. 12-24 | Any elk | All hunters | |
| Archery | Late archery season | Dec. 9-31 | Antlerless only | Master Hunters only | |
| Muzzleloader | Early muzzleloader season | Oct. 3-9 | Any elk | All hunters | |
| Muzzleloader | Late muzzleloader season | Nov. 25-Dec. 8 | Any elk | All hunters |
Source: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, pages 44, 45 and 46, with WDFW's April 2026 corrections. WDFW can change a season during the year: check WDFW's regulations page before you go.
How much public land is in GMU 139?
2.9% of GMU 139 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 24,618 of its 849,081 acres. The largest share is DNR state trust land, 16,178 acres or 1.9% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 16,178 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 139 |
|---|---|---|
| DNR state trust land | 16,178 | 1.9% |
| BLM | 5,587 | 0.7% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 4,314 | 0.5% |
| WDFW land | 2,261 | 0.3% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 592 | 0.1% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 139, by WDFW's own boundaries: Revere Wildlife Area (2,328 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 139?
Highways through the unit: SR 27 (about 74 miles inside it), SR 23 (about 46 miles inside it), US 195 (about 33 miles inside it), SR 272 (about 30 miles inside it) and SR 271 (about 15 miles inside it). Towns inside: Pullman, Colfax, Tekoa, Palouse, Oakesdale and Garfield. Nearby: Latah (3 miles), Waverly (5 miles), Sprague (7 miles) and Fairfield (9 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 139?
GMU 139 touches 4 other GMUs. Their public land and WDFW's 2025 elk numbers, for comparison:
| GMU | Name | Public land | Elk taken, 2025 | General hunters, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 127 | Mica Peak | 1.2% | 76 | 564 |
| GMU 130 | Cheney | 4% | 138 | 717 |
| GMU 142 | Almota | 3.6% | 26 | 147 |
| GMU 284 | Ritzville | 6% | 15 | 58 |
Questions hunters ask
When is elk season in GMU 139 in 2026?
By WDFW's 2026 pamphlet, the general elk seasons open to all hunters in GMU 139 are archery: Sept. 12-24 (any elk); muzzleloader: Oct. 3-9 (any elk) and Nov. 25-Dec. 8 (late season, any elk); modern firearm: Oct. 31-Nov. 8 (any elk).
How many elk are taken in GMU 139?
WDFW reports 59 elk taken in GMU 139 in 2025: 41 antlered and 18 antlerless. The most in one year since 1997 was 64, in 2024.
How much public land is in GMU 139?
2.9% of GMU 139, 24,618 of its 849,081 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 139?
Pullman, Colfax and Tekoa are inside the unit. Just outside: Latah (3 miles), Waverly (5 miles) and Sprague (7 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 139
Beginning at the Washington-Idaho state line and State Route (SR) 274 at the town of Willard; W on SR 274 to SR 27 at the town of Tekoa; NW on SR 27 to Fairbanks Rd; Fairbanks Rd to Spring Valley Rd; NW on Spring Valley Rd to Dunn Rd; SW on Dunn Rd to Merritt Rd; W on Merritt Rd to the town of Rosalia; from Rosalia, W on Gashous Rd to Squaw Rd; NW on Squaw Rd to Blackman Rd; W on Blackman Rd to Texas Ferry Rd; S on Texas Ferry Rd to Siegel Rd; W on Siegel Rd to Belsby Rd; W on Belsby Rd to Henderson Rd; W on Henderson Rd to Mullinix Rd; N on Mullinix Rd to Reed Rd; W on Reed Rd to Spuler Rd; S on Spuler Rd to Dewey Rd; W on Dewey Rd to SR 23; N on SR 23 to Lamont Rd; SW on Lamont Rd to Revere Rd; S on Revere Rd to Jordan-Knott Rd; S on Jordan-Knott Rd to Rock Creek; S down Rock Creek to the Palouse River; S down the Palouse River to SR 26; E along SR 26 to US Hwy (US) 195 at the town of Colfax; S on US 195 to SR 270; E on SR 270 to Washington-Idaho state line; N on the Washington-Idaho state line to SR 274 at the town of Willard and the point of the 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 elk by GMU Region 1 GMU 127 GMU 130 GMU 142 GMU 284