Blue Creek GMU 154 elk hunting: harvest, seasons and permits
WDFW's harvest report shows 35 elk taken in GMU 154 Blue Creek in 2025, 12 of them on special permits. General-season hunters numbered 203 (WDFW's archery, modern firearm, muzzleloader and multiple-season counts added together), with 1,048 hunter days. GMU 154 is 1.6% public land open to hunting, the largest share DNR state trust land (1,937 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 landMilitary land (restricted)Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 154Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 1, Eastern Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 138,713 acres (217 square miles) |
| Counties | Walla Walla and Columbia |
| Public land open to hunting | 1.6% (2,270 acres) |
| Elk taken, 2025 | 35 (34 in 2024) |
| General-season hunters, 2025 | 203 |
| Modern firearm, 2026 | Oct. 31-Nov. 8, spike bull |
| Elk special permit hunts, 2026 | 12 hunts, 42 permits |
| Towns in and near it | Walla Walla, Waitsburg, Walla Walla East, College Place, Dayton and Prescott |
Also for GMU 154: deer hunting, black bear hunting.
How many elk are taken in GMU 154?
WDFW reports 35 elk taken in GMU 154 in 2025, against 34 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 55, in 2012. WDFW's figures average 26 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 36 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 | 35 | 23 | 12 | 25 | 10 | 203 | 1,048 | 11 |
| 2024 | 34 | 27 | 7 | 24 | 10 | 258 | 1,288 | 10 |
| 2023 | 18 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 245 | 1,274 | 4 |
| 2022 | 22 | 11 | 11 | 15 | 7 | 233 | 1,162 | 5 |
| 2021 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 17 | 6 | 282 | 1,302 | 5 |
| 2020 | 32 | 15 | 17 | 21 | 11 | 341 | 1,598 | 4 |
| 2019 | 43 | 23 | 20 | 31 | 12 | 322 | 1,598 | 7 |
| 2018 | 34 | 7 | 27 | 18 | 16 | 327 | 1,462 | 2 |
| 2017 | 31 | 14 | 17 | 12 | 19 | 351 | 1,657 | 4 |
| 2016 | 39 | 20 | 19 | 14 | 25 | 348 | 1,574 | 6 |
| 2015 | 39 | 14 | 25 | 17 | 22 | 310 | 1,598 | 5 |
| 2014 | 53 | 25 | 28 | 18 | 35 | 405 | 1,913 | 6 |
| 2013 | 49 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 419 | 1,824 | 6 |
| 2012 | 55 | 23 | 32 | 22 | 33 | 425 | 1,927 | 5 |
| 2011 | 45 | 24 | 21 | 25 | 20 | 457 | 2,297 | 5 |
| 2010 | 54 | 23 | 31 | 24 | 30 | 462 | 2,113 | 5 |
| 2009 | 44 | 24 | 20 | 20 | 24 | 481 | 2,158 | 5 |
| 2008 | 49 | 20 | 29 | 17 | 32 | |||
| 2007 | 14 | 14 | not split out | 8 | 6 | 556 | 2,470 | 3 |
| 2006 | 25 | 25 | not split out | 19 | 6 | 585 | 2,670 | 4 |
| 2005 | 24 | 24 | not split out | 15 | 9 | 594 | 2,548 | 4 |
| 2004 | 26 | 26 | not split out | 18 | 8 | 728 | 3,228 | 4 |
| 2003 | 31 | 31 | not split out | 23 | 8 | 620 | 2,761 | 5 |
| 2002 | 49 | 49 | not split out | 33 | 16 | 628 | 2,761 | 8 |
| 2001 | 28 | 28 | not split out | 28 | 0 | 568 | 2,398 | 5 |
| 2000 | 22 | 22 | not split out | 22 | 0 | 591 | 2,193 | 4 |
| 1999 | 13 | 13 | not split out | 13 | 0 | 561 | 2,575 | 2 |
| 1998 | 6 | 6 | not split out | 6 | 0 | 415 | 1,643 | 1 |
| 1997 | 19 | 19 | not split out | 19 | 0 | 727 | 3,126 | 3 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk, GMU 154, 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 154 in 2025?
The modern firearm general season drew the most elk hunters in GMU 154 in 2025: 141, who took 14 (10% success by WDFW's count).
| Weapon, 2025 general season | Hunters | Hunter days | Elk taken | Success (WDFW) | Days per animal (WDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 53 | 328 | 7 | 13.2% | 47 |
| Modern firearm | 141 | 658 | 14 | 10% | 47 |
| Muzzleloader | 7 | 32 | 2 | 28.6% | 16 |
| Multiple-season tag | 2 | 30 | 0 | 0% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk general season, 2025).
What size bulls come out of GMU 154?
WDFW counts antlered elk by the points on one side. In 2025, the most common was 1-point (spike): 15 of 25 antlered elk.
| Year | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 points | 6 or more | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 10 |
| 2024 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 10 |
| 2023 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 7 |
| 2022 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 7 |
| 2021 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 6 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk, antler points).
When is elk season in GMU 154 in 2026?
General seasons for all hunters in GMU 154, by weapon: archery: Sept. 12-24 (spike bull); muzzleloader: Oct. 3-9 (spike bull); modern firearm: Oct. 31-Nov. 8 (spike bull).
| Weapon | Season | 2026 dates | Legal elk | Who | WDFW's notes for GMU 154 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modern firearm | General season | Oct. 31-Nov. 8 | Spike bull | All hunters | |
| Archery | Early archery season | Sept. 12-24 | Spike bull or antlerless | All hunters | Only in Elk Area 1054 |
| Archery | Early archery season | Sept. 12-24 | Spike bull | All hunters | |
| Muzzleloader | Early muzzleloader season | Oct. 3-9 | Spike bull | 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.
Which special permit elk hunts include GMU 154?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 12 elk special permit hunts that take in GMU 154, with 42 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 elk | Unit or area | 2026 permits | 2025 applicants / average points (WDFW) | 2025 result: hunters, elk taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Blue Creek Quality Elk | EF | Sept. 21-25 | Any Bull | GMU 154 | 1 | 278 / 15 | 1 hunter, 1 taken |
| 2003 | Blue Creek Quality Elk | EF | Oct. 26-Nov. 8 | Any Bull | GMU 154 | 6 | 279 / 13 | 5 hunters, 3 taken |
| 2047 | Blue Creek Quality Elk | EA | Sept. 7-24 | Any Bull | GMU 154 | 2 | 86 / 15 | 2 hunters, 2 taken |
| 2070 | Blue Creek Quality Elk | EM | Sept. 28-Oct. 9 | Any Bull | GMU 154 | 1 | 57 / 13 | 1 hunter, 1 taken |
| 2211 | Blue Creek Antlerless Elk | EF | Oct. 31-Nov. 8 | Antlerless | GMU 154 | 5 | 417 / 10 | 2 hunters, 1 taken |
| 2246 | Blue Creek Antlerless Elk | EA | Sept. 12-24 | Antlerless | GMU 154 | 5 | 66 / 6 | |
| 2270 | Blue Creek Antlerless Elk | Blue Creek | Dec. 6-26 | Antlerless | Elk Area 1054 | 5 | 73 / 5 | |
| 2271 | Blue Creek Antlerless Elk | Blue Creek | Dec. 30, 2026-Jan. 19, 2027 | Antlerless | Elk Area 1054 | 5 | New hunt | |
| 2272 | Blue Creek Antlerless Elk | Blue Creek | Jan. 23-Feb. 12, 2027 | Antlerless | Elk Area 1054 | 5 | New hunt | |
| 2406 | Blue Creek Youth only | EF | Oct. 31-Nov. 8 | Antlerless | GMU 154 | 5 | 83 / 3 | 1 hunter, 1 taken |
| 2502 | Blue Creek Hunters 65 or older | EF | Oct. 31-Nov. 8 | Antlerless | GMU 154 | 1 | 111 / 9 | 1 hunter, 1 taken |
| 2604 | Blue Creek Hunters with disabilities | EF | Oct. 31-Nov. 8 | Antlerless | GMU 154 | 1 | 31 / 7 | 1 hunter, 1 taken |
Sources: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, pages 47, 48, 51, 52, 53, 55 and 56; WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk 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 154?
1.6% of GMU 154 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 2,270 of its 138,713 acres. The largest share is DNR state trust land, 1,937 acres or 1.4% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 1,937 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 154 |
|---|---|---|
| DNR state trust land | 1,937 | 1.4% |
| Military land (restricted) | 605 | 0.4% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 477 | 0.3% |
| National forest | 228 | 0.2% |
| BLM | 105 | 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 154?
Highways through the unit: US 12 (about 19 miles inside it) and SR 125 (about 6 miles inside it). Towns inside: Walla Walla, Waitsburg, Walla Walla East and Dixie. Nearby: College Place (on the line), Dayton (3 miles), Prescott (8 miles) and Starbuck (16 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 154?
GMU 154 touches 3 other GMUs. Their public land and WDFW's 2025 elk numbers, for comparison:
| GMU | Name | Public land | Elk taken, 2025 | General hunters, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 149 | Prescott | 2.5% | 17 | 104 |
| GMU 157 | Mill Creek Watershed | 92.5% | 2 | |
| GMU 162 | Dayton | 25% | 18 | 377 |
Questions hunters ask
When is elk season in GMU 154 in 2026?
By WDFW's 2026 pamphlet, the general elk seasons open to all hunters in GMU 154 are archery: Sept. 12-24 (spike bull); muzzleloader: Oct. 3-9 (spike bull); modern firearm: Oct. 31-Nov. 8 (spike bull).
How many elk are taken in GMU 154?
WDFW reports 35 elk taken in GMU 154 in 2025: 25 antlered and 10 antlerless. The most in one year since 1997 was 55, in 2012.
Which special permit elk hunts include GMU 154?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 12 elk permit hunts for GMU 154: 2002 Blue Creek (1 permit), 2003 Blue Creek (6 permits), 2047 Blue Creek (2 permits), 2070 Blue Creek (1 permit), 2211 Blue Creek (5 permits) and 2246 Blue Creek (5 permits), and more in the table above. Applications for 2026 closed May 20.
How much public land is in GMU 154?
1.6% of GMU 154, 2,270 of its 138,713 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 154?
Walla Walla, Waitsburg and Walla Walla East are inside the unit. Just outside: College Place (on the line), Dayton (3 miles) and Prescott (8 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 154
Beginning on US Hwy (US) 12 at the town of Waits- burg; NE on US 12 to Lower Hogeye Rd at Long Station; E on Lower Hogeye Rd to Bowman Hill Rd; SW on Bowman Hill Rd to the Payne Hollow Rd; S on the Payne Hollow Rd to Jasper Mountain Rd; S on Jasper Mountain Rd to Mt. Pleasant Rd; S on Mt. Pleasant Rd to Dent Rd; S on Dent Rd to the Lewis Peak Rd; S on the Lewis Peak Rd to Lewis Peak Trail; SE on Lewis Peak Trail to US Forest Service (USFS) Trail 3211 (Mill Creek Watershed Intake Trail); SW on USFS Trail 3211 to the Washington-Oregon state line; W on the Washington-Oregon state line to State Route (SR) 125; N on SR 125 to US 12; NE on US 12 to the town of Waitsburg 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 elk by GMU Region 1 GMU 149 GMU 157 GMU 162