Mill Creek Watershed GMU 157 elk hunting: harvest, seasons and permits
WDFW's harvest report shows 2 elk taken in GMU 157 Mill Creek Watershed in 2025, 2 of them on special permits. GMU 157 is 92.5% public land open to hunting, the largest share national forest (12,831 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 forestBLMOther public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 157Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 1, Eastern Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 13,965 acres (22 square miles) |
| Counties | Walla Walla and Columbia |
| Public land open to hunting | 92.5% (12,921 acres) |
| Elk taken, 2025 | 2 (3 in 2024) |
| Elk special permit hunts, 2026 | 1 hunt, 15 permits |
| Towns in and near it | Walla Walla, Waitsburg and College Place |
How many elk are taken in GMU 157?
WDFW reports 2 elk taken in GMU 157 in 2025, against 3 in 2024. The most in one year since 2008 was 20, in 2012. WDFW's figures average 4 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 9 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 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | |||
| 2024 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | |||
| 2023 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | |||
| 2022 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | |||
| 2021 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | |||
| 2020 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 0 | ||||
| 2019 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | |||
| 2018 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 0 | |||
| 2017 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 0 | |||
| 2016 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 0 | ||||
| 2015 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 0 | ||||
| 2014 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| 2013 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 0 | ||||
| 2012 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 0 | ||||
| 2011 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 0 | ||||
| 2010 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 3 | ||||
| 2009 | 18 | 18 | 14 | 4 | ||||
| 2008 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 1 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk, GMU 157, 2008 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.
What size bulls come out of GMU 157?
WDFW counts antlered elk by the points on one side. In 2025, the most common was 6-point or larger: 2 of 2 antlered elk.
| Year | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 points | 6 or more | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk, antler points).
When is elk season in GMU 157 in 2026?
No general elk season is open to all hunters in GMU 157 in 2026.
Source: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, 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 157?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 1 elk special permit hunt that takes in GMU 157, with 15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Watershed Quality Elk | EA, EF, EM | Oct. 26-Nov. 8 | 3 pt. min. | GMU 157 | 15 | 512 / 13 | 8 hunters, 3 taken |
Sources: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, page 47; 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 157?
92.5% of GMU 157 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 12,921 of its 13,965 acres. The largest share is national forest, 12,831 acres or 91.9% of the unit.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 157 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 12,831 | 91.9% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 861 | 6.2% |
| BLM | 90 | 0.6% |
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 157?
No numbered highway crosses the unit. Nearby: Walla Walla (15 miles), Waitsburg (16 miles), College Place (17 miles) and Dayton (17 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 157?
GMU 157 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 154 | Blue Creek | 1.6% | 35 | 203 |
| GMU 162 | Dayton | 25% | 18 | 377 |
| GMU 169 | Wenaha | 100% | 7 | 113 |
Questions hunters ask
When is elk season in GMU 157 in 2026?
GMU 157 has no general elk season open to all hunters in 2026; WDFW lists 1 special permit hunts that include it.
How many elk are taken in GMU 157?
WDFW reports 2 elk taken in GMU 157 in 2025: 2 antlered and 0 antlerless. The most in one year since 2008 was 20, in 2012.
Which special permit elk hunts include GMU 157?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 1 elk permit hunt for GMU 157: 2004 Watershed (15 permits). Applications for 2026 closed May 20.
How much public land is in GMU 157?
92.5% of GMU 157, 12,921 of its 13,965 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 157?
No town or Census-listed community is inside it. The nearest towns are Walla Walla (15 miles), Waitsburg (16 miles) and College Place (17 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 157
Beginning at US Forest Service (USFS) Trail 3211 (Mill Creek Watershed Intake Trail) at the Wash- ington-Oregon state line; NE and E on USFS Trail 3211 to USFS Rd 64; S on the USFS Rd 64 to the Washington-Oregon state line; W on the Wash- ington-Oregon state line to USFS Trail 3211 and the point of beginning.
From WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, Game Management Unit Descriptions.
Get a Washington hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Washington are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Washington included.
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 154 GMU 162 GMU 169