Tucannon GMU 166 elk hunting: harvest, seasons and permits
WDFW's harvest report shows 13 elk taken in GMU 166 Tucannon in 2025, 1 of them on special permits. General-season hunters numbered 232 (WDFW's archery, modern firearm, muzzleloader and multiple-season counts added together), with 935 hunter days. GMU 166 is 96.3% public land open to hunting, the largest share national forest (67,888 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 landWDFW landNational wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted)GMU 166Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 1, Eastern Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 84,920 acres (133 square miles) |
| Counties | Columbia and Garfield |
| Public land open to hunting | 96.3% (81,737 acres) |
| Elk taken, 2025 | 13 (42 in 2024) |
| General-season hunters, 2025 | 232 |
| Modern firearm, 2026 | Oct. 31-Nov. 8, spike bull |
| Elk special permit hunts, 2026 | 3 hunts, 4 permits |
| Towns in and near it | Pomeroy, Dayton and Waitsburg |
Also for GMU 166: deer hunting, black bear hunting.
How many elk are taken in GMU 166?
WDFW reports 13 elk taken in GMU 166 in 2025, against 42 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 45, in 2012. WDFW's figures average 16 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 17 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 | 13 | 12 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 232 | 935 | 5 |
| 2024 | 42 | 37 | 5 | 42 | 0 | 225 | 1,013 | 16 |
| 2023 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 235 | 1,011 | 2 |
| 2022 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 229 | 993 | 2 |
| 2021 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 0 | 212 | 910 | 3 |
| 2020 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 0 | 327 | 1,490 | 2 |
| 2019 | 17 | 3 | 14 | 17 | 0 | 296 | 1,349 | 1 |
| 2018 | 20 | 5 | 15 | 20 | 0 | 371 | 1,730 | 1 |
| 2017 | 19 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 0 | 461 | 2,063 | 1 |
| 2016 | 17 | 3 | 14 | 17 | 0 | 367 | 1,673 | 1 |
| 2015 | 43 | 32 | 11 | 43 | 0 | 442 | 2,027 | 7 |
| 2014 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 391 | 1,866 | 0 |
| 2013 | 37 | 27 | 10 | 37 | 0 | 468 | 2,010 | 6 |
| 2012 | 45 | 32 | 13 | 45 | 0 | 463 | 2,034 | 7 |
| 2011 | 35 | 25 | 10 | 35 | 0 | 514 | 2,366 | 5 |
| 2010 | 39 | 27 | 12 | 39 | 0 | 484 | 2,147 | 6 |
| 2009 | 33 | 28 | 5 | 32 | 1 | 445 | 1,917 | 6 |
| 2008 | 19 | 13 | 6 | 19 | 0 | |||
| 2007 | 16 | 16 | not split out | 16 | 0 | 314 | 1,316 | 5 |
| 2006 | 14 | 14 | not split out | 14 | 0 | 270 | 1,073 | 5 |
| 2005 | 11 | 11 | not split out | 11 | 0 | 289 | 1,135 | 4 |
| 2004 | 20 | 20 | not split out | 20 | 0 | 447 | 1,879 | 4 |
| 2003 | 17 | 17 | not split out | 17 | 0 | 348 | 1,549 | 5 |
| 2002 | 16 | 16 | not split out | 15 | 1 | 374 | 1,678 | 4 |
| 2001 | 24 | 24 | not split out | 24 | 0 | 523 | 2,269 | 5 |
| 2000 | 40 | 40 | not split out | 40 | 0 | 1,019 | 3,968 | 4 |
| 1999 | 26 | 26 | not split out | 26 | 0 | 913 | 4,850 | 3 |
| 1998 | 14 | 14 | not split out | 14 | 0 | 927 | 3,409 | 2 |
| 1997 | 35 | 35 | not split out | 35 | 0 | 1,023 | 4,186 | 3 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk, GMU 166, 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 166 in 2025?
The modern firearm general season drew the most elk hunters in GMU 166 in 2025: 200, who took 10 (5% success by WDFW's count).
| Weapon, 2025 general season | Hunters | Hunter days | Elk taken | Success (WDFW) | Days per animal (WDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 13 | 73 | 0 | 0% | |
| Modern firearm | 200 | 787 | 10 | 5% | 79 |
| Muzzleloader | 17 | 67 | 2 | 11.8% | 34 |
| Multiple-season tag | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk general season, 2025).
What size bulls come out of GMU 166?
WDFW counts antlered elk by the points on one side. In 2025, the most common was 1-point (spike): 12 of 13 antlered elk.
| Year | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 points | 6 or more | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 | 30 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 2023 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2022 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 2021 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk, antler points).
When is elk season in GMU 166 in 2026?
General seasons for all hunters in GMU 166, 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 166 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modern firearm | General season | Oct. 31-Nov. 8 | Spike bull | All hunters | |
| 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 166?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 3 elk special permit hunts that take in GMU 166, with 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Tucannon Quality Elk | EF | Oct. 26-Nov. 8 | Any Bull | GMU 166 | 2 | 475 / 12 | 2 hunters, 1 taken |
| 2049 | Tucannon Quality Elk | EA | Sept. 7-24 | Any Bull | GMU 166 | 1 | 126 / 5 | 1 hunter, 0 taken |
| 2072 | Tucannon Quality Elk | EM | Sept. 28-Oct. 9 | Any Bull | GMU 166 | 1 | 125 / 19 | 1 hunter, 0 taken |
Sources: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, pages 47 and 48; 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 166?
96.3% of GMU 166 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 81,737 of its 84,920 acres. The largest share is national forest, 67,888 acres or 79.9% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 1,022 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 166 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 67,888 | 79.9% |
| WDFW land | 12,827 | 15.1% |
| DNR state trust land | 1,022 | 1.2% |
| National wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted) | 5 | under 0.1% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 166, by WDFW's own boundaries: W.T. Wooten Wildlife Area (13,868 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 166?
No numbered highway crosses the unit. Nearby: Pomeroy (8 miles), Dayton (11 miles) and Waitsburg (18 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 166?
GMU 166 touches 5 other GMUs. Their public land and WDFW's 2025 elk numbers, for comparison:
| GMU | Name | Public land | Elk taken, 2025 | General hunters, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 162 | Dayton | 25% | 18 | 377 |
| GMU 163 | Marengo | 4.8% | 6 | 47 |
| GMU 169 | Wenaha | 100% | 7 | 113 |
| GMU 175 | Lick Creek | 94.7% | 37 | 377 |
| GMU 178 | Peola | 4.8% | 12 | 74 |
Questions hunters ask
When is elk season in GMU 166 in 2026?
By WDFW's 2026 pamphlet, the general elk seasons open to all hunters in GMU 166 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 166?
WDFW reports 13 elk taken in GMU 166 in 2025: 13 antlered and 0 antlerless. The most in one year since 1997 was 45, in 2012.
Which special permit elk hunts include GMU 166?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 3 elk permit hunts for GMU 166: 2006 Tucannon (2 permits), 2049 Tucannon (1 permit) and 2072 Tucannon (1 permit). Applications for 2026 closed May 20.
How much public land is in GMU 166?
96.3% of GMU 166, 81,737 of its 84,920 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 166?
No town or Census-listed community is inside it. The nearest towns are Pomeroy (8 miles), Dayton (11 miles) and Waitsburg (18 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 166
Beginning at the intersection of the Hartsock Grade Rd and the Tucannon Rd; SE on the Tu- cannon Rd to the elk drift fence at the northern boundary of the W.T. Wooten Wildlife Area; E and S along the elk drift fence to the US Forest Service (USFS) Rd 40 (Mountain Rd) at the Umatilla National Forest's northern boundary; S on the USFS Rd 40 to USFS Rd 4030 (Diamond Peak Rd); W on USFS Rd 4030 to USFS Trail 3113 (Diamond Peak Trail-Bullfrog Springs Trail-Oregon Butte Trail) at Diamond Peak; W on USFS Trail 3113 to USFS Trail 3136 (Teepee Trail); W along USFS Trail 3136 to USFS Rd 4608 (Teepee Rd) at Teepee Camp; W on the USFS Rd 4608 to USFS Rd 46 (Skyline Drive Rd); N on the USFS Rd 46 to Skyline Drive Rd; N on Skyline Drive Rd to the Maloney Mountain Rd; W on Maloney Mountain Rd to USFS Rd 4625 (Maloney Mountain Rd); E and N on the USFS Rd 4625 (Maloney Mountain Rd) to the Hartsock Grade Rd; N on the Hartsock Grade Rd to the Tucannon Rd 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 162 GMU 163 GMU 169 GMU 175 GMU 178