Washington Unit 172 Elk Hunting Guide

Washington Unit 172 sits in the southeastern corner of the state, part of the Blue Mountains elk country that straddles the Washington-Oregon border. For hunters researching Washington Unit 172 elk hunting opportunities, this is a general-season unit — meaning antlered and either-sex elk hunting is available without having to win a draw, a rarity in a region where neighboring units across the border in Oregon are notoriously difficult to draw. With 69,306 total acres, elevations ranging from 1,238 to 6,170 feet, and 54% public land, Unit 172 offers a mix of accessible public ground and the kind of mixed-ownership checkerboard typical of the Blue Mountains foothills.

This unit draws interest in part because of its proximity to well-known Blue Mountains elk country that extends into Oregon, an area with a reputation among elk hunters in the Pacific Northwest. Unlike the Oregon side, where tags in comparable units can require years of point accumulation, Washington's general season structure means resident and nonresident hunters alike can pursue elk in Unit 172 most years without being shut out by the draw. That accessibility comes with trade-offs worth understanding before committing a season to this unit.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is Unit 172 Worth Applying For?

The honest answer depends heavily on what a hunter is looking for. Unit 172 is not a trophy factory, and the data backs that up. According to harvest figures tracked by HuntPilot, success rates here have run between 11% and 20% over the past five seasons — modest numbers that reflect a pressured, general-season elk unit rather than a managed, limited-entry trophy unit.

Looking at the recent harvest trend: in 2021, 333 hunters harvested 67 elk for a 20% success rate — the high-water mark of the five-year window. Since then, success has declined and leveled off, with 320 hunters taking 36 elk (11%) in 2022, 300 hunters taking 36 elk (12%) in 2023, 308 hunters taking 40 elk (13%) in 2024, and 271 hunters taking 39 elk (14%) in 2025. The pattern suggests a unit that produces a reasonably stable harvest in absolute terms even as hunter numbers fluctuate, but it's clearly not a unit where hunters should expect high odds of filling a tag in any given season.

For hunters prioritizing opportunity — the chance to hunt elk in good country on a general tag without burning years of points — Unit 172 is a reasonable option, particularly for Washington residents who can hunt it repeatedly without draw constraints. For hunters chasing a wall-hanger bull, the data doesn't support high expectations here. Trophy records tied to the counties overlapping this unit are limited, which points to a unit better suited to hunters focused on filling the freezer and enjoying rugged Blue Mountains terrain than to those building a season around record-book potential.

The limited-quota draw hunts that also exist in this unit add another layer of opportunity, though the structured data doesn't specify which sex those permits target. Hunters interested in those options should check the current regulations to understand exactly what those special permits authorize before applying.

Access & Terrain

Unit 172 spans a wide elevation gradient, from 1,238 feet up to 6,170 feet, which gives hunters a range of habitat types to work with over the course of a season — from lower-elevation canyon and foothill country up into higher timbered ridges. That elevation spread is significant for Blue Mountains hunting generally, since elk often shift their use patterns across that gradient depending on weather, feed, and hunting pressure throughout the fall.

At 54% public land, just over half of the unit's 69,306 acres is open to public access, while the remainder is private. This is a workable ratio for DIY hunters, but it also means hunters need to pay close attention to property boundaries, since a meaningful share of the unit is not accessible without landowner permission. Hunters should rely on current land ownership maps before committing to a specific drainage or ridge system, since public and private parcels are often intermixed rather than cleanly separated into large blocks.

Wilderness acreage in Unit 172 is minimal at just 1% of the total unit, meaning this is overwhelmingly a roaded, non-wilderness landscape. That has practical implications: hunters can expect more vehicle access options than in wilderness-heavy units, which also means more competition from other hunters who can reach the same ground. The terrain itself, based on general characteristics of this corner of the Blue Mountains, tends toward a mix of open canyon rims, timbered slopes, and rolling foothill country rather than high alpine basins. Forum discussion among hunters familiar with the broader Washington-Oregon Blue Mountains region consistently describes variable terrain difficulty depending on exactly where within the range a hunter is located, which underscores the value of unit-specific scouting rather than assuming the whole region hunts the same.

Hunters planning to scout Unit 172 ahead of a season should use HuntPilot's mapping tools to overlay public land boundaries, identify access points along the public-private checkerboard, and mark likely glassing locations across the unit's elevation range before heading into the field.

Harvest Success Rates

The five-year harvest record for Unit 172 shows a general season unit with modest, fairly consistent success rates in the lower-double-digit range, with one standout year. The 2021 season produced the best results of the period, with 333 hunters harvesting 67 elk for a 20% success rate. Every other year in the window has landed between 11% and 14%:

• 2025: 271 hunters, 39 harvested, 14% success
• 2024: 308 hunters, 40 harvested, 13% success
• 2023: 300 hunters, 36 harvested, 12% success
• 2022: 320 hunters, 36 harvested, 11% success
• 2021: 333 hunters, 67 harvested, 20% success

The number of hunters afield has also trended downward over this period, from 333 in 2021 to 271 in 2025, even as harvest numbers have stayed relatively flat in the high-30s to low-40s range for most years. That combination — fewer hunters, similar harvest totals — is part of why the success percentage has ticked up slightly in the most recent two seasons compared to 2022 and 2023. Hunters should view these numbers as realistic expectations for a general-season elk hunt in pressured, mixed-ownership terrain rather than as evidence of an undiscovered honey hole.

Trophy Quality

Trophy potential in Unit 172 is best described as limited based on the available record history. The counties overlapping this unit have a limited history of trophy-class entries, which is consistent with what would be expected from a general-season, roaded, moderate-success unit rather than a unit managed specifically for mature bull production. Hunters should keep in mind that trophy records are attributed at the county level and are shared among all units overlapping those counties, not just Unit 172 specifically — so even the limited history that does exist isn't necessarily tied to animals taken inside this unit's exact boundaries.

For hunters whose primary goal is a shot at an exceptional bull, Unit 172's general-season structure and accessible terrain work against that goal; more pressure and more accessible roads generally translate to younger age-class bulls in the harvest. Hunters seeking trophy potential should treat this unit as an opportunity-focused hunt rather than a trophy hunt, and should look at units with stronger trophy records and more restrictive draw structures if a mature bull is the primary objective.

How to Apply

Washington Unit 172 operates primarily as a general season unit for elk, meaning eligible hunters — both residents and nonresidents — can purchase a general elk tag and hunt the unit without needing to win a special permit drawing for the core antlered or either-sex opportunity. This is a meaningful distinction from many neighboring units in Oregon's portion of the Blue Mountains, where general tags are far less available and multi-year point investment is often required just to draw a comparable hunt.

In addition to the general season structure, Unit 172 also has limited-quota special permit hunts available through Washington's draw system. The structured data available does not specify the sex authorized under these special permits, so hunters interested in a draw tag here should review current Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife regulations to confirm exactly what each permit option covers before applying.

Washington's special permit draw operates on a weighted points-based system for residents and nonresidents, and nonresidents hunting elk in Washington are typically required to purchase a base license before applying for special permits. Because fees, deadlines, and point mechanics change from cycle to cycle, hunters should not rely on secondhand information or outdated forum posts for current numbers — as one forum thread about Washington's draw system from 2016 noted, it's "one of the states that is hard to find info on," a reputation that underscores the value of checking current, authoritative sources directly.

Application dates and fees change every cycle. For the current deadlines, fees, and draw odds for Unit 172's special permit hunts, see HuntPilot's Washington state page at /states/WA.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Washington Unit 172 a draw-only unit for elk? No. Unit 172 has a general season for elk, including antlered and either-sex opportunities, so eligible hunters can buy a general tag and hunt the unit without entering a special permit draw. There are also limited-quota special permit hunts available through the draw, but the general season is the primary access point for most hunters pursuing elk here.

What is harvest success like in Unit 172? Recent harvest data shows success rates ranging from 11% to 20% over the past five seasons, with most years clustering in the 11-14% range. The 2021 season stands out with a 20% success rate (67 of 333 hunters), while 2022 through 2025 have run closer to 11-14% success. These numbers reflect a general-season unit with moderate pressure rather than an easy-success hunt.

How big are the elk in Unit 172? Trophy records tied to the counties overlapping Unit 172 are limited, suggesting this unit is not known for producing exceptional, record-class bulls. Hunters should approach Unit 172 as an opportunity and experience-focused elk hunt rather than a destination for trophy-class bulls, and should look elsewhere if a mature, record-book bull is the primary goal.

What is the terrain like in Unit 172? The unit covers a wide elevation range from 1,238 to 6,170 feet across 69,306 acres, with 54% of the land base being public. Wilderness acreage is minimal at just 1%, meaning the unit is largely roaded rather than backcountry, which gives hunters more vehicle access but also more competition for huntable ground. Hunters should expect a mix of canyon, foothill, and timbered terrain typical of the broader Blue Mountains region, with public and private land intermixed rather than consolidated into large blocks.

Is Unit 172 worth applying for as a nonresident? For nonresidents prioritizing guaranteed elk hunting opportunity over trophy potential, Unit 172's general season access is a notable advantage compared to many neighboring draw-dependent units in the region. However, with public land at 54% and harvest success historically in the 11-20% range, hunters should set realistic expectations and plan carefully around the public-private checkerboard before committing to a DIY hunt here.