Washington Unit 560 Elk Hunting Guide

Washington Unit 560 is a large, mostly public-land unit spanning 475,619 acres with elevations ranging from 481 to 12,276 feet — a spread that puts river-bottom country and high alpine terrain inside the same boundary. For elk hunters researching this unit, the headline fact is that this is a general season unit: antlered and either-sex elk opportunity exists outside the draw system, alongside separate limited-quota hunts layered on top. That structure matters enormously for how hunters should plan a season here, and it's the first thing to understand before looking at harvest numbers or terrain.

With 90% public land, Unit 560 offers genuine DIY access across a huge footprint, and the 12% wilderness designation means the vast majority of the unit can be hunted without any special wilderness considerations. This is a unit built for hunters willing to cover ground, not one defined by a single marquee drainage or trophy reputation. Below, we break down what the data actually shows — harvest trends, access, and how the general season and draw hunts fit together — using HuntPilot's unit data as the source.

Hunt Structure: General Season Plus Limited-Quota Draws

Unit 560 is not a draw-only unit. General season hunts here include antlered and either-sex elk opportunity, meaning resident and nonresident hunters alike can pursue elk without needing to draw a special permit first. This is the primary access point for most hunters who end up in this unit, and it's an important distinction from units where antlered opportunity is locked behind a competitive draw.

Layered on top of the general season, Unit 560 also offers limited-quota hunts awarded through Washington's special permit draw. The structured data available does not specify the sex restriction on these particular quota hunts, so hunters should verify current permit details — including whether a given draw hunt is antlerless-only or either-sex — directly on HuntPilot's unit page or through the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife before applying. What's clear is that the draw hunts represent additional, more controlled opportunity rather than the only way to hunt elk in this unit. Hunters who don't draw a special permit are not shut out — they can still hunt the general season.

This two-track system is worth understanding before digging into the harvest data below, since the harvest figures reported represent unit-wide totals across both general season and any special permit hunts combined.

Harvest Success Rates

Washington Unit 560's harvest data shows a five-year trend worth paying close attention to, both in hunter participation and in success:

• 2021: 3,096 hunters, 142 harvested, 5% success
• 2022: 2,662 hunters, 131 harvested, 5% success
• 2023: 2,517 hunters, 120 harvested, 5% success
• 2024: 2,256 hunters, 94 harvested, 4% success
• 2025: 2,109 hunters, 71 harvested, 3% success

Two things stand out. First, hunter participation has declined steadily for five consecutive years, dropping from just over 3,000 hunters in 2021 to just over 2,100 in 2025 — nearly a one-third reduction in the number of people hunting this unit. Second, and more concerning, success rates have trended downward over the same period, falling from 5% in 2021-2023 to 4% in 2024 and 3% in 2025.

A declining hunter count paired with a declining success rate is a meaningful signal. If fewer hunters were in the field but success rates held steady or climbed, that would suggest a thinning herd supporting the same or better odds per hunter. Instead, both metrics are moving in the same negative direction, which more likely points to either reduced elk availability, reduced huntability, or both. These are unit-wide totals combining general season and special permit harvest, so they reflect the overall difficulty of killing an elk in Unit 560 regardless of which path a hunter takes to get there.

For context, a 3-5% success rate is on the low end for elk hunting generally, which is typical for general-season, over-the-counter-style western elk units where elk have significant hunting pressure and habitat to disappear into. Hunters should walk into Unit 560 understanding this is a low-percentage proposition that rewards scouting, mobility, and persistence over a short season window.

Trophy Quality

Trophy record data for the counties overlapping Unit 560 shows a limited history of record-book entries. This doesn't mean no quality bulls exist in the unit, but it does mean the area lacks the kind of sustained trophy production seen in units with deep, decades-long entry histories. Hunters targeting this unit should set expectations accordingly — Unit 560 looks like an opportunity and access unit more than a trophy destination based on the available record data.

It's worth noting that record-book entries are logged by county, and those records are shared across every unit that overlaps the attributed counties — not attributed to a single unit boundary. Given the limited entry history in these counties, hunters chasing a record-class bull would be better served researching units with more established trophy pedigrees, while hunters prioritizing public access, acreage, and general-season opportunity will find more to like here.

Access & Terrain

Unit 560's terrain profile is defined by extremes. The elevation range — 481 feet at the low end to 12,276 feet at the high end — means this unit covers everything from low river valleys to high alpine peaks within a single boundary. That's an unusually wide elevation band for a single hunting unit, and it has real implications for how hunters should approach scouting and season strategy.

Early in the season, elk are likely to be found at higher elevations in subalpine and alpine basins, while later in the season — particularly as weather pushes animals downhill — lower-elevation timber and valley bottoms become more relevant. Given the wide elevation spread, hunters should be prepared to adjust their hunting elevation significantly depending on when they're in the field and what the weather has done in the weeks prior.

Public land accessibility is a major strength of this unit: at 90% public land, the overwhelming majority of Unit 560's 475,619 acres is open to hunters without needing special landowner permission or leased access. This is a unit where a DIY hunter can realistically build a season plan around public ground, which is increasingly rare in many western elk units where private land fragmentation limits access.

Wilderness designation covers 12% of the unit. Because this percentage sits well below the thresholds that would require special consideration for guided access, the majority of Unit 560 is accessible to hunters using standard public-land travel methods. Hunters planning to hunt within the wilderness-designated portion should check current Forest Service or BLM regulations for that specific area, but the large majority of the unit's public acreage sits outside wilderness boundaries and is open to normal access methods, including motorized use where roads allow.

Given the unit's size — nearly half a million acres — hunters should use mapping tools to identify specific public land parcels, elevation bands, and access points before heading afield. HuntPilot's public land and terrain overlays are built for exactly this kind of unit-scale scouting work.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is Unit 560 Worth Applying For?

Unit 560 presents a mixed but honest picture. On the positive side, this is a general season unit with substantial public land access (90%) and enormous acreage (475,619 acres) spanning a dramatic elevation range. Hunters who want a DIY elk hunt with real room to roam, without needing to win a competitive draw just to pursue an antlered elk, have that option here.

On the negative side, the harvest data tells a clear story: success rates have fallen from 5% to 3% over five years, and hunter numbers have dropped by roughly a third over the same period — likely in part because word has gotten around that this unit has gotten tougher. Trophy records for the surrounding counties are limited, so hunters should not expect this to be a trophy-caliber destination based on the data available.

The honest assessment: Unit 560 is best suited for hunters who value public-land access, acreage, and general-season flexibility over trophy potential or high success odds. It's a unit for hunters who enjoy the process — scouting a huge area, adapting to elevation and weather, and accepting that success is not guaranteed. Hunters whose primary goal is a high-odds hunt or a shot at a record-class bull should look elsewhere; hunters who want room to hunt on their own terms with a general-season tag in hand will find real opportunity, tempered by realistic expectations around the current success trend.

How to Apply

Because Unit 560 features general season hunting, residents and nonresidents can pursue elk here without first winning a special permit draw — a general season license covering this unit is the primary route for most hunters. Washington's general season framework does not require the kind of multi-year point strategy that limited-entry draw states demand for basic antlered opportunity.

For hunters interested in the limited-quota special permit hunts layered on top of the general season, Washington runs these through its special permit draw application, open to both residents and nonresidents. Washington's points system for special permits allows applicants to accumulate points over time, improving their position in the drawing for competitive hunts, though nonresidents should be aware that applying for most special permits requires purchasing a qualifying license first.

Specific requirements, license types, and point structures can change, so hunters should confirm current rules before applying. Application windows, fees, and point costs are not included here because they change year to year — for current deadlines, license requirements, and application procedures, see HuntPilot's Washington state page at /states/WA, or consult the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife directly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Unit 560 a draw-only unit for elk? No. Unit 560 features general season hunting for antlered and either-sex elk, meaning hunters do not need to win a special permit draw to hunt elk here. Separate limited-quota special permit hunts also exist in the unit, but they supplement — rather than replace — general season access.

What is harvest success like in Unit 560? Success rates have declined over the past five years, from 5% in 2021 through 2023 down to 4% in 2024 and 3% in 2025, based on unit-wide harvest data covering 2,109 to 3,096 hunters annually. This places Unit 560 on the lower end of elk hunting success rates, and the declining trend — paired with falling hunter participation — suggests increasing difficulty rather than improving herd conditions.

How big are the elk in Unit 560? Trophy record data for the counties overlapping this unit shows a limited history of record-book entries, suggesting this unit is not known as a trophy destination. Hunters should treat Unit 560 primarily as an opportunity and access unit rather than a trophy-hunting target based on available data.

What is the terrain like in Unit 560? The unit spans an unusually wide elevation range, from 481 feet to 12,276 feet, encompassing low valley bottoms up through high alpine terrain within the same 475,619-acre boundary. With 90% public land and 12% wilderness, most of the unit is accessible using standard public-land travel methods, though hunters should expect to adjust hunting elevation significantly depending on season timing and weather.

Is Unit 560 worth applying for? It depends on what a hunter is looking for. The unit offers substantial public land access, large acreage, and general-season elk opportunity without requiring a draw for antlered animals — real advantages for DIY-minded hunters. However, declining harvest success rates (down to 3% in 2025) and limited trophy record history mean this isn't a unit for hunters chasing high odds or record-class bulls. It suits hunters prioritizing access and public land over guaranteed success or trophy potential.