Washington Unit 574 Elk Hunting Guide

Washington Unit 574 is a general-season elk unit offering hunters a mix of over-the-counter opportunity and limited-quota draw hunts across 178,401 acres of public and private ground in eastern Washington. With 82% of the unit in public ownership and no designated wilderness, this is a unit that rewards hunters willing to cover ground across a wide elevation band, from 78 feet up to 4,778 feet. For hunters researching Unit 574 specifically, understanding how the hunt structure, harvest trends, and terrain fit together is the difference between a wasted trip and a productive season.

This is not a boutique, trophy-only unit locked behind years of point accumulation. Because general-season hunts exist here for antlered and either-sex animals, Unit 574 functions as a legitimate option for hunters who want to hunt every year rather than wait out a long draw cycle. Limited-quota draw hunts are also available in the unit, though the structured harvest data provided doesn't break out sex-specific allocations for those tags — hunters should treat the general season as the primary path to an antlered bull here and check HuntPilot's unit page for the latest specifics on the draw component.

Herd Health & Harvest Trends

The most useful data point for anyone sizing up Unit 574 is the five-year harvest trend, and it's a consistent story: this is a low-success, high-effort unit. Success rates have held in a tight band of 4-6% across the last five seasons:

• 2025: 319 hunters, 19 harvested, 6% success
• 2024: 338 hunters, 20 harvested, 6% success
• 2023: 298 hunters, 18 harvested, 6% success
• 2022: 405 hunters, 25 harvested, 6% success
• 2021: 418 hunters, 15 harvested, 4% success

Hunter numbers have fluctuated from a low of 298 (2023) to a high of 418 (2021), but harvest counts have stayed in a narrow range of 15 to 25 animals per year regardless of pressure. That stability — rather than any sharp trend upward or downward — is the headline. Unit 574 is not getting dramatically better or worse; it's a steady, grind-it-out unit where roughly 1 in 17 hunters connects in a given year. Hunters should plan on this unit requiring real scouting and persistence rather than banking on a favorable year-over-year shift in success.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is Unit 574 Worth Applying For?

Based on the data pulled together on HuntPilot, Unit 574 is best framed as an opportunity unit rather than a trophy destination. The general-season access is the unit's biggest selling point — hunters don't need to win a draw to hunt elk here, which immediately makes it more attractive than many limited-entry-only units in the state. For resident hunters looking for a unit they can hunt annually while building experience or points for better draws elsewhere, Unit 574 fits that role well.

That said, the success rate numbers need to be taken seriously. A 4-6% success rate across five consecutive years means the vast majority of hunters who hunt this unit go home empty-handed. This isn't necessarily a reflection of a weak elk population — it often reflects a combination of heavy general-season pressure, elk that get pushed onto less accessible private ground, and a large unit where animals can be hard to pattern. Hunters should come in with realistic expectations: this is a unit where putting in the scouting time and being willing to hunt the toughest-to-reach public pockets will matter more than luck.

Trophy potential is harder to assess with confidence. The counties overlapping Unit 574 show a limited history of trophy-class record-book entries, which points toward limited trophy potential rather than a unit with a demonstrated track record of producing exceptional bulls. That doesn't mean mature bulls don't exist here, but hunters chasing a wall-hanger should treat Unit 574 as a longshot on that front and instead value it for its accessibility and the fact that it offers a dependable, repeatable hunting opportunity.

The bottom line: Unit 574 is worth applying for — or simply hunting, given the general-season structure — if a hunter's primary goal is opportunity, public land access, and the ability to hunt every year. It is not the unit to chase if the primary goal is a record-book bull.

Access & Terrain

Unit 574 spans a dramatic elevation range, from near sea level at 78 feet up to 4,778 feet, which tells hunters this unit covers a lot of different habitat types in one boundary — from low-elevation river bottoms and timber to higher benches and ridgelines. With 82% of the unit classified as public land, access is genuinely strong here; the majority of the unit's acreage is open to hunters without needing to negotiate private land permission. That public land figure also means DIY hunters have real options for finding their own ground rather than being squeezed into small pockets.

There is no designated wilderness in Unit 574 (0%), which means hunters won't encounter the access restrictions or non-motorized-only rules that come with wilderness designations elsewhere in the West. This generally translates to more road and trail access throughout the unit, though hunters should still expect variation in how developed that access is depending on elevation and ownership patterns within the boundary.

Given the elevation spread and the size of the unit at nearly 180,000 acres, hunters benefit from treating this as several distinct micro-terrains rather than one uniform hunting ground. Lower-elevation areas will hold different cover types and pressure patterns than the higher benches near the top of the elevation range. Hunters serious about scouting should use HuntPilot's public land and terrain overlays to identify which public blocks sit at which elevations and plan accordingly, rather than assuming the whole unit hunts the same way.

Trophy Quality

Trophy data for Unit 574 is limited. The counties overlapping this unit show a limited history of trophy-class record-book entries, which suggests limited trophy potential rather than a unit known for consistently producing mature, record-class bulls. Hunters should keep in mind that record-book entries are logged at the county level and shared across every unit within those counties — so this assessment reflects the broader area rather than being unit-exact. For hunters whose primary goal is a trophy bull, Unit 574's history doesn't support strong expectations on that front. The unit is better suited to hunters prioritizing opportunity, access, and the chance to fill a tag rather than those specifically hunting for score.

How to Apply

Washington's elk hunting structure in Unit 574 combines two distinct paths, and it's important for hunters to understand which one applies to their situation.

General season hunts are available in this unit for antlered and either-sex animals. This means resident and nonresident hunters alike can purchase an elk tag and hunt Unit 574 during the general season without needing to win a special permit draw. This is the most straightforward way to hunt the unit and the path most hunters will use.

Limited-quota (draw) hunts also exist in Unit 574. These are special permit hunts that require a separate application through Washington's draw system. The structured data available doesn't specify the exact sex restrictions tied to these draw tags, so hunters interested in the limited-quota option should confirm current details before applying.

For both residents and nonresidents, a few structural points matter:

• Nonresidents hunting elk in Washington generally need to purchase a base elk tag before they're eligible to apply for special permit (draw) hunts — the general tag and the special permit application are not the same purchase.
• Washington's draw system for special permits uses a points-based structure where accumulated points increase a hunter's number of entries in the draw.
• There is no guarantee tied to any specific point level reflected in this unit's data — hunters should not assume a given number of points draws a tag.

Application dates, fees, and current draw odds change every cycle, and this article intentionally does not cite them since they go stale quickly. For the current application windows, tag costs, and draw odds for Unit 574, check HuntPilot's Washington state page at /states/WA or the unit-specific page for the latest numbers before applying.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the terrain like in Unit 574? Unit 574 covers a wide elevation range from 78 feet to 4,778 feet across 178,401 acres, meaning hunters encounter everything from low-elevation terrain to higher benches and ridgelines within the same unit boundary. There is no wilderness designation in the unit, which generally means more developed access compared to wilderness-heavy units elsewhere in the West. With 82% public land, hunters have substantial room to explore different elevation bands and terrain types without needing private land permission.

What is harvest success like in Unit 574? Success rates have been remarkably consistent over the last five years, running 4% to 6% annually. In 2025, 319 hunters harvested 19 elk for a 6% success rate, matching closely with 2024 (338 hunters, 20 harvested, 6%) and 2023 (298 hunters, 18 harvested, 6%). This is a lower-success, higher-effort unit — hunters should plan for a challenging hunt rather than expecting a quick fill.

How big are the elk in Unit 574? Trophy data for the area shows a limited history of record-book entries, pointing to limited trophy potential rather than a unit with a strong track record of producing mature, high-scoring bulls. Hunters focused on trophy quality should look elsewhere; hunters focused on opportunity and filling a general-season tag will find Unit 574 more aligned with their goals.

Is Unit 574 worth applying for? It depends on the goal. For hunters wanting annual access without a draw, Unit 574's general-season structure makes it a solid, repeatable option, especially given its strong 82% public land base. For hunters specifically chasing a trophy-class bull, the limited trophy history in the surrounding counties suggests this isn't the unit to prioritize. The consistent but low harvest success rate (4-6% over five years) means hunters should come in prepared for a tough hunt regardless of which path — general season or draw — they pursue.

Do nonresidents need a special tag to hunt elk in Unit 574? Nonresidents can hunt the general season in Unit 574 with a standard elk tag, the same structural path available to residents. For the limited-quota draw hunts, nonresidents — like residents — need to apply separately through Washington's special permit draw system, and purchasing a base elk tag is typically a prerequisite for that application. Check HuntPilot's Washington state page for the current tag structure and requirements before planning a trip.