GMU 231 Gardner Hunting, Washington
GMU 231 (Gardner): 90% public land, habitat grade C+, deer ★★★☆☆, 250 mi².
Tap anywhere on the map to move the pin, then hit Analyze to open that exact spot in HuntVantage for a live 0–100 score with per-species ratings.
HuntVantage habitat grade
Grade distribution of the habitat cells inside the unit — higher-scoring cells are the pockets worth scouting first. HuntVantage weighs cover, water, food, hunting pressure, and habitat diversity from public land-cover and land-ownership data.
Per-species ratings
Overall grade measures general habitat; these species ratings re-weight the same factors for each animal’s needs — the number that matters for a species-specific hunt.
Public land & access
90% of GMU 231 is public land; 90% is public and open-access.
Overwhelmingly public — Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest around Gardner Mountain, with minor WDFW and DNR ground.
Ownership from PAD-US; a cell is one ~0.46 km habitat hexagon. Verify boundaries and access on the ground — inholdings and seasonal closures aren’t shown here.
Hunting prospects
General season
GMU 231 (Gardner) climbs to Gardner Mountain on the west side of the Methow — high, timbered national-forest country that holds mule deer through the fall. Hunt the high basins and burns early and let weather push deer down the ridges as the season goes. Confirm general and permit seasons with WDFW.
Scout the best spots in this unit
The highest-scoring public open-access habitat cells in GMU 231. Open any one in HuntVantage to see its live score and per-species breakdown.
Nearby units & guides
Sources: wdfw.wa.gov · wdfw.wa.gov · geodataservices.wdfw.wa.gov. HuntVantage habitat grades are independent of WDFW.