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GMU 251 Mission Hunting, Washington

GMU 251 (Mission): 61% public land, habitat grade C+, deer ★★★☆☆, 520 mi².

DeerElkPublic Land
A
Best public habitat: 70 / 100 Top public open-access cell in the unit
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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

C+
Grade C+ — mean HuntScore 50/100 averaged across public open-access land · 2031 habitat cells · 520 mi²
A 0%B+ 1%B 18%C+ 74%C 4%D 2%F 2%

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.

Deer
★★★☆☆
55/100 habitat
Elk
★★★★☆
72/100 habitat
Waterfowl
★★☆☆☆
27/100 habitat
Turkey
★★★☆☆
51/100 habitat
Black Bear
★★★★☆
72/100 habitat
Wild Boar
★★★☆☆
50/100 habitat

Public land & access

61% of GMU 251 is public land; 53% is public and open-access.

A public-land core of Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and state land on the east slope of the Cascades near Wenatchee, with private orchard and residential land along the lower Wenatchee/Mission Ridge fringe.

US Forest Service 901 cellsWDFW 143 cellsWA DNR 104 cellsCounty 33 cellsBLM 20 cells
open access: 1083unknown access: 804restricted access: 130no public access: 14

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 251 runs from the forested east-slope Cascades near Mission Ridge down toward the Wenatchee valley — a public-land block of national forest and state land that carries mule deer through the timber and shrub-steppe transition, plus a resident elk component. It's general-season mule-deer country: hunt the timber-and-opening edges and the higher benches, and drop onto south slopes as weather pushes deer down. Unlike the paywalled unit profiles elsewhere, the habitat grade and per-species ratings here are free; verify current seasons and any permit hunts with WDFW.

Scout the best spots in this unit

The highest-scoring public open-access habitat cells in GMU 251. Open any one in HuntVantage to see its live score and per-species breakdown.

A
Score 70/10047.4646, -120.3682
A
Score 68/10047.4942, -120.4603
A
Score 67/10047.7743, -120.8259
B+
Score 64/10047.4712, -120.4394
B+
Score 64/10047.3198, -120.3100

Nearby units & guides

GMU 218 ChewuchGMU 224 PearryginGMU 231 GardnerGMU 239 ChiliwistAll regions & units →

Sources: wdfw.wa.gov · wdfw.wa.gov · geodataservices.wdfw.wa.gov. HuntVantage habitat grades are independent of WDFW.

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Frequently asked questions

How much of GMU 251 (Mission) is public land?
About 61% of GMU 251 is public land, and 53% is public and open-access, managed mainly by the US Forest Service.
What can you hunt in GMU 251?
By habitat, the unit rates best for deer (3/5), elk (4/5). Its overall habitat grade is C+ (mean HuntScore 50/100 across public open-access land).
Is GMU 251 good for deer hunting?
HuntVantage rates deer habitat in GMU 251 at 3/5 (55/100). That's a habitat model — scout the higher-scoring cells and verify seasons with WDFW.
What season is GMU 251?
General season. Always confirm current seasons, weapon choices, and permit requirements in the WDFW regulations before hunting.