GMU 342 Umtanum Hunting, Washington
GMU 342 (Umtanum): 68% public land, habitat grade C, elk ★★★★☆, 292 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
68% of GMU 342 is public land; 29% is public and open-access.
Largely the WDFW L.T. Murray Wildlife Area along Umtanum Ridge, with DNR and some national-forest ground; a good share is public but not all open-access year-round, so check wildlife-area rules.
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 + draw permits
GMU 342 (Umtanum) runs Umtanum Ridge and the L.T. Murray Wildlife Area between Ellensburg and Yakima — shrub-steppe and scattered timber that's core Colockum/Yakima elk range. Hunt the timbered draws and ridge benches and glass the open faces. Elk seasons mix general spike with permits; confirm current seasons and any wildlife-area access windows with WDFW.
Scout the best spots in this unit
The highest-scoring public open-access habitat cells in GMU 342. 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.