Okanogan National Forest makes up the majority of this GMU. Methow Wildlife Area Big Valley Unit holds decent populations of deer; the deer migrate out to the farm ground in the late afternoon till dusk. The GMU’s namesakes, Gardner Mountain and North Gardner Mountain, both peak out at above 8,900-ft, right in the middle of the vast roadless area, are dissected by multiple steep drainages, some dropping 3,000-ft in just over a mile in a straight line to the creeks below. The most western portion is Wenatchee National Forest, with Copper Pass dividing the two national forests and Road 20 forming the northwestern boundary. The 2018 Crescent Mountain fire burned a bit of ground along the southern border, south of Gilbert Mountain and Abernathy Peak. There are not a lot of whitetail in this GMU; they most commonly prefer the private lands along the riparian corridors and farmland. There are no resident elk herds and finding them can be extremely difficult. This GMU lies within the North Cascades grizzly bear recovery zone.

Deer herds are in terrible shape, nothing like what they used to be. There are a few black bears around, including some color phase bears.