At a Glance
Quick Tips
- Late season hunting gets better
- Hunt escape routes




Hunters discussing Unit 340 - Manastash in Washington emphasize its challenging terrain and dense forested areas, which can make spotting elk difficult. There is general consensus that knowing the terrain well significantly improves chances of success, with early scouting trips highly recommended. Several hunters noted that during peak season, elk tend to move to higher elevations, so adjusting strategies to follow game behavior can be beneficial. Overall, preparation, familiarity with the area, and adaptation to changing elk patterns are key to a successful hunt in this unit.
Quartz Mountain stands at 6,296-ft on the northwest corner of this unit marking the thickest conifer forests and high ground as it transitions into large rolling hills, wide, flat, meadows, and canyons down to the Yakima River just outside of the eastern boundary. This large unit runs from the Wenatchee National Forest and L.T. Murray Wildlife Area in the north, down well past Ellenburg to the town of Selah in the southern tip. This narrow southern stretch of arid scrubland south of Ellensburg lies between the Yakima River and the Yakima Training Center, and offers the only BLM public land. The bulk of the land in this unit is public and ranges from old-growth conifer forests to open scabland past Manastash Ridge in the middle of the unit. Although this GMU is mostly public, there are small pieces of private scattered throughout the area, and along the major roads. There are lots of old clearcuts and logging roads in various stages of regrowth. You can see pockets of elk and deer early, but they are spooky and can be easily blown out of the area with little pressure.
There has been a lot of talk about wolves in the unit decimating big game.