This sheep permit is arguably one of the best in the state and has an excellent track record of producing some giant bighorns. Access in this southern portion of the unit is quite good, and you shouldn’t expect to run into many issues with private land. Access in the northern portion of the unit is quite limited, and you should expect to run into a lot of private lands. Overall this area is quite mild when compared to other sheep units. Although there are some areas that gain decent elevation on the sides of the plateau coming up from the Columbia River or Lake Chelan, there are enough roads throughout the unit that most hunters have located their sheep prior to leaving their vehicles.

The bulk of the sheep located in this portion of the unit tend to hang closer to the Columbia River than any other portion of this area. This being said, the majority of this area is private property and arrangements will need to be made prior to the hunt in order to access these areas. Hwy 97, across the Columbia River, will be the best place to glass these areas from.

The dominant terrain features of this unit are both the Columbia River on the south edge and Lake Chelan on the north edge. The area in between these two bodies of water is primarily the Chelan Wildlife Area, which is a large plateau with a few canyons cutting across the heart of it, and a number of smaller drainages leading towards both bodies of water. The far northwestern corner has much more trees, but even then, they are mostly scattered and primarily on the ridge tops and north facing slopes. Overall, most of the unit consists of rolling grassy valleys and ridgebacks mixed with small shrubs and some cactus. There are areas where you will find a mix of agriculture, but orchards tend to be the majority. This is not an overly physical unit, but if you are going to go after sheep that are hanging on the edge of the plateau, expect a very physical climb, gaining as much as 2,000 feet of elevation.

This unit is covered in different species of grass and small shrubs, including huckleberries and salmonberries. You will see some aspen pockets as well as scattered conifer timber across sections of the unit, particularly in the northwest corner on the north facing slopes.

Be sure to spend some serious time up and down Hwy 97, which follows the Columbia River. Historically, the bulk of the sheep in this unit are found when looking west off of this highway into the unit. Downy Road, which heads east of the northern fork of Hwy 97, will take you to the heart of this area, with multiple roads heading in all directions once you get out onto the plateau. Pear Orchard Road and Butte Lookout Road are two of the more major roads coming off of Downy Road that will take you into some deeper areas of excellent sheep habitat. It is pretty common for hunters to float the river during the hunt. If you have a ram located along the river and are planning on driving in above him, you will need to leave extra early, or make arrangements to also float the river so you can make a quick move on a ram as soon as the sun comes up. National Forest Road 8550 (Bear Mountain Road) will take you on the west side of Hwy 97, cut across some fantastic sheep terrain south of Bear Mountain, and then link up with Hwy 971 which is your far western boundary.

Primitive camping on the Chelan Butte Wildlife Area and the Wenatchee National Forest is allowed during most of the year, but it is a good idea to call ahead to double check any restrictions or permits necessary prior to your trip. Roland Point, May Creek, Hozomeen, Ruby Pasture, and Boundary Bay are all established campgrounds near the Lake Chelan Dam if you are looking for more of an established campground. Access to fuel and groceries from these campgrounds is great since you are more or less right in Chelan if you choose to go this route. If you are more interested in a bed and a shower and being closer to gas stations, restaurants, and a grocery store, your best option will be in the town of Chelan near the northern border of the unit.