The 5 Methow Wildlife Area Units listed for partial closure include Texas Creek, Golden Doe, Big Buck, Methow, and Rendezvous. See map below. Areas to be closed within those units will be thoroughly delineated with closure signs and maps detailing the closure boundaries. No public access will be permitted within the closure boundaries. The closure will begin at 12:01 a.m. on December 15th, 2024 and end at 11:59 p.m. on March 31st, 2025.
Public Access Management (PAM)
Winter Range Disturbance Fact Sheet
Don’t hike so close to me: How the presence of humans can disturb wildlife up to half a mile away
Effects of Recreation on Animals Revealed as Widespread through a Global Systematic Review
The Texas Creek Unit includes four parcels, surrounded by Department of Natural Resources land to the east of the Methow River. A mile of Methow riverfront provides salmon habitat. This unit was purchased for mule deer winter range.
The Texas Creek Unit is located 3 miles south of Carlton in Okanogan County. The unit can be accessed from Stokes Road off of Highway 153, or Texas Creek Road.
The Texas Creek Unit lies within Methow River watershed. This unit is surrounded by land owned by the Department of Natural Resources.
This unit is part of the Methow Wildlife Area.
Game Management Units: 239, 242
Getting there
Maps and directions to WDFW-managed access points for this unit. Opens Google Maps in a new tab.
Recreation and public access
A Discover Pass is required on WDFW lands -- including water access areas, wildlife areas, and campgrounds -- unless you already have a Vehicle Access Pass issued with the purchase of an eligible hunting or fishing license. Recreate responsibly on public lands: please know the Public Conduct Rules.
Public facility information:
- East parcel - parking area off Stokes Road
- West parcel - parking area off Methow Valley Highway 153
- No restrooms
Recreation and access advisories
- Walk-in access only. Unit may be inaccessible in winter because surrounding roads are not plowed.
Hunting
On this unit, hunters may find opportunities to harvest black bear, cougar, deer, waterfowl, Eurasian collared dove, forest grouse, gray (Hungarian) partridge, moose, mourning dove, quail, small game, and turkey.
Fishing
Check out Bendtsen water access site.
Wildlife viewing
This unit includes one mile of Methow riverfront and shrubsteppe habitat, offering opportunities to view a variety of wildlife, including mule deer, wintering bald eagles, and songbirds.
Search for potential birding opportunities on or near a wildlife area unit by using eBird Northwest, a citizen science database portal that provides freely-shared bird lists at 'hotspots' and interactive maps plus other birding information updated daily.
Conservation
The area is primarily west- and south-facing slopes dominated by shrubsteppe comprised of bitterbrush, sage and bunchgrasses.
Special habitats and species
Shrubsteppe habitat is important for songbirds, herptiles and wintering bald eagle, and other wildlife species.
Conservation goals
- Create, restore, and enhance a mosaic of habitat
- Maintain and restore native plant communities
- Manage mule deer winter range
- Manage for species diversity including game and nongame species
Shrubsteppe habitat is important for songbirds, herptiles and wintering bald eagle, and other wildlife species.
- Create, restore, and enhance a mosaic of habitat
- Maintain and restore native plant communities
- Manage mule deer winter range
- Manage for species diversity including game and nongame species
Land stewardship
The Texas Creek Unit was purchased for mule deer winter range and salmonid habitat on the Methow River.
Acquisition history
The parcels making up this area were purchased between 1993 and 2024.
| Funder | Fund |
|---|---|
| Power, dike & irrigation districts | Mitigation Funds |
| Private Grantor | Private Donation |
| US Army Corps of Engineers | Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account |
| US Fish and Wildlife Service | Endangered Species Act Section 6 Program |
| WA Recreation and Conservation Office | State Bond Account |
| WA Recreation and Conservation Office | Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program |
Management planning
2006 Methow Wildlife Area Management Plan
Every eight to 10 years, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) revises management plans for each of its 33 wildlife areas to document current conditions, address new agency initiatives, and identify new management priorities and actions. In between those major revisions, WDFW updates plans every two years to outline short-term objectives and accomplishments. In 2014, WDFW began the process of updating existing plans, many of which were written in 2006. The new plans are being developed with significant public participation and input.