Unit 49 Degrees North

Key features for navigation include the Iron Mountains as a major ridge system, Saddle Mountain and Rocky Butte as recognizable summits for orientation. The Pend Oreille River forms the eastern boundary and serves as a major drainage corridor. Notable passes like Rogers Pass and Porcupine Pass provide traverse routes through ridges.

Calispell Lake and Power Lake offer landmark water features. The scattered meadow systems—particularly Woodward, Tiger, and Starvation Flat—serve as hunting destinations and glassing platforms. Multiple creeks (Narcisse, Thomason, Sixmile) provide directional references within the rolling terrain.

Terrain sits predominantly in the lower-to-moderate elevation band, ranging from around 1,500 feet in valley bottoms to roughly 6,800 feet at higher ridges. The landscape is heavily forested—mixed conifer stands dominate, with scattered patches of sagebrush and grassland meadows interspersed throughout. Transition zones between timber and open ground create a mosaic pattern typical of northeast Washington.

Lower elevations feature denser forest cover, while rolling ridges occasionally break into more open country. Meadow systems like Woodward, Tiger, and Starvation Flat provide clearing and forage areas within otherwise continuous timber.

Over 1,500 miles of roads traverse the unit, creating well-connected access from multiple directions. This density makes the country logical to hunt but also concentrates pressure along main routes and near obvious trailheads. The rolling topography and dense forest mean that stepping away from main roads quickly puts you beyond most casual pressure.

Weekend hunting will concentrate near town approaches and major creek drainages. The terrain complexity (6.7/10) suggests enough character to reward exploration—interior basins and ridge systems can feel remote despite road proximity. Strategic hunters will exploit the disconnect between road access and the effort required to hunt the rougher terrain effectively.

The unit encompasses rolling country bounded by SR 20 to the north (Colville to Tiger), the Pend Oreille River to the east, the Washington-Idaho state line to the south, and US 2/US 395 to the west (through Newport and Deer Park). The region sits between two major waterways and highway corridors, creating clear geographic boundaries. Towns like Colville, Tiger, Newport, and Deer Park serve as staging points. The terrain is substantial and connected, with Interstate-5 roughly 60 miles west and the Idaho Panhandle directly east across the state line.

Water is present but not abundant. The Pend Oreille River anchors the eastern boundary and drains the unit from north to south. Scattered lakes and reservoirs include Power Lake, Calispell Lake, Mountain Meadows Lake, and numerous smaller ponds (Hirsch Pond, Bayley Lake, Winslow Lake). A network of creeks—Narcisse, Thomason, Sixmile, North Fork Bear, Palmer, and others—provides seasonal to perennial flow through the drainages.

Springs exist but are limited (Devils Well, Limestone Spring, McPherson Spring). Strategic water knowledge is important since surface water isn't abundant; hunters should map reliable sources before heading into the timber.

This unit supports black bear and mountain lion, both species suited to the dense forest and rolling terrain. Bear hunting focuses on spring emergence from denning habitat and fall feeding in meadow systems and along creek drainages where berries concentrate. The scattered meadows (Woodward, Tiger, Starvation Flat) are prime staging areas.

Lion hunting requires understanding deer movement through the unit—the rolling forest and meadow mix creates natural corridors. Early season means higher elevations and meadow edges; late season pushes animals into brushy drainages and timber. The road network allows mobile glassing from ridge approaches, but success depends on reading sign, water sources, and seasonal movement patterns rather than just access proximity.