Washington black bear harvest by GMU: every unit, 1997 to 2025
WDFW's harvest report shows 1,410 black bears taken in Washington in 2025 in the general season. WDFW counted 18,090 bear hunters. The most in a year since 1998 was 2,211, in 2022. Below: the statewide record, then every GMU's 2025 numbers, with a page for each of the 96 GMUs that have enough harvest of their own.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: WDFW reports for 1997 to 2025.
How many black bears are taken in Washington each year?
WDFW's statewide totals, year by year.
| Year | Bears taken, general season | Males | Females | Bear hunters | Hunter days | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,410 | 18,090 | 160,619 | 7.79% | ||
| 2024 | 1,793 | 18,714 | 166,075 | 9.58% | ||
| 2023 | 1,799 | 20,653 | 179,008 | 8.71% | ||
| 2022 | 2,211 | 19,145 | 164,337 | 11.55% | ||
| 2021 | 1,566 | 20,331 | 173,097 | 7.7% | ||
| 2020 | 1,947 | 20,497 | 171,585 | 9.5% | ||
| 2019 | 2,071 | 20,257 | 172,269 | 10.2% | ||
| 2018 | 1,386 | 20,636 | 170,905 | 6.8% | ||
| 2017 | 1,286 | 20,168 | 161,190 | 6% | ||
| 2016 | 1,377 | 21,111 | 171,148 | 7% | ||
| 2015 | 1,442 | 21,079 | 159,346 | 7% | ||
| 2014 | 1,386 | 21,200 | 166,089 | 7% | ||
| 2013 | 1,148 | 21,052 | 164,954 | 6% | ||
| 2012 | 1,558 | 21,245 | 161,459 | 7% | ||
| 2011 | 1,503 | 21,550 | 166,814 | 7% | ||
| 2010 | 1,898 | 1,207 | 691 | 23,788 | 185,389 | 8% |
| 2009 | 1,309 | 877 | 432 | 23,481 | 192,347 | 6% |
| 2008 | 2,115 | 1,389 | 726 | 26,056 | 215,032 | 8% |
| 2007 | 1,524 | 1,052 | 472 | 23,468 | 168,237 | 6.5% |
| 2006 | 1,616 | 1,040 | 576 | 21,700 | 168,237 | 7.4% |
| 2005 | 1,298 | 915 | 383 | 20,558 | 172,527 | 6.3% |
| 2004 | 1,640 | 1,084 | 556 | 21,573 | 186,626 | 7.6% |
| 2003 | 1,551 | 970 | 581 | 22,510 | 192,544 | 6.9% |
| 2002 | 1,695 | 1,115 | 580 | 24,844 | 219,428 | 6.8% |
| 2001 | 1,431 | 919 | 512 | 25,141 | 230,431 | 5.7% |
| 2000 | 1,148 | 777 | 371 | 37,401 | 296,849 | 3% |
| 1999 | 1,106 | 757 | 349 | 37,033 | 481,319 | 3% |
| 1998 | 1,802 | 1,157 | 645 | 20,891 | 216,456 | 9% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (black bear, statewide).
Black Bear harvest in every Washington GMU, 2025
WDFW reports at least one black bear taken in 108 GMUs in 2025. The most: GMU 418 Nooksack (52), GMU 437 Sauk (46), GMU 101 Sherman (42), GMU 204 Okanogan East (42) and GMU 621 Olympic (36).
| GMU | Name | Region | Black Bear taken, 2025 | Bear hunters | Success (WDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 101 | Sherman | 1 | 42 | 649 | 6.4% |
| GMU 105 | Kelly Hill | 1 | 9 | 177 | 5% |
| GMU 108 | Douglas | 1 | 13 | 131 | 10% |
| GMU 111 | Aladdin | 1 | 13 | 207 | 6.2% |
| GMU 113 | Selkirk | 1 | 27 | 473 | 5.8% |
| GMU 117 | 49 Degrees North | 1 | 20 | 518 | 3.8% |
| GMU 121 | Huckleberry | 1 | 25 | 526 | 4.8% |
| GMU 124 | Mount Spokane | 1 | 8 | 280 | 2.8% |
| GMU 127 | Mica Peak | 1 | 0 | 43 | 0% |
| GMU 130 | Cheney | 1 | 0 | 28 | 0% |
| GMU 133 | Roosevelt | 1 | 5 | 115 | 4.4% |
| GMU 136 | Harrington | 1 | 1 | 10 | 10% |
| GMU 139 | Steptoe | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0% |
| GMU 142 | Almota | 1 | 1 | 12 | 8.4% |
| GMU 145 | Mayview | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0% |
| GMU 149 | Prescott | 1 | 0 | 44 | 0% |
| GMU 154 | Blue Creek | 1 | 17 | 212 | 8% |
| GMU 162 | Dayton | 1 | 20 | 258 | 7.8% |
| GMU 163 | Marengo | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0% |
| GMU 166 | Tucannon | 1 | 2 | 121 | 1.6% |
| GMU 169 | Wenaha | 1 | 8 | 73 | 11% |
| GMU 172 | Mountain View | 1 | 8 | 100 | 8% |
| GMU 175 | Lick Creek | 1 | 8 | 139 | 5.8% |
| GMU 178 | Peola | 1 | 0 | 17 | 0% |
| GMU 181 | Couse | 1 | 3 | 57 | 5.2% |
| GMU 186 | Grande Ronde | 1 | 6 | 36 | 16.6% |
| GMU 203 | Pasayten | 2 | 5 | 99 | 5% |
| GMU 204 | Okanogan East | 2 | 42 | 647 | 6.4% |
| GMU 209 | Wannacut | 2 | 5 | 69 | 7.2% |
| GMU 215 | Sinlahekin | 2 | 19 | 249 | 7.6% |
| GMU 218 | Chewuch | 2 | 11 | 233 | 4.8% |
| GMU 224 | Pearrygin | 2 | 3 | 110 | 2.8% |
| GMU 231 | Gardner | 2 | 5 | 75 | 6.6% |
| GMU 233 | Pogue | 2 | 6 | 148 | 4% |
| GMU 239 | Chiliwist | 2 | 13 | 136 | 9.6% |
| GMU 242 | Alta | 2 | 17 | 180 | 9.4% |
| GMU 243 | Manson | 2 | 17 | 152 | 11.2% |
| GMU 244 | Clark | 2 | 9 | 112 | 8% |
| GMU 245 | Chiwawa | 2 | 25 | 265 | 9.4% |
| GMU 246 | Slide Ridge | 2 | 0 | 33 | 0% |
| GMU 247 | Entiat | 2 | 5 | 130 | 3.8% |
| GMU 248 | Big Bend | 2 | 9 | 44 | 20.4% |
| GMU 249 | Alpine | 2 | 11 | 136 | 8% |
| GMU 250 | Swakane | 2 | 4 | 80 | 5% |
| GMU 251 | Mission | 2 | 19 | 282 | 6.8% |
| GMU 254 | Saint Andrews | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0% |
| GMU 260 | Foster Creek | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| GMU 262 | Withrow | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
| GMU 266 | Badger | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0% |
| GMU 272 | Beezley | 2 | 0 | 16 | 0% |
| GMU 278 | Wahluke | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| GMU 284 | Ritzville | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0% |
| GMU 328 | Naneum | 3 | 7 | 241 | 3% |
| GMU 329 | Quilomene | 3 | 7 | 92 | 7.6% |
| GMU 330 | West Bar | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0% |
| GMU 334 | Ellensburg | 3 | 0 | 53 | 0% |
| GMU 335 | Teanaway | 3 | 30 | 444 | 6.8% |
| GMU 336 | Taneum | 3 | 12 | 253 | 4.8% |
| GMU 340 | Manastash | 3 | 5 | 214 | 2.4% |
| GMU 342 | Umtanum | 3 | 0 | 91 | 0% |
| GMU 346 | Little Naches | 3 | 15 | 255 | 5.8% |
| GMU 352 | Nile | 3 | 2 | 134 | 1.4% |
| GMU 356 | Bumping | 3 | 5 | 107 | 4.6% |
| GMU 360 | Bethel | 3 | 5 | 93 | 5.4% |
| GMU 364 | Rimrock | 3 | 2 | 110 | 1.8% |
| GMU 368 | Cowiche | 3 | 17 | 306 | 5.6% |
| GMU 372 | Rattlesnake Hills | 3 | 0 | 14 | 0% |
| GMU 373 | Horse Heaven | 3 | 0 | 17 | 0% |
| GMU 379 | Ringold | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0% |
| GMU 381 | Kahlotus | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0% |
| GMU 382 | East Klickitat | 5 | 7 | 113 | 6.2% |
| GMU 388 | Grayback | 5 | 3 | 114 | 2.6% |
| GMU 407 | North Sound | 4 | 24 | 271 | 8.8% |
| GMU 418 | Nooksack | 4 | 52 | 546 | 9.6% |
| GMU 426 | Diablo | 4 | 6 | 34 | 17.6% |
| GMU 437 | Sauk | 4 | 46 | 403 | 11.4% |
| GMU 448 | Stillaguamish | 4 | 28 | 442 | 6.4% |
| GMU 450 | Cascade | 4 | 22 | 109 | 20.2% |
| GMU 454 | Issaquah | 4 | 12 | 122 | 9.8% |
| GMU 460 | Snoqualmie | 4 | 20 | 350 | 5.8% |
| GMU 466 | Stampede | 4 | 3 | 111 | 2.8% |
| GMU 485 | Green River | 4 | 2 | 3 | 66.6% |
| GMU 501 | Lincoln | 5 | 6 | 185 | 3.2% |
| GMU 503 | Randle | 5 | 5 | 126 | 4% |
| GMU 504 | Stella | 5 | 2 | 37 | 5.4% |
| GMU 505 | Mossyrock | 5 | 5 | 142 | 3.6% |
| GMU 506 | Willapa Hills | 5 | 35 | 347 | 10% |
| GMU 510 | Stormking | 5 | 6 | 81 | 7.4% |
| GMU 513 | South Rainier | 5 | 4 | 156 | 2.6% |
| GMU 516 | Packwood | 5 | 24 | 224 | 10.8% |
| GMU 520 | Winston | 5 | 8 | 234 | 3.4% |
| GMU 524 | Margaret | 5 | 10 | 93 | 10.8% |
| GMU 530 | Ryderwood | 5 | 12 | 412 | 3% |
| GMU 550 | Coweeman | 5 | 10 | 331 | 3% |
| GMU 554 | Yale | 5 | 2 | 44 | 4.6% |
| GMU 556 | Toutle | 5 | 9 | 148 | 6% |
| GMU 560 | Lewis River | 5 | 24 | 463 | 5.2% |
| GMU 564 | Battle Ground | 5 | 13 | 63 | 20.6% |
| GMU 568 | Washougal | 5 | 29 | 408 | 7.2% |
| GMU 572 | Siouxon | 5 | 15 | 228 | 6.6% |
| GMU 574 | Wind River | 5 | 7 | 124 | 5.6% |
| GMU 578 | West Klickitat | 5 | 19 | 279 | 6.8% |
| GMU 601 | Hoko | 6 | 6 | 44 | 13.6% |
| GMU 602 | Dickey | 6 | 11 | 108 | 10.2% |
| GMU 603 | Pysht | 6 | 5 | 77 | 6.4% |
| GMU 607 | Sol Duc | 6 | 2 | 68 | 3% |
| GMU 612 | Goodman | 6 | 8 | 96 | 8.4% |
| GMU 615 | Clearwater | 6 | 24 | 209 | 11.4% |
| GMU 618 | Matheny | 6 | 2 | 30 | 6.6% |
| GMU 621 | Olympic | 6 | 36 | 354 | 10.2% |
| GMU 624 | Coyle | 6 | 6 | 99 | 6% |
| GMU 627 | Kitsap | 6 | 25 | 184 | 13.6% |
| GMU 633 | Mason | 6 | 9 | 229 | 4% |
| GMU 636 | Skokomish | 6 | 8 | 186 | 4.4% |
| GMU 638 | Quinault Ridge | 6 | 3 | 55 | 5.4% |
| GMU 642 | Copalis | 6 | 25 | 104 | 24% |
| GMU 648 | Wynoochee | 6 | 24 | 303 | 8% |
| GMU 651 | Satsop | 6 | 3 | 129 | 2.4% |
| GMU 652 | Puyallup | 6 | 15 | 148 | 10.2% |
| GMU 653 | White River | 6 | 9 | 148 | 6% |
| GMU 654 | Mashel | 6 | 32 | 303 | 10.6% |
| GMU 658 | North River | 6 | 9 | 175 | 5.2% |
| GMU 660 | Minot Peak | 6 | 29 | 238 | 12.2% |
| GMU 663 | Capitol Peak | 6 | 19 | 314 | 6% |
| GMU 666 | Deschutes | 6 | 8 | 145 | 5.6% |
| GMU 667 | Skookumchuck | 6 | 21 | 462 | 4.6% |
| GMU 672 | Fall River | 6 | 9 | 270 | 3.4% |
| GMU 673 | Williams Creek | 6 | 11 | 232 | 4.8% |
| GMU 681 | Bear River | 6 | 11 | 116 | 9.4% |
| GMU 684 | Long Beach | 6 | 2 | 26 | 7.6% |
| GMU 699 | Long Island | 6 | 0 | 15 | 0% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (black bear, GMU, 2025). GMUs without a page here fall short of the build's harvest test: at least 5 years with harvest and 25 black bears in the last five.
Questions hunters ask
How many black bears are taken in Washington each year?
WDFW reports 1,410 black bears taken statewide in 2025, after 1,793 in 2024. The most since 1998 was 2,211, in 2022.
Which Washington GMUs have the most black bear harvest?
By WDFW's 2025 report: GMU 418 Nooksack (52), GMU 437 Sauk (46), GMU 101 Sherman (42), GMU 204 Okanogan East (42) and GMU 621 Olympic (36).
When is Washington's 2026 fall bear season?
Most of WDFW's 14 bear management units open August 1 and close November 15; units 5 (Okanogan) and 14 (Willapa Hills) open August 15 with a bag limit of one (pamphlet page 68). GMUs 157, 410 to 417, 419 to 424, 490, 522 and 655 are closed to fall bear hunting.
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Sources: WDFW Game Harvest Reports; WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations.
FilledTag is not part of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Numbers are copied from WDFW and the State of Washington, or measured from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag. WDFW's regulations are the final word on every rule.
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