49 Degrees North GMU 117 black bear hunting: harvest, season and land
WDFW's harvest report shows 20 black bears taken in GMU 117 49 Degrees North in 2025. 518 bear hunters reported 3,591 days here, a success rate of 3.8% by WDFW's count. GMU 117 is 34.6% public land open to hunting, the largest share national forest (178,613 acres), measured from WA DNR's public land maps.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: WDFW reports for 1997 to 2025. Seasons and permits: WDFW's 2026 pamphlet with its April 2026 corrections. Land: WA DNR, 2026-10.
National forestBLMDNR state trust landWDFW landNational wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted)Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 117Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 1, Eastern Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 610,316 acres (954 square miles) |
| Public land open to hunting | 34.6% (211,200 acres) |
| Black bears taken, 2025 | 20 (15 in 2024) |
| Bear hunters, 2025 | 518 |
| 2026 fall season | August 1-November 15, bag limit 2 (Bear Management Unit 1, Northeast) |
| Towns in and near it | Deer Park, Colville, Newport, Chewelah, Ione and Springdale |
Also for GMU 117: elk hunting, deer hunting.
How many black bears are taken in GMU 117?
WDFW reports 20 black bears taken in GMU 117 in 2025, against 15 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 82, in 2020. WDFW's figures average 38 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 54 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Bears taken, general season | Males | Females | Bear hunters | Hunter days | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 | 7 | 13 | 518 | 3,591 | 3.8% |
| 2024 | 15 | 12 | 3 | 564 | 3,971 | 2.6% |
| 2023 | 40 | 20 | 20 | 684 | 5,183 | 5.8% |
| 2022 | 64 | 43 | 21 | 661 | 4,970 | 9.6% |
| 2021 | 53 | 35 | 18 | 755 | 5,102 | 7% |
| 2020 | 82 | 58 | 24 | 741 | 4,616 | 11% |
| 2019 | 58 | 41 | 17 | 704 | 4,824 | 8.2% |
| 2018 | 28 | 26 | 2 | 703 | 3,977 | 4% |
| 2017 | 47 | 30 | 17 | 713 | 4,242 | 7% |
| 2016 | 57 | 36 | 21 | 713 | 5,092 | 8% |
| 2015 | 49 | 34 | 15 | 817 | 5,144 | 6% |
| 2014 | 69 | 45 | 24 | 735 | 5,123 | 9.4% |
| 2013 | 32 | 21 | 11 | 715 | 5,037 | 4.5% |
| 2012 | 55 | 43 | 12 | 699 | 4,107 | 7.9% |
| 2011 | 39 | 0 | 0 | 644 | 4,015 | 6.1% |
| 2010 | 56 | 38 | 18 | 799 | 4,722 | 7% |
| 2009 | 59 | 38 | 21 | 788 | 4,870 | 7% |
| 2008 | 40 | 26 | 14 | 822 | 5,102 | 5% |
| 2007 | 73 | 42 | 31 | 836 | 5,091 | 8.7% |
| 2006 | 60 | 44 | 16 | 698 | 4,159 | 8.6% |
| 2005 | 53 | 33 | 20 | 648 | 3,625 | 8.2% |
| 2004 | 27 | 15 | 12 | 682 | 4,192 | 4% |
| 2003 | 72 | 44 | 28 | 801 | 4,545 | 9% |
| 2002 | 61 | 44 | 17 | 706 | 4,360 | 8.6% |
| 2001 | 15 | 8 | 7 | 732 | 4,436 | 2% |
| 2000 | 49 | 28 | 21 | 1,912 | 9,946 | 3% |
| 1999 | 30 | 16 | 14 | 1,515 | 12,792 | 2% |
| 1998 | 54 | 37 | 17 | 1,043 | 6,464 | 5% |
| 1997 | 32 | 26 | 6 | 314 | 2,027 | 10% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (black bear, GMU 117, 1997 to 2025), read through WDFW's Hunt Planner harvest table. Success is WDFW's own figure. The averages above are of WDFW's yearly figures.
When is bear season in GMU 117 in 2026?
GMU 117 is in Bear Management Unit 1, Northeast, which also takes in GMUs 105, 108, 111, 113, 121 and 124. The 2026 fall general season there runs August 1-November 15, and the bag limit is 2. It is illegal to shoot a cub or a female with cubs, and every successful bear hunter must send WDFW the bear's first premolar tooth.
Source: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, page 68.
How much public land is in GMU 117?
34.6% of GMU 117 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 211,200 of its 610,316 acres. The largest share is national forest, 178,613 acres or 29.3% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 29,545 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 117 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 178,613 | 29.3% |
| National wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted) | 40,910 | 6.7% |
| DNR state trust land | 29,545 | 4.8% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 5,758 | 0.9% |
| WDFW land | 2,783 | 0.5% |
| BLM | 259 | under 0.1% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 117, by WDFW's own boundaries: Sherman Creek Wildlife Area (2,817 acres here).
Measured by FilledTag inside WDFW's GMU boundary (WDFW game management units, in effect April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027) from WA DNR Major Public Lands (non-DNR) and WA DNR Managed Land Parcels, read 2026-10. Tribal land is not counted as public. National wildlife refuges, military land and "other public" land (state parks, county, city and other agencies) are not counted as open to hunting: each sets its own rules.
How do you get to GMU 117?
Highways through the unit: SR 20 (about 76 miles inside it), US 395 (about 37 miles inside it), US 2 (about 19 miles inside it) and SR 211 (about 15 miles inside it). Towns inside: Deer Park, Colville, Newport, Cusick and Clayton. Nearby: Chewelah (on the line), Ione (4 miles), Springdale (6 miles) and Kettle Falls (8 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 117?
GMU 117 touches 5 other GMUs. Their public land and WDFW's 2025 black bear numbers, for comparison:
| GMU | Name | Public land | Black bears taken, 2025 | Bear hunters, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 108 | Douglas | 24.3% | 13 | 131 |
| GMU 111 | Aladdin | 65.7% | 13 | 207 |
| GMU 113 | Selkirk | 76.3% | 27 | 473 |
| GMU 121 | Huckleberry | 19.7% | 25 | 526 |
| GMU 124 | Mount Spokane | 4.6% | 8 | 280 |
Questions hunters ask
When is bear season in GMU 117 in 2026?
GMU 117 is in WDFW's Bear Management Unit 1 (Northeast), where the 2026 fall general season runs August 1-November 15 with a bag limit of 2, by the pamphlet's table on page 68. It is illegal to shoot a cub or a female with cubs.
How many bears are taken in GMU 117?
WDFW reports 20 black bears taken in GMU 117 in 2025 (7 males, 13 females). The most in one year since 1997 was 82, in 2020.
How much public land is in GMU 117?
34.6% of GMU 117, 211,200 of its 610,316 acres, is national forest, BLM, DNR trust, WDFW, Reclamation or national recreation area land; the largest share is national forest. Measured by FilledTag from WA DNR's public land maps.
What town is closest to GMU 117?
Deer Park, Colville and Newport are inside the unit. Just outside: Chewelah (on the line), Ione (4 miles) and Springdale (6 miles).
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Where these numbers come from
- Harvest, hunters, days and success: WDFW Game Harvest Reports.
- Seasons, special permits, applicants and points: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations.
- Public land: WA DNR Major Public Lands (non-DNR) and WA DNR Managed Land Parcels, read 2026-10. GMU boundary: WDFW game management units, in effect April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
- Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
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.
Washington hunting Washington black bear by GMU Region 1 GMU 108 GMU 111 GMU 113 GMU 121 GMU 124