Mount Spokane GMU 124 black bear hunting: harvest, season and land
WDFW's harvest report shows 8 black bears taken in GMU 124 Mount Spokane in 2025. 280 bear hunters reported 2,027 days here, a success rate of 2.8% by WDFW's count. GMU 124 is 4.6% public land open to hunting, the largest share DNR state trust land (22,694 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.
DNR state trust landWDFW landOther public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 124Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 1, Eastern Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 493,381 acres (771 square miles) |
| Counties | Spokane, Stevens and Pend Oreille |
| Public land open to hunting | 4.6% (22,825 acres) |
| Black bears taken, 2025 | 8 (9 in 2024) |
| Bear hunters, 2025 | 280 |
| 2026 fall season | August 1-November 15, bag limit 2 (Bear Management Unit 1, Northeast) |
| Towns in and near it | Spokane, Suncrest, Otis Orchards-East Farms, Newport, Springdale and Millwood |
Also for GMU 124: elk hunting, deer hunting.
How many black bears are taken in GMU 124?
WDFW reports 8 black bears taken in GMU 124 in 2025, against 9 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 43, in 2019. WDFW's figures average 13 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 19 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Bears taken, general season | Males | Females | Bear hunters | Hunter days | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 280 | 2,027 | 2.8% |
| 2024 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 290 | 1,673 | 3.2% |
| 2023 | 21 | 18 | 3 | 330 | 2,167 | 6.4% |
| 2022 | 17 | 14 | 3 | 340 | 2,078 | 5% |
| 2021 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 331 | 1,900 | 3.6% |
| 2020 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 334 | 1,970 | 3.8% |
| 2019 | 43 | 34 | 9 | 367 | 2,068 | 11.8% |
| 2018 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 322 | 1,976 | 3.2% |
| 2017 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 276 | 1,559 | 4% |
| 2016 | 18 | 13 | 5 | 352 | 2,171 | 5.2% |
| 2015 | 33 | 23 | 10 | 370 | 1,802 | 8.9% |
| 2014 | 19 | 13 | 6 | 403 | 2,331 | 4.7% |
| 2013 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 364 | 2,161 | 1.6% |
| 2012 | 19 | 15 | 4 | 397 | 2,466 | 4.8% |
| 2011 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 455 | 2,668 | 5.5% |
| 2010 | 19 | 13 | 6 | 466 | 2,681 | 4.1% |
| 2009 | 28 | 15 | 13 | 522 | 3,142 | 5% |
| 2008 | 21 | 13 | 8 | 499 | 3,029 | 4% |
| 2007 | 32 | 19 | 13 | 452 | 2,436 | 7.1% |
| 2006 | 23 | 9 | 14 | 423 | 2,546 | 5.4% |
| 2005 | 23 | 18 | 5 | 385 | 2,785 | 6% |
| 2004 | 24 | 12 | 12 | 394 | 2,420 | 6.1% |
| 2003 | 31 | 16 | 15 | 446 | 2,957 | 7% |
| 2002 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 453 | 2,695 | 6.6% |
| 2001 | 22 | 12 | 10 | 573 | 3,198 | 3.8% |
| 2000 | 27 | 13 | 14 | 1,231 | 7,413 | 2% |
| 1999 | 15 | 13 | 2 | 1,096 | 9,541 | 1% |
| 1998 | 39 | 25 | 14 | 539 | 2,905 | 7% |
| 1997 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 140 | 718 | 4% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (black bear, GMU 124, 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 124 in 2026?
GMU 124 is in Bear Management Unit 1, Northeast, which also takes in GMUs 105, 108, 111, 113, 117 and 121. 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 124?
4.6% of GMU 124 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 22,825 of its 493,381 acres. The largest share is DNR state trust land, 22,694 acres or 4.6% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 22,694 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 124 |
|---|---|---|
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 23,053 | 4.7% |
| DNR state trust land | 22,694 | 4.6% |
| WDFW land | 131 | under 0.1% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 124, by WDFW's own boundaries: Swanson Lakes Wildlife Area (116 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 124?
Highways through the unit: US 2 (about 51 miles inside it), US 395 (about 39 miles inside it), SR 291 (about 34 miles inside it), SR 206 (about 18 miles inside it) and SR 231 (about 17 miles inside it). Towns inside: Spokane, Suncrest, Otis Orchards-East Farms, Mead, Green Bluff and Fairwood. Nearby: Newport (on the line), Springdale (on the line), Millwood (on the line) and Deer Park (on the line).
Which GMUs border GMU 124?
GMU 124 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 117 | 49 Degrees North | 34.6% | 20 | 518 |
| GMU 121 | Huckleberry | 19.7% | 25 | 526 |
| GMU 127 | Mica Peak | 1.2% | 0 | 43 |
| GMU 130 | Cheney | 4% | 0 | 28 |
| GMU 133 | Roosevelt | 11.5% | 5 | 115 |
Questions hunters ask
When is bear season in GMU 124 in 2026?
GMU 124 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 124?
WDFW reports 8 black bears taken in GMU 124 in 2025 (5 males, 3 females). The most in one year since 1997 was 43, in 2019.
How much public land is in GMU 124?
4.6% of GMU 124, 22,825 of its 493,381 acres, is national forest, BLM, DNR trust, WDFW, Reclamation or national recreation area land; the largest share is DNR state trust land. Measured by FilledTag from WA DNR's public land maps.
What town is closest to GMU 124?
Spokane, Suncrest and Otis Orchards-East Farms are inside the unit. Just outside: Newport (on the line), Springdale (on the line) and Millwood (on the line).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 124
Beginning at the junction of State Route (SR) 231 and SR 292 at the town of Springdale; E on SR 292 to US Hwy (US) 395 at Loon Lake; SE on US 395 to the Deer Park-Milan Rd; E on the Deer Park-Milan Rd to US 2; N and NE on US 2 to the Washington- Idaho state line at the town of Newport; S on the Washington-Idaho state line to the Spokane River; W and NW down the north shore of Spokane River to Chamokane Creek (Spokane Indian reservation boundary); N along the Chamokane Creek to the last Chamokane Creek tributary before the northeastern corner of the Spokane Indian reservation; NE up said tributary to SR 231; N on SR 231 to SR 292 at the town of Springdale and the point of beginning.
From WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, Game Management Unit Descriptions.
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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 117 GMU 121 GMU 133