Blue Creek GMU 154 black bear hunting: harvest, season and land
WDFW's harvest report shows 17 black bears taken in GMU 154 Blue Creek in 2025. 212 bear hunters reported 1,278 days here, a success rate of 8% by WDFW's count. GMU 154 is 1.6% public land open to hunting, the largest share DNR state trust land (1,937 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 landMilitary land (restricted)Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 154Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 1, Eastern Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 138,713 acres (217 square miles) |
| Counties | Walla Walla and Columbia |
| Public land open to hunting | 1.6% (2,270 acres) |
| Black bears taken, 2025 | 17 (20 in 2024) |
| Bear hunters, 2025 | 212 |
| 2026 fall season | August 1-November 15, bag limit 2 (Bear Management Unit 3, Southeast) |
| Towns in and near it | Walla Walla, Waitsburg, Walla Walla East, College Place, Dayton and Prescott |
Also for GMU 154: elk hunting, deer hunting.
How many black bears are taken in GMU 154?
WDFW reports 17 black bears taken in GMU 154 in 2025, against 20 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 61, in 2022. WDFW's figures average 31 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 32 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Bears taken, general season | Males | Females | Bear hunters | Hunter days | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 212 | 1,278 | 8% |
| 2024 | 20 | 15 | 5 | 248 | 1,525 | 8% |
| 2023 | 30 | 18 | 12 | 287 | 2,100 | 10.4% |
| 2022 | 61 | 39 | 22 | 272 | 2,078 | 22.4% |
| 2021 | 26 | 15 | 11 | 350 | 2,275 | 7.4% |
| 2020 | 37 | 30 | 7 | 295 | 2,019 | 12.6% |
| 2019 | 30 | 16 | 14 | 316 | 2,495 | 9.4% |
| 2018 | 44 | 23 | 21 | 311 | 1,864 | 14.2% |
| 2017 | 21 | 18 | 3 | 304 | 1,973 | 7% |
| 2016 | 26 | 15 | 11 | 323 | 2,136 | 8% |
| 2015 | 31 | 20 | 11 | 313 | 1,817 | 9.9% |
| 2014 | 22 | 15 | 7 | 309 | 1,846 | 7.1% |
| 2013 | 33 | 29 | 4 | 305 | 1,563 | 10.8% |
| 2012 | 34 | 26 | 8 | 299 | 1,760 | 11.4% |
| 2011 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 285 | 1,667 | 8.8% |
| 2010 | 19 | 13 | 6 | 304 | 1,922 | 6.3% |
| 2009 | 27 | 17 | 10 | 301 | 1,786 | 9% |
| 2008 | 25 | 21 | 4 | 320 | 1,912 | 8% |
| 2007 | 34 | 28 | 6 | 322 | 1,692 | 10.6% |
| 2006 | 34 | 22 | 12 | 307 | 1,807 | 11.1% |
| 2005 | 23 | 18 | 5 | 296 | 1,769 | 7.8% |
| 2004 | 25 | 19 | 6 | 329 | 1,882 | 7.6% |
| 2003 | 40 | 18 | 22 | 341 | 2,150 | 11.7% |
| 2002 | 39 | 23 | 16 | 361 | 2,108 | 10.8% |
| 2001 | 23 | 11 | 12 | 357 | 2,295 | 6.4% |
| 2000 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 584 | 3,115 | 2% |
| 1999 | 43 | 38 | 5 | 649 | 4,474 | 7% |
| 1998 | 22 | 12 | 10 | 510 | 2,925 | 4% |
| 1997 | 18 | 8 | 10 | 537 | 3,905 | 3% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (black bear, GMU 154, 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 154 in 2026?
GMU 154 is in Bear Management Unit 3, Southeast, which also takes in GMUs 145, 149, 162, 163, 166, 169, 172, 175, 178, 181 and 186. 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 154?
1.6% of GMU 154 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 2,270 of its 138,713 acres. The largest share is DNR state trust land, 1,937 acres or 1.4% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 1,937 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 154 |
|---|---|---|
| DNR state trust land | 1,937 | 1.4% |
| Military land (restricted) | 605 | 0.4% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 477 | 0.3% |
| National forest | 228 | 0.2% |
| BLM | 105 | 0.1% |
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 154?
Highways through the unit: US 12 (about 19 miles inside it) and SR 125 (about 6 miles inside it). Towns inside: Walla Walla, Waitsburg, Walla Walla East and Dixie. Nearby: College Place (on the line), Dayton (3 miles), Prescott (8 miles) and Starbuck (16 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 154?
GMU 154 touches 3 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 149 | Prescott | 2.5% | 0 | 44 |
| GMU 157 | Mill Creek Watershed | 92.5% | 0 | |
| GMU 162 | Dayton | 25% | 20 | 258 |
Questions hunters ask
When is bear season in GMU 154 in 2026?
GMU 154 is in WDFW's Bear Management Unit 3 (Southeast), 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 154?
WDFW reports 17 black bears taken in GMU 154 in 2025 (10 males, 7 females). The most in one year since 1997 was 61, in 2022.
How much public land is in GMU 154?
1.6% of GMU 154, 2,270 of its 138,713 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 154?
Walla Walla, Waitsburg and Walla Walla East are inside the unit. Just outside: College Place (on the line), Dayton (3 miles) and Prescott (8 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 154
Beginning on US Hwy (US) 12 at the town of Waits- burg; NE on US 12 to Lower Hogeye Rd at Long Station; E on Lower Hogeye Rd to Bowman Hill Rd; SW on Bowman Hill Rd to the Payne Hollow Rd; S on the Payne Hollow Rd to Jasper Mountain Rd; S on Jasper Mountain Rd to Mt. Pleasant Rd; S on Mt. Pleasant Rd to Dent Rd; S on Dent Rd to the Lewis Peak Rd; S on the Lewis Peak Rd to Lewis Peak Trail; SE on Lewis Peak Trail to US Forest Service (USFS) Trail 3211 (Mill Creek Watershed Intake Trail); SW on USFS Trail 3211 to the Washington-Oregon state line; W on the Washington-Oregon state line to State Route (SR) 125; N on SR 125 to US 12; NE on US 12 to the town of Waitsburg 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 162