Tucannon GMU 166 black bear hunting: harvest, season and land
WDFW's harvest report shows 2 black bears taken in GMU 166 Tucannon in 2025. 121 bear hunters reported 661 days here, a success rate of 1.6% by WDFW's count. GMU 166 is 96.3% public land open to hunting, the largest share national forest (67,888 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 forestDNR state trust landWDFW landNational wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted)GMU 166Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 1, Eastern Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 84,920 acres (133 square miles) |
| Counties | Columbia and Garfield |
| Public land open to hunting | 96.3% (81,737 acres) |
| Black bears taken, 2025 | 2 (14 in 2024) |
| Bear hunters, 2025 | 121 |
| 2026 fall season | August 1-November 15, bag limit 2 (Bear Management Unit 3, Southeast) |
| Towns in and near it | Pomeroy, Dayton and Waitsburg |
Also for GMU 166: elk hunting, deer hunting.
How many black bears are taken in GMU 166?
WDFW reports 2 black bears taken in GMU 166 in 2025, against 14 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 15, in 2010. WDFW's figures average 7 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 4 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Bears taken, general season | Males | Females | Bear hunters | Hunter days | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 121 | 661 | 1.6% |
| 2024 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 134 | 961 | 10.4% |
| 2023 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 133 | 696 | 3% |
| 2022 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 147 | 782 | 8.2% |
| 2021 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 111 | 715 | 1.8% |
| 2020 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 187 | 1,121 | 4.2% |
| 2019 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 143 | 1,156 | 3.4% |
| 2018 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 137 | 839 | 2.2% |
| 2017 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 154 | 988 | 2% |
| 2016 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 140 | 801 | 2.2% |
| 2015 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 181 | 1,038 | 3.9% |
| 2014 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 156 | 931 | 5.1% |
| 2013 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 135 | 866 | 3.7% |
| 2012 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 150 | 918 | 4.7% |
| 2011 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 140 | 1,005 | 7.1% |
| 2010 | 15 | 11 | 4 | 155 | 870 | 9.7% |
| 2009 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 131 | 761 | 2% |
| 2008 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 116 | 693 | 4% |
| 2007 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 99 | 558 | 3% |
| 2006 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 89 | 465 | 6.7% |
| 2005 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 114 | 594 | 3.5% |
| 2004 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 144 | 750 | 4.9% |
| 2003 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 160 | 793 | 4.4% |
| 2002 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 186 | 920 | 5.4% |
| 2001 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 199 | 1,043 | 2.5% |
| 2000 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 522 | 1,829 | 1% |
| 1999 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 730 | 3,841 | 1% |
| 1998 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 341 | 1,313 | 1% |
| 1997 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 305 | 1,703 | 1% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (black bear, GMU 166, 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 166 in 2026?
GMU 166 is in Bear Management Unit 3, Southeast, which also takes in GMUs 145, 149, 154, 162, 163, 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 166?
96.3% of GMU 166 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 81,737 of its 84,920 acres. The largest share is national forest, 67,888 acres or 79.9% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 1,022 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 166 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 67,888 | 79.9% |
| WDFW land | 12,827 | 15.1% |
| DNR state trust land | 1,022 | 1.2% |
| National wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted) | 5 | under 0.1% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 166, by WDFW's own boundaries: W.T. Wooten Wildlife Area (13,868 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 166?
No numbered highway crosses the unit. Nearby: Pomeroy (8 miles), Dayton (11 miles) and Waitsburg (18 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 166?
GMU 166 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 162 | Dayton | 25% | 20 | 258 |
| GMU 163 | Marengo | 4.8% | 0 | 11 |
| GMU 169 | Wenaha | 100% | 8 | 73 |
| GMU 175 | Lick Creek | 94.7% | 8 | 139 |
| GMU 178 | Peola | 4.8% | 0 | 17 |
Questions hunters ask
When is bear season in GMU 166 in 2026?
GMU 166 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 166?
WDFW reports 2 black bears taken in GMU 166 in 2025 (2 males, 0 females). The most in one year since 1997 was 15, in 2010.
How much public land is in GMU 166?
96.3% of GMU 166, 81,737 of its 84,920 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 166?
No town or Census-listed community is inside it. The nearest towns are Pomeroy (8 miles), Dayton (11 miles) and Waitsburg (18 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 166
Beginning at the intersection of the Hartsock Grade Rd and the Tucannon Rd; SE on the Tu- cannon Rd to the elk drift fence at the northern boundary of the W.T. Wooten Wildlife Area; E and S along the elk drift fence to the US Forest Service (USFS) Rd 40 (Mountain Rd) at the Umatilla National Forest's northern boundary; S on the USFS Rd 40 to USFS Rd 4030 (Diamond Peak Rd); W on USFS Rd 4030 to USFS Trail 3113 (Diamond Peak Trail-Bullfrog Springs Trail-Oregon Butte Trail) at Diamond Peak; W on USFS Trail 3113 to USFS Trail 3136 (Teepee Trail); W along USFS Trail 3136 to USFS Rd 4608 (Teepee Rd) at Teepee Camp; W on the USFS Rd 4608 to USFS Rd 46 (Skyline Drive Rd); N on the USFS Rd 46 to Skyline Drive Rd; N on Skyline Drive Rd to the Maloney Mountain Rd; W on Maloney Mountain Rd to USFS Rd 4625 (Maloney Mountain Rd); E and N on the USFS Rd 4625 (Maloney Mountain Rd) to the Hartsock Grade Rd; N on the Hartsock Grade Rd to the Tucannon Rd and the point of the 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 GMU 169 GMU 175