Grande Ronde GMU 186 black bear hunting: harvest, season and land
WDFW's harvest report shows 6 black bears taken in GMU 186 Grande Ronde in 2025. 36 bear hunters reported 167 days here, a success rate of 16.6% by WDFW's count. GMU 186 is 48.9% public land open to hunting, the largest share WDFW land (7,480 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.
BLMDNR state trust landWDFW landGMU 186Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 1, Eastern Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 34,199 acres (53 square miles) |
| Public land open to hunting | 48.9% (16,734 acres) |
| Black bears taken, 2025 | 6 (6 in 2024) |
| Bear hunters, 2025 | 36 |
| 2026 fall season | August 1-November 15, bag limit 2 (Bear Management Unit 3, Southeast) |
| Towns in and near it | Asotin |
Also for GMU 186: elk hunting, deer hunting.
How many black bears are taken in GMU 186?
WDFW reports 6 black bears taken in GMU 186 in 2025, against 6 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 11, in 2022. WDFW's figures average 5 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 3 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Bears taken, general season | Males | Females | Bear hunters | Hunter days | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 36 | 167 | 16.6% |
| 2024 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 31 | 140 | 19.4% |
| 2023 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 29 | 130 | 6.8% |
| 2022 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 30 | 106 | 36.6% |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 76 | 0% |
| 2020 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 32 | 130 | 12.6% |
| 2019 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 21 | 111 | 38% |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 68 | 0% |
| 2017 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 87 | 0% |
| 2016 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 78 | 14.2% |
| 2015 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 140 | 5.3% |
| 2014 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 84 | 25% |
| 2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 54 | 0% |
| 2012 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 57 | 7.1% |
| 2011 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 85 | 8% |
| 2010 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 80 | 0% |
| 2009 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 52 | 8% |
| 2008 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 96 | 5% |
| 2007 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 45 | 10% |
| 2006 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 30 | 12.5% |
| 2004 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 66 | 5.6% |
| 2003 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 65 | 16.7% |
| 2002 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 33 | 120 | 21.2% |
| 2001 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 27 | 92 | 18.5% |
| 2000 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 69 | 2% |
| 1999 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 102 | 250 | 1% |
| 1998 | 10 | 2 | 8 | 36 | 143 | 28% |
| 1997 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 141 | 0% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (black bear, GMU 186, 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 186 in 2026?
GMU 186 is in Bear Management Unit 3, Southeast, which also takes in GMUs 145, 149, 154, 162, 163, 166, 169, 172, 175, 178 and 181. 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 186?
48.9% of GMU 186 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 16,734 of its 34,199 acres. The largest share is WDFW land, 7,480 acres or 21.9% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 2,707 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 186 |
|---|---|---|
| WDFW land | 7,480 | 21.9% |
| BLM | 6,547 | 19.1% |
| DNR state trust land | 2,707 | 7.9% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 186, by WDFW's own boundaries: Chief Joseph Wildlife Area (9,920 acres here; units Chief Joseph and Shumaker).
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 186?
Highways through the unit: SR 129 (about 3 miles inside it). Nearby: Asotin (18 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 186?
GMU 186 touches 2 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 172 | Mountain View | 48.6% | 8 | 100 |
| GMU 181 | Couse | 13.3% | 3 | 57 |
Questions hunters ask
When is bear season in GMU 186 in 2026?
GMU 186 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 186?
WDFW reports 6 black bears taken in GMU 186 in 2025 (2 males, 4 females). The most in one year since 1997 was 11, in 2022.
How much public land is in GMU 186?
48.9% of GMU 186, 16,734 of its 34,199 acres, is national forest, BLM, DNR trust, WDFW, Reclamation or national recreation area land; the largest share is WDFW land. Measured by FilledTag from WA DNR's public land maps.
What town is closest to GMU 186?
No town or Census-listed community is inside it. The nearest towns are Asotin (18 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 172 GMU 181