Pearrygin GMU 224 black bear hunting: harvest, season and land
WDFW's harvest report shows 3 black bears taken in GMU 224 Pearrygin in 2025. 110 bear hunters reported 766 days here, a success rate of 2.8% by WDFW's count. GMU 224 is 87.1% public land open to hunting, the largest share national forest (143,956 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 224Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 2, North Central Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 193,542 acres (302 square miles) |
| Public land open to hunting | 87.1% (168,501 acres) |
| Black bears taken, 2025 | 3 (20 in 2024) |
| Bear hunters, 2025 | 110 |
| 2026 fall season | August 15-November 15, bag limit 1 (Bear Management Unit 5, Okanogan) |
| Towns in and near it | Twisp, Conconully, Winthrop, Riverside and Okanogan |
Also for GMU 224: deer hunting.
How many black bears are taken in GMU 224?
WDFW reports 3 black bears taken in GMU 224 in 2025, against 20 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 32, in 2019. WDFW's figures average 10 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 16 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Bears taken, general season | Males | Females | Bear hunters | Hunter days | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 110 | 766 | 2.8% |
| 2024 | 20 | 6 | 14 | 230 | 1,430 | 8.6% |
| 2023 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 239 | 1,272 | 3.4% |
| 2022 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 172 | 1,004 | 5.8% |
| 2021 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 238 | 1,268 | 3.8% |
| 2020 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 215 | 1,174 | 9.8% |
| 2019 | 32 | 22 | 10 | 231 | 1,201 | 13.8% |
| 2018 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 238 | 1,341 | 2.6% |
| 2017 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 244 | 1,442 | 2% |
| 2016 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 201 | 1,228 | 8.4% |
| 2015 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 198 | 1,245 | 6.6% |
| 2014 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 183 | 1,165 | 2.7% |
| 2013 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 221 | 1,219 | 5.9% |
| 2012 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 179 | 1,051 | 4.5% |
| 2011 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 205 | 1,104 | 2.4% |
| 2010 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 224 | 1,203 | 7.1% |
| 2009 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 229 | 1,249 | 4% |
| 2008 | 16 | 10 | 6 | 241 | 1,468 | 7% |
| 2007 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 247 | 1,556 | 4.9% |
| 2006 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 165 | 831 | 6.7% |
| 2005 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 260 | 1,632 | 2.7% |
| 2004 | 18 | 12 | 6 | 249 | 1,739 | 7.2% |
| 2003 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 226 | 1,345 | 3.5% |
| 2002 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 333 | 1,891 | 3.3% |
| 2001 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 267 | 1,609 | 4.1% |
| 2000 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 567 | 2,276 | 1% |
| 1999 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 622 | 4,636 | 1% |
| 1998 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 72 | 238 | 3% |
| 1997 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 107 | 534 | 0% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (black bear, GMU 224, 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 224 in 2026?
GMU 224 is in Bear Management Unit 5, Okanogan, which also takes in GMUs 203, 209, 215, 218, 231, 233, 239, 242 and 243. The 2026 fall general season there runs August 15-November 15, and the bag limit is 1. 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 224?
87.1% of GMU 224 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 168,501 of its 193,542 acres. The largest share is national forest, 143,956 acres or 74.4% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 7,087 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 224 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 143,956 | 74.4% |
| WDFW land | 15,887 | 8.2% |
| DNR state trust land | 7,087 | 3.7% |
| National wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted) | 3,041 | 1.6% |
| BLM | 1,571 | 0.8% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 1,140 | 0.6% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 224, by WDFW's own boundaries: Methow Wildlife Area (19,033 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 224?
Highways through the unit: SR 20 (about 10 miles inside it). Towns inside: Twisp and Conconully. Nearby: Winthrop (on the line), Riverside (11 miles), Okanogan (13 miles) and Omak (13 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 224?
GMU 224 touches 6 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 215 | Sinlahekin | 72.4% | 19 | 249 |
| GMU 218 | Chewuch | 94.8% | 11 | 233 |
| GMU 231 | Gardner | 89% | 5 | 75 |
| GMU 233 | Pogue | 45.7% | 6 | 148 |
| GMU 239 | Chiliwist | 51.8% | 13 | 136 |
| GMU 242 | Alta | 86.8% | 17 | 180 |
Questions hunters ask
When is bear season in GMU 224 in 2026?
GMU 224 is in WDFW's Bear Management Unit 5 (Okanogan), where the 2026 fall general season runs August 15-November 15 with a bag limit of 1, 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 224?
WDFW reports 3 black bears taken in GMU 224 in 2025 (3 males, 0 females). The most in one year since 1997 was 32, in 2019.
How much public land is in GMU 224?
87.1% of GMU 224, 168,501 of its 193,542 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 224?
Twisp and Conconully are inside the unit. Just outside: Winthrop (on the line), Riverside (11 miles) and Okanogan (13 miles).
Get a Washington hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Washington are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Washington included.
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 2 GMU 215 GMU 218 GMU 231 GMU 233 GMU 239 GMU 242