Clark GMU 244 black bear hunting: harvest, season and land
WDFW's harvest report shows 9 black bears taken in GMU 244 Clark in 2025. 112 bear hunters reported 475 days here, a success rate of 8% by WDFW's count. GMU 244 is 99.5% public land open to hunting, the largest share national forest (307,142 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 forestNational recreation areaNational park or historic site (no hunting)GMU 244Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 2, North Central Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 367,968 acres (575 square miles) |
| Counties | Chelan |
| Public land open to hunting | 99.5% (366,051 acres) |
| Black bears taken, 2025 | 9 (12 in 2024) |
| Bear hunters, 2025 | 112 |
| 2026 fall season | August 1-November 15, bag limit 2 (Bear Management Unit 6, Central Cascades East) |
| Towns in and near it | Winthrop and Skykomish |
Also for GMU 244: elk hunting, deer hunting.
How many black bears are taken in GMU 244?
WDFW reports 9 black bears taken in GMU 244 in 2025, against 12 in 2024. The most in one year since 2000 was 22, in 2022. WDFW's figures average 13 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 10 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Bears taken, general season | Males | Females | Bear hunters | Hunter days | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 112 | 475 | 8% |
| 2024 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 83 | 427 | 14.4% |
| 2023 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 111 | 686 | 8.2% |
| 2022 | 22 | 14 | 8 | 89 | 396 | 24.8% |
| 2021 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 113 | 452 | 11.6% |
| 2020 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 57 | 212 | 10.6% |
| 2019 | 15 | 15 | 0 | 86 | 373 | 17.4% |
| 2018 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 57 | 304 | 21% |
| 2017 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 70 | 286 | 19% |
| 2016 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 38 | 132 | 13.2% |
| 2015 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 29 | 108 | 13.8% |
| 2014 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 28 | 126 | 21.4% |
| 2013 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 72 | 9.1% |
| 2012 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 41 | 140 | 29.3% |
| 2011 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 180 | 2.6% |
| 2010 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 40 | 149 | 30% |
| 2009 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 30 | 212 | 20% |
| 2008 | 18 | 12 | 6 | 40 | 151 | 45% |
| 2007 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 31 | 171 | 19.4% |
| 2006 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 27 | 103 | 14.8% |
| 2005 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 26 | 115 | 7.7% |
| 2004 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 32 | 456 | 25% |
| 2003 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 95 | 9.5% |
| 2002 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 120 | 3.8% |
| 2001 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 44 | 170 | 4.5% |
| 2000 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 89 | 243 | 1% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (black bear, GMU 244, 2000 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 244 in 2026?
GMU 244 is in Bear Management Unit 6, Central Cascades East, which also takes in GMUs 245, 246, 247, 249, 250, 251, 328, 329, 330, 334 and 335. 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 244?
99.5% of GMU 244 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 366,051 of its 367,968 acres. The largest share is national forest, 307,142 acres or 83.5% of the unit.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 244 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 307,142 | 83.5% |
| National recreation area | 58,909 | 16% |
| National park or historic site (no hunting) | 7 | under 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 244?
No numbered highway crosses the unit. Nearby: Winthrop (19 miles) and Skykomish (20 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 244?
GMU 244 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 242 | Alta | 86.8% | 17 | 180 |
| GMU 243 | Manson | 72.1% | 17 | 152 |
| GMU 245 | Chiwawa | 88.6% | 25 | 265 |
| GMU 246 | Slide Ridge | 99.4% | 0 | 33 |
| GMU 450 | Cascade | 99.9% | 22 | 109 |
Questions hunters ask
When is bear season in GMU 244 in 2026?
GMU 244 is in WDFW's Bear Management Unit 6 (Central Cascades East), 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 244?
WDFW reports 9 black bears taken in GMU 244 in 2025 (9 males, 0 females). The most in one year since 2000 was 22, in 2022.
How much public land is in GMU 244?
99.5% of GMU 244, 366,051 of its 367,968 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 244?
No town or Census-listed community is inside it. The nearest towns are Winthrop (19 miles) and Skykomish (20 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 244
Beginning at the mouth of Stehekin River on Lake Chelan; SE along the south shore of Lake Chelan to the Glacier Peak Wilderness boundary at Bearcat Ridge; S, W and N on the Glacier Peak Wilderness boundary to the US Forest Service (USFS) Trail 2000 (Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail) at Kodak Peak; N on the (USFS) Trail 2000 to North Cascades National Park; N and E on the North Cascades National Park boundary to Lake Chelan National Recreation boundary at Hock Mountain; S along the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area boundary to the north shore of Lake Chelan; NW along the north shore of Lake Chelan to the Stehekin River 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 2 GMU 242 GMU 243 GMU 245 GMU 450