Mission GMU 251 black bear hunting: harvest, season and land
WDFW's harvest report shows 19 black bears taken in GMU 251 Mission in 2025. 282 bear hunters reported 2,250 days here, a success rate of 6.8% by WDFW's count. GMU 251 is 58.6% public land open to hunting, the largest share national forest (146,799 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 251Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 2, North Central Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 333,331 acres (521 square miles) |
| Counties | Kittitas and Chelan |
| Public land open to hunting | 58.6% (195,221 acres) |
| Black bears taken, 2025 | 19 (18 in 2024) |
| Bear hunters, 2025 | 282 |
| 2026 fall season | August 1-November 15, bag limit 2 (Bear Management Unit 6, Central Cascades East) |
| Towns in and near it | Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Cashmere, Rock Island, East Wenatchee and Quincy |
Also for GMU 251: elk hunting, deer hunting.
How many black bears are taken in GMU 251?
WDFW reports 19 black bears taken in GMU 251 in 2025, against 18 in 2024. The most in one year since 2000 was 38, in 2020. WDFW's figures average 26 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 24 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Bears taken, general season | Males | Females | Bear hunters | Hunter days | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 19 | 8 | 11 | 282 | 2,250 | 6.8% |
| 2024 | 18 | 12 | 6 | 344 | 2,774 | 5.2% |
| 2023 | 27 | 19 | 8 | 389 | 2,680 | 7% |
| 2022 | 37 | 21 | 16 | 299 | 2,383 | 12.4% |
| 2021 | 31 | 21 | 10 | 270 | 1,840 | 11.4% |
| 2020 | 38 | 23 | 15 | 276 | 1,983 | 13.8% |
| 2019 | 21 | 16 | 5 | 259 | 2,018 | 8.2% |
| 2018 | 29 | 21 | 8 | 262 | 1,507 | 11% |
| 2017 | 23 | 16 | 7 | 314 | 1,753 | 7% |
| 2016 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 249 | 1,415 | 4.4% |
| 2015 | 25 | 17 | 8 | 256 | 1,431 | 9.8% |
| 2014 | 25 | 14 | 11 | 273 | 1,448 | 9.2% |
| 2013 | 22 | 13 | 9 | 268 | 1,453 | 8.2% |
| 2012 | 25 | 21 | 4 | 248 | 1,369 | 10.1% |
| 2011 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 258 | 1,598 | 10.5% |
| 2010 | 25 | 17 | 8 | 290 | 1,640 | 8.6% |
| 2009 | 16 | 11 | 5 | 234 | 1,429 | 7% |
| 2008 | 26 | 15 | 11 | 305 | 1,875 | 9% |
| 2007 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 302 | 1,554 | 2.6% |
| 2006 | 33 | 15 | 18 | 275 | 1,538 | 12% |
| 2005 | 20 | 13 | 7 | 265 | 1,883 | 7.5% |
| 2004 | 26 | 13 | 13 | 271 | 1,970 | 9.6% |
| 2003 | 19 | 12 | 7 | 275 | 1,646 | 6.9% |
| 2002 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 253 | 1,695 | 4.7% |
| 2001 | 14 | 8 | 6 | 266 | 2,230 | 5.3% |
| 2000 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 425 | 1,555 | 2% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (black bear, GMU 251, 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 251 in 2026?
GMU 251 is in Bear Management Unit 6, Central Cascades East, which also takes in GMUs 244, 245, 246, 247, 249, 250, 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 251?
58.6% of GMU 251 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 195,221 of its 333,331 acres. The largest share is national forest, 146,799 acres or 44% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 27,476 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 251 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 146,799 | 44% |
| DNR state trust land | 27,476 | 8.2% |
| WDFW land | 17,027 | 5.1% |
| BLM | 3,919 | 1.2% |
| National wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted) | 2,335 | 0.7% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 1,023 | 0.3% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 251, by WDFW's own boundaries: Colockum Wildlife Area (25,490 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 251?
Highways through the unit: US 97 (about 35 miles inside it), US 2 (about 34 miles inside it) and SR 285 (about 7 miles inside it). Towns inside: Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Cashmere and South Wenatchee. Nearby: Rock Island (on the line), East Wenatchee (on the line), Quincy (11 miles) and Skykomish (12 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 251?
GMU 251 touches 10 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 245 | Chiwawa | 88.6% | 25 | 265 |
| GMU 249 | Alpine | 99.6% | 11 | 136 |
| GMU 250 | Swakane | 64.8% | 4 | 80 |
| GMU 266 | Badger | 7.7% | 0 | 5 |
| GMU 269 | Moses Coulee | 22.6% | 0 | 10 |
| GMU 328 | Naneum | 72.8% | 7 | 241 |
| GMU 329 | Quilomene | 87.9% | 7 | 92 |
| GMU 335 | Teanaway | 73.8% | 30 | 444 |
| GMU 448 | Stillaguamish | 81.4% | 28 | 442 |
| GMU 460 | Snoqualmie | 61.3% | 20 | 350 |
Questions hunters ask
When is bear season in GMU 251 in 2026?
GMU 251 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 251?
WDFW reports 19 black bears taken in GMU 251 in 2025 (8 males, 11 females). The most in one year since 2000 was 38, in 2020.
How much public land is in GMU 251?
58.6% of GMU 251, 195,221 of its 333,331 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 251?
Wenatchee, Leavenworth and Cashmere are inside the unit. Just outside: Rock Island (on the line), East Wenatchee (on the line) and Quincy (11 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 251
Beginning at US Hwy (US) 2 and the Columbia River (Chelan-Douglas county line); S down the Columbia River (Chelan-Douglas county line) to Tarpiscan Creek; W up Tarpiscan Creek to North Fork Tarpiscan Creek; W up North Fork Tarpiscan Creek to WA Dept of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) 14 Rd (Tarpiscan Rd); N approximately 100 feet on WDFW 14 Rd to WDFW 10.10 Rd (North Fork Creek Rd); W along WDFW 10.10 Rd to the WDFW 10 Rd (Colockum Rd); W along the WDFW 10 Rd to WDFW 9 Rd (Naneum Ridge Rd); NW on WDFW 9 Rd to Naneum Ridge (Chelan-Kittitas county line) at Wenatchee Mountain; NW along Naneum Ridge, past Mission Peak, to US Forest Service (USFS) Rd 9712 (Liberty-Beehive Rd); NW on USFS Rd 9712 to USFS Rd 9716; N on USFS Rd 9716 to US 97 at Swauk Pass; NW on the Wenatchee Mountain Range divide (Kittitas-Chelan county line) to the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area boundary near Navaho Peak; N and E on Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area boundary to USFS Trail 2000 (Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail); N on USFS Trail 2000 to US 2; E on US 2 to the Columbia River (Chelan-Douglas county line) 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 245 GMU 249 GMU 250 GMU 328 GMU 329 GMU 335 GMU 448 GMU 460