Quilomene GMU 329 black bear hunting: harvest, season and land
WDFW's harvest report shows 7 black bears taken in GMU 329 Quilomene in 2025. 92 bear hunters reported 454 days here, a success rate of 7.6% by WDFW's count. GMU 329 is 87.9% public land open to hunting, the largest share WDFW land (97,934 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 landNational wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted)Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 329Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 3, South Central Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 182,153 acres (285 square miles) |
| Public land open to hunting | 87.9% (160,069 acres) |
| Black bears taken, 2025 | 7 (11 in 2024) |
| Bear hunters, 2025 | 92 |
| 2026 fall season | August 1-November 15, bag limit 2 (Bear Management Unit 6, Central Cascades East) |
| Towns in and near it | Vantage, Kittitas, George and Quincy |
Also for GMU 329: elk hunting, deer hunting.
How many black bears are taken in GMU 329?
WDFW reports 7 black bears taken in GMU 329 in 2025, against 11 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 12, in 2023. WDFW's figures average 7 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 6 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Bears taken, general season | Males | Females | Bear hunters | Hunter days | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 92 | 454 | 7.6% |
| 2024 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 74 | 335 | 14.8% |
| 2023 | 12 | 4 | 8 | 90 | 510 | 13.4% |
| 2022 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 72 | 328 | 5.6% |
| 2021 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 88 | 479 | 2.2% |
| 2020 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 94 | 481 | 4.2% |
| 2019 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 108 | 566 | 8.4% |
| 2018 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 122 | 629 | 5% |
| 2017 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 134 | 708 | 7% |
| 2016 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 108 | 688 | 2.8% |
| 2015 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 100 | 525 | 6% |
| 2014 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 80 | 491 | 10% |
| 2013 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 51 | 307 | 5.9% |
| 2012 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 62 | 305 | 1.6% |
| 2011 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 63 | 298 | 3.2% |
| 2010 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 67 | 415 | 6% |
| 2009 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 61 | 301 | 2% |
| 2008 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 62 | 264 | 5% |
| 2007 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 65 | 344 | 3.1% |
| 2006 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 77 | 396 | 6.5% |
| 2005 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 91 | 462 | 1.1% |
| 2004 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 79 | 458 | 3.8% |
| 2003 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 106 | 661 | 1.9% |
| 2002 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 127 | 779 | 2.4% |
| 2001 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 107 | 654 | 4.7% |
| 2000 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 292 | 1,274 | 3% |
| 1999 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 555 | 3,815 | 0% |
| 1998 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 109 | 420 | 2% |
| 1997 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 105 | 410 | 6% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (black bear, GMU 329, 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 329 in 2026?
GMU 329 is in Bear Management Unit 6, Central Cascades East, which also takes in GMUs 244, 245, 246, 247, 249, 250, 251, 328, 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 329?
87.9% of GMU 329 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 160,069 of its 182,153 acres. The largest share is WDFW land, 97,934 acres or 53.8% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 57,707 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 329 |
|---|---|---|
| WDFW land | 97,934 | 53.8% |
| DNR state trust land | 57,707 | 31.7% |
| BLM | 4,428 | 2.4% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 4,174 | 2.3% |
| National wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted) | 2,371 | 1.3% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 329, by WDFW's own boundaries: L.T. Murray Wildlife Area (66,990 acres here; units Whiskey Dick and Quilomene) and Colockum Wildlife Area (50,637 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 329?
Highways through the unit: I-90 (about 12 miles inside it). Towns inside: Vantage. Nearby: Kittitas (5 miles), George (7 miles), Quincy (9 miles) and Ellensburg (9 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 329?
GMU 329 touches 8 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 251 | Mission | 58.6% | 19 | 282 |
| GMU 269 | Moses Coulee | 22.6% | 0 | 10 |
| GMU 272 | Beezley | 17.4% | 0 | 16 |
| GMU 278 | Wahluke | 20.8% | 0 | 4 |
| GMU 328 | Naneum | 72.8% | 7 | 241 |
| GMU 330 | West Bar | 85.8% | 0 | 10 |
| GMU 334 | Ellensburg | 2.5% | 0 | 53 |
| GMU 371 | Alkali | 0.4% | 0 | 2 |
Questions hunters ask
When is bear season in GMU 329 in 2026?
GMU 329 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 329?
WDFW reports 7 black bears taken in GMU 329 in 2025 (3 males, 4 females). The most in one year since 1997 was 12, in 2023.
How much public land is in GMU 329?
87.9% of GMU 329, 160,069 of its 182,153 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 329?
Vantage is inside the unit. Just outside: Kittitas (5 miles), George (7 miles) and Quincy (9 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 3 GMU 251 GMU 328