Cowiche GMU 368 black bear hunting: harvest, season and land
WDFW's harvest report shows 17 black bears taken in GMU 368 Cowiche in 2025. 306 bear hunters reported 2,109 days here, a success rate of 5.6% by WDFW's count. GMU 368 is 40.9% public land open to hunting, the largest share DNR state trust land (75,457 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 landBureau of ReclamationOther public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 368Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 3, South Central Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 225,826 acres (353 square miles) |
| Counties | Yakima |
| Public land open to hunting | 40.9% (92,253 acres) |
| Black bears taken, 2025 | 17 (15 in 2024) |
| Bear hunters, 2025 | 306 |
| 2026 fall season | August 1-November 15, bag limit 2 (Bear Management Unit 7, South Cascades East) |
| Towns in and near it | Yakima, Union Gap, Tieton, Naches, Selah and Moxee |
Also for GMU 368: elk hunting, deer hunting.
How many black bears are taken in GMU 368?
WDFW reports 17 black bears taken in GMU 368 in 2025, against 15 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 23, in 2020. WDFW's figures average 15 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 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 306 | 2,109 | 5.6% |
| 2024 | 15 | 12 | 3 | 336 | 2,258 | 4.4% |
| 2023 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 393 | 2,923 | 3.8% |
| 2022 | 20 | 14 | 6 | 285 | 2,012 | 7% |
| 2021 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 248 | 1,826 | 3.2% |
| 2020 | 23 | 10 | 13 | 293 | 1,986 | 7.8% |
| 2019 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 274 | 2,199 | 5.4% |
| 2018 | 17 | 9 | 8 | 305 | 2,070 | 5.6% |
| 2017 | 17 | 14 | 3 | 277 | 1,713 | 6% |
| 2016 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 315 | 2,318 | 2.8% |
| 2015 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 304 | 1,911 | 2.3% |
| 2014 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 334 | 2,103 | 1.5% |
| 2013 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 325 | 2,167 | 1.8% |
| 2012 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 318 | 2,020 | 2.5% |
| 2011 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 291 | 1,814 | 1.7% |
| 2010 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 296 | 1,927 | 4.1% |
| 2009 | 16 | 13 | 3 | 367 | 2,377 | 4% |
| 2008 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 391 | 2,589 | 2% |
| 2007 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 333 | 2,314 | 2.1% |
| 2006 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 376 | 2,474 | 2.9% |
| 2005 | 15 | 13 | 2 | 340 | 2,376 | 4.4% |
| 2004 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 302 | 2,125 | 3.3% |
| 2003 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 301 | 2,095 | 3.7% |
| 2002 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 378 | 2,595 | 2.9% |
| 2001 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 376 | 2,593 | 3.7% |
| 2000 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 912 | 4,331 | 1% |
| 1999 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 879 | 7,199 | 0% |
| 1998 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 335 | 1,365 | 3% |
| 1997 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 206 | 768 | 3% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (black bear, GMU 368, 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 368 in 2026?
GMU 368 is in Bear Management Unit 7, South Cascades East, which also takes in GMUs 336, 340, 342, 346, 352, 356, 360, 364, 382, 388 and 578. 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 368?
40.9% of GMU 368 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 92,253 of its 225,826 acres. The largest share is DNR state trust land, 75,457 acres or 33.4% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 75,457 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 368 |
|---|---|---|
| DNR state trust land | 75,457 | 33.4% |
| WDFW land | 12,681 | 5.6% |
| National forest | 3,209 | 1.4% |
| BLM | 859 | 0.4% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 417 | 0.2% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 47 | under 0.1% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 368, by WDFW's own boundaries: Oak Creek Wildlife Area (17,406 acres here; units Cowiche, Oak Creek and Bauguess).
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 368?
Highways through the unit: US 12 (about 30 miles inside it), I-82 (about 15 miles inside it) and US 97 (about 14 miles inside it). Towns inside: Yakima, Union Gap, Tieton, Ahtanum, Summitview and Tampico. Nearby: Naches (on the line), Selah (on the line), Moxee (3 miles) and Wapato (6 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 368?
GMU 368 touches 4 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 342 | Umtanum | 69% | 0 | 91 |
| GMU 360 | Bethel | 97% | 5 | 93 |
| GMU 364 | Rimrock | 96.3% | 2 | 110 |
| GMU 372 | Rattlesnake Hills | 7.1% | 0 | 14 |
Questions hunters ask
When is bear season in GMU 368 in 2026?
GMU 368 is in WDFW's Bear Management Unit 7 (South 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 368?
WDFW reports 17 black bears taken in GMU 368 in 2025 (13 males, 4 females). The most in one year since 1997 was 23, in 2020.
How much public land is in GMU 368?
40.9% of GMU 368, 92,253 of its 225,826 acres, is national forest, BLM, DNR trust, WDFW, Reclamation or national recreation area land; the largest share is DNR state trust land. Measured by FilledTag from WA DNR's public land maps.
What town is closest to GMU 368?
Yakima, Union Gap and Tieton are inside the unit. Just outside: Naches (on the line), Selah (on the line) and Moxee (3 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 368
Beginning on US Hwy (US) 12 to US Forest Service (USFS) Rd 1302; NE and SE on US 12 to Interstate Hwy (I)-82; NW on I-82 to the Yakima River; S down the Yakima River to Ahtanum Creek; W and NW on the Yakama Indian Reservation boundary to Reservation Creek and the main divide between the Diamond Fork and Ahtanum Creek drainages; N along the aforementioned divide to Darland Mountain; NE along the crest of Divide Ridge to Jump Of and USFS Rd 1302 (WA Dept of Natural Resources (DNR) C3000); NE on USFS Rd 1302 to US 12 and the point of beginning.
From WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, Game Management Unit Descriptions.
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 3 GMU 364