North Sound GMU 407 black bear hunting: harvest, season and land
WDFW's harvest report shows 24 black bears taken in GMU 407 North Sound in 2025. 271 bear hunters reported 2,119 days here, a success rate of 8.8% by WDFW's count. GMU 407 is 9.9% public land open to hunting, the largest share DNR state trust land (73,708 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 landMilitary land (restricted)Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 407Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 4, North Puget Sound |
|---|---|
| Size | 853,943 acres (1,334 square miles) |
| Public land open to hunting | 9.9% (84,205 acres) |
| Black bears taken, 2025 | 24 (55 in 2024) |
| Bear hunters, 2025 | 271 |
| 2026 fall season | August 1-November 15, bag limit 2 (Bear Management Unit 10, Urban) |
| Towns in and near it | Bellingham, Marysville, Mount Vernon, Everett, Granite Falls and Duvall |
Also for GMU 407: elk hunting, deer hunting.
How many black bears are taken in GMU 407?
WDFW reports 24 black bears taken in GMU 407 in 2025, against 55 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 55, in 2024. WDFW's figures average 32 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 29 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Bears taken, general season | Males | Females | Bear hunters | Hunter days | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 24 | 21 | 3 | 271 | 2,119 | 8.8% |
| 2024 | 55 | 36 | 19 | 376 | 2,929 | 14.6% |
| 2023 | 22 | 16 | 6 | 359 | 2,702 | 6.2% |
| 2022 | 26 | 9 | 17 | 264 | 1,795 | 9.8% |
| 2021 | 33 | 29 | 4 | 368 | 2,613 | 9% |
| 2020 | 41 | 31 | 10 | 392 | 2,937 | 10.4% |
| 2019 | 50 | 38 | 12 | 406 | 2,472 | 12.4% |
| 2018 | 25 | 17 | 8 | 356 | 3,302 | 7% |
| 2017 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 300 | 2,427 | 3% |
| 2016 | 20 | 11 | 9 | 336 | 2,593 | 6% |
| 2015 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 301 | 2,283 | 7.6% |
| 2014 | 29 | 20 | 9 | 340 | 2,464 | 8.5% |
| 2013 | 19 | 10 | 9 | 343 | 2,453 | 5.5% |
| 2012 | 34 | 22 | 12 | 337 | 1,912 | 10.1% |
| 2011 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 321 | 2,262 | 7.8% |
| 2010 | 31 | 14 | 17 | 308 | 2,142 | 10.1% |
| 2009 | 23 | 10 | 13 | 287 | 1,862 | 8% |
| 2008 | 40 | 25 | 15 | 315 | 2,323 | 13% |
| 2007 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 280 | 1,843 | 3.9% |
| 2006 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 243 | 1,986 | 4.5% |
| 2005 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 239 | 2,217 | 4.6% |
| 2004 | 35 | 28 | 7 | 275 | 2,338 | 12.7% |
| 2003 | 17 | 12 | 5 | 255 | 2,093 | 6.7% |
| 2002 | 24 | 16 | 8 | 292 | 2,933 | 8.2% |
| 2001 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 319 | 2,505 | 5.3% |
| 2000 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 310 | 1,742 | 5% |
| 1999 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 419 | 3,762 | 1% |
| 1998 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 157 | 661 | 5% |
| 1997 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 74 | 232 | 5% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (black bear, GMU 407, 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 407 in 2026?
GMU 407 is in Bear Management Unit 10, Urban, which also takes in GMUs 454, 504, 564, 624, 627, 633, 652, 666 and 684. 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 407?
9.9% of GMU 407 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 84,205 of its 853,943 acres. The largest share is DNR state trust land, 73,708 acres or 8.6% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 73,708 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 407 |
|---|---|---|
| DNR state trust land | 73,708 | 8.6% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 27,491 | 3.2% |
| WDFW land | 10,435 | 1.2% |
| BLM | 62 | under 0.1% |
| Military land (restricted) | 8 | under 0.1% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 407, by WDFW's own boundaries: Skagit Wildlife Area (5,455 acres here; units Skagit Bay Estuary, Goat Island, Telegraph Slough and Leque Island), Whatcom Wildlife Area (4,351 acres here; units Point Roberts, Lummi Island, Pine Lake and Nooksack) and Snoqualmie Wildlife Area (2,020 acres here; units Ebey Island, Spencer Island, Corson Natural and Crescent Lake).
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 407?
Highways through the unit: I-5 (about 163 miles inside it), SR 9 (about 40 miles inside it), SR 20 (about 34 miles inside it), SR 11 (about 22 miles inside it) and SR 539 (about 21 miles inside it). Towns inside: Bellingham, Marysville, Mount Vernon, Anacortes, Lake Stevens and Arlington. Nearby: Everett (on the line), Granite Falls (on the line), Duvall (4 miles) and Mill Creek (5 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 407?
GMU 407 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 410 | Islands | 1.5% | 0 | 8 |
| GMU 418 | Nooksack | 70.6% | 52 | 546 |
| GMU 419 | Guemes | 3.2% | 0 | 6 |
| GMU 421 | Camano | 0.8% | 0 | 4 |
| GMU 437 | Sauk | 60.8% | 46 | 403 |
| GMU 448 | Stillaguamish | 81.4% | 28 | 442 |
| GMU 454 | Issaquah | 4.6% | 12 | 122 |
| GMU 460 | Snoqualmie | 61.3% | 20 | 350 |
Questions hunters ask
When is bear season in GMU 407 in 2026?
GMU 407 is in WDFW's Bear Management Unit 10 (Urban), 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 407?
WDFW reports 24 black bears taken in GMU 407 in 2025 (21 males, 3 females). The most in one year since 1997 was 55, in 2024.
How much public land is in GMU 407?
9.9% of GMU 407, 84,205 of its 853,943 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 407?
Bellingham, Marysville and Mount Vernon are inside the unit. Just outside: Everett (on the line), Granite Falls (on the line) and Duvall (4 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 4 GMU 418 GMU 437 GMU 448 GMU 454 GMU 460