Diablo GMU 426 black bear hunting: harvest, season and land
WDFW's harvest report shows 6 black bears taken in GMU 426 Diablo in 2025. 34 bear hunters reported 174 days here, a success rate of 17.6% by WDFW's count. GMU 426 is 93.5% public land open to hunting, the largest share national recreation area (104,333 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)Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 426Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 4, North Puget Sound |
|---|---|
| Size | 205,907 acres (322 square miles) |
| Counties | Skagit and Whatcom |
| Public land open to hunting | 93.5% (192,570 acres) |
| Black bears taken, 2025 | 6 (7 in 2024) |
| Bear hunters, 2025 | 34 |
| 2026 fall season | August 1-November 15, bag limit 2 (Bear Management Unit 8, North Cascades West) |
| Towns in and near it | Concrete |
Also for GMU 426: deer hunting.
How many black bears are taken in GMU 426?
WDFW reports 6 black bears taken in GMU 426 in 2025, against 7 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 15, in 2022. WDFW's figures average 7 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 5 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Bears taken, general season | Males | Females | Bear hunters | Hunter days | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 34 | 174 | 17.6% |
| 2024 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 21 | 65 | 33.4% |
| 2023 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 26 | 107 | 11.6% |
| 2022 | 15 | 15 | 0 | 36 | 124 | 41.6% |
| 2021 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 37 | 177 | 16.2% |
| 2020 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 20 | 89 | 45% |
| 2019 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 40 | 204 | 17.6% |
| 2018 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 26 | 127 | 7.6% |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 59 | 11% |
| 2016 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 70 | 33.4% |
| 2015 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 21 | 123 | 19% |
| 2014 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 98 | 9.5% |
| 2013 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 38 | 7.7% |
| 2012 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 21 | 108 | 19% |
| 2011 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 75 | 6.3% |
| 2010 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 21 | 66 | 28.6% |
| 2009 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 28 | 102 | 18% |
| 2008 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 21 | 83 | 19% |
| 2007 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 86 | 23.1% |
| 2006 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 123 | 3.8% |
| 2005 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 99 | 5% |
| 2004 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 84 | 15.8% |
| 2003 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 22 | 83 | 13.6% |
| 2002 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 30 | 204 | 13.3% |
| 2001 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 22 | 111 | 13.6% |
| 2000 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 83 | 296 | 6% |
| 1999 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 74 | 327 | 8% |
| 1998 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 115 | 324 | 5% |
| 1997 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 53 | 118 | 15% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (black bear, GMU 426, 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 426 in 2026?
GMU 426 is in Bear Management Unit 8, North Cascades West, which also takes in GMUs 418, 437, 448, 450 and 460. 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 426?
93.5% of GMU 426 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 192,570 of its 205,907 acres. The largest share is national recreation area, 104,333 acres or 50.7% of the unit.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 426 |
|---|---|---|
| National recreation area | 104,333 | 50.7% |
| National forest | 88,237 | 42.9% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 652 | 0.3% |
| National park or historic site (no hunting) | 122 | 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 426?
Highways through the unit: SR 20 (about 46 miles inside it). Nearby: Concrete (17 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 426?
GMU 426 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 203 | Pasayten | 100% | 5 | 99 |
| GMU 218 | Chewuch | 94.8% | 11 | 233 |
| GMU 231 | Gardner | 89% | 5 | 75 |
| GMU 437 | Sauk | 60.8% | 46 | 403 |
Questions hunters ask
When is bear season in GMU 426 in 2026?
GMU 426 is in WDFW's Bear Management Unit 8 (North Cascades West), 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 426?
WDFW reports 6 black bears taken in GMU 426 in 2025 (4 males, 2 females). The most in one year since 1997 was 15, in 2022.
How much public land is in GMU 426?
93.5% of GMU 426, 192,570 of its 205,907 acres, is national forest, BLM, DNR trust, WDFW, Reclamation or national recreation area land; the largest share is national recreation area. Measured by FilledTag from WA DNR's public land maps.
What town is closest to GMU 426?
No town or Census-listed community is inside it. The nearest towns are Concrete (17 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 426
Beginning at the US-Canadian border and the western boundary of the Ross Lake National Recreation Area; S on the Ross Lake National Recreation Area boundary, across SR 20 (North Cascades Hwy) and Skagit River, then NE and E on the Ross Lake National Recreation Area boundary to a point 2 miles east of Panther Creek, where the recreation boundary connects with the Okanogan National Forest boundary; S on North Cascades National Park boundary to the Skagit-Chelan county line at Fisher Peak; SE along the Skagit-Chelan county line to the US Forest Service (USFS) Trail 2000 (Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail); N on the USFS Trail 2000 to the Pasayten Wilderness boundary at Jim Pass; W along the Pasayten Wilderness boundary to the Ross Lake National Recreation Area boundary; N along the Ross Lake National Recreation Area-Pasayten Wilderness Area boundary to the US-Canadian border; W along the US-Canadian border to the NW corner of the Ross Lake National Recreation Area 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 4 GMU 203 GMU 218 GMU 231 GMU 437