Sauk GMU 437 black bear hunting: harvest, season and land
WDFW's harvest report shows 46 black bears taken in GMU 437 Sauk in 2025. 403 bear hunters reported 2,894 days here, a success rate of 11.4% by WDFW's count. GMU 437 is 60.8% public land open to hunting, the largest share national forest (239,274 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 recreation areaNational park or historic site (no hunting)Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 437Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 4, North Puget Sound |
|---|---|
| Size | 564,785 acres (882 square miles) |
| Counties | Skagit and Snohomish |
| Public land open to hunting | 60.8% (343,245 acres) |
| Black bears taken, 2025 | 46 (48 in 2024) |
| Bear hunters, 2025 | 403 |
| 2026 fall season | August 1-November 15, bag limit 2 (Bear Management Unit 8, North Cascades West) |
| Towns in and near it | Darrington, Hamilton, Concrete, Sedro-Woolley, Arlington and Mount Vernon |
Also for GMU 437: elk hunting, deer hunting.
How many black bears are taken in GMU 437?
WDFW reports 46 black bears taken in GMU 437 in 2025, against 48 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 79, in 2008. WDFW's figures average 37 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 42 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Bears taken, general season | Males | Females | Bear hunters | Hunter days | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 46 | 32 | 14 | 403 | 2,894 | 11.4% |
| 2024 | 48 | 36 | 12 | 418 | 3,115 | 11.4% |
| 2023 | 35 | 31 | 4 | 461 | 3,526 | 7.6% |
| 2022 | 37 | 26 | 11 | 329 | 2,478 | 11.2% |
| 2021 | 19 | 11 | 8 | 434 | 3,549 | 4.4% |
| 2020 | 40 | 28 | 12 | 416 | 3,013 | 9.6% |
| 2019 | 56 | 40 | 16 | 439 | 3,419 | 12.8% |
| 2018 | 29 | 16 | 13 | 418 | 3,131 | 7% |
| 2017 | 44 | 34 | 10 | 399 | 3,405 | 11% |
| 2016 | 42 | 24 | 18 | 469 | 3,805 | 9% |
| 2015 | 34 | 24 | 10 | 376 | 2,866 | 9% |
| 2014 | 29 | 20 | 9 | 389 | 2,738 | 7.5% |
| 2013 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 340 | 2,832 | 2.4% |
| 2012 | 36 | 24 | 12 | 381 | 2,913 | 9.4% |
| 2011 | 52 | 0 | 0 | 435 | 3,231 | 12% |
| 2010 | 41 | 27 | 14 | 435 | 3,181 | 9.4% |
| 2009 | 21 | 18 | 3 | 411 | 3,178 | 5% |
| 2008 | 79 | 55 | 24 | 552 | 3,867 | 14% |
| 2007 | 31 | 26 | 5 | 412 | 2,918 | 7.5% |
| 2006 | 29 | 16 | 13 | 351 | 2,731 | 8.3% |
| 2005 | 19 | 13 | 6 | 353 | 3,189 | 5.4% |
| 2004 | 66 | 47 | 19 | 425 | 3,069 | 15.5% |
| 2003 | 35 | 16 | 19 | 360 | 3,789 | 9.7% |
| 2002 | 34 | 27 | 7 | 489 | 4,739 | 7% |
| 2001 | 27 | 20 | 7 | 450 | 4,252 | 6% |
| 2000 | 36 | 26 | 10 | 806 | 3,579 | 4% |
| 1999 | 40 | 29 | 11 | 866 | 6,839 | 5% |
| 1998 | 41 | 31 | 10 | 623 | 3,386 | 7% |
| 1997 | 12 | 10 | 2 | 206 | 680 | 6% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (black bear, GMU 437, 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 437 in 2026?
GMU 437 is in Bear Management Unit 8, North Cascades West, which also takes in GMUs 418, 426, 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 437?
60.8% of GMU 437 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 343,245 of its 564,785 acres. The largest share is national forest, 239,274 acres or 42.4% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 100,598 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 437 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 239,274 | 42.4% |
| DNR state trust land | 100,598 | 17.8% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 6,838 | 1.2% |
| WDFW land | 3,229 | 0.6% |
| National park or historic site (no hunting) | 212 | under 0.1% |
| BLM | 98 | under 0.1% |
| National recreation area | 46 | under 0.1% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 437, by WDFW's own boundaries: Skagit Wildlife Area (2,469 acres here; units Bald Eagle, Ross Island and Jackman Creek).
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 437?
Highways through the unit: SR 20 (about 39 miles inside it), SR 530 (about 32 miles inside it) and SR 9 (about 20 miles inside it). Towns inside: Darrington, Hamilton, Concrete, Lyman, Swede Heaven and Marblemount. Nearby: Sedro-Woolley (on the line), Arlington (2 miles), Mount Vernon (2 miles) and Burlington (4 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 437?
GMU 437 touches 5 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 407 | North Sound | 9.9% | 24 | 271 |
| GMU 418 | Nooksack | 70.6% | 52 | 546 |
| GMU 426 | Diablo | 93.5% | 6 | 34 |
| GMU 448 | Stillaguamish | 81.4% | 28 | 442 |
| GMU 450 | Cascade | 99.9% | 22 | 109 |
Questions hunters ask
When is bear season in GMU 437 in 2026?
GMU 437 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 437?
WDFW reports 46 black bears taken in GMU 437 in 2025 (32 males, 14 females). The most in one year since 1997 was 79, in 2008.
How much public land is in GMU 437?
60.8% of GMU 437, 343,245 of its 564,785 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 437?
Darrington, Hamilton and Concrete are inside the unit. Just outside: Sedro-Woolley (on the line), Arlington (2 miles) and Mount Vernon (2 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 437
Beginning at the intersection of State Route (SR) 9 and SR 20, W of the town of Sedro-Woolley; E along SR 20 to Baker River Rd at the town of Concrete; N on Baker River Rd to Thunder Creek; E up Thunder Creek to Watson Creek; N up Watson Creek to its headwaters; E from the headwaters of Watson Creek to Noisy Diobsud Wilderness boundary; N and E on Noisy Diobsud Wilderness boundary to North Cascades National Park boundary; S and E along the North Cascades National Park boundary to the Ross Lake National Recreation boundary; S along the Ross Lake National Recreation Area boundary, across the SR 20 (North Cascade Hwy) and the Skagit River, then E along the Ross Lake National Recreation Area boundary to the North Cascades National Park boundary near Big Devil Peak; SE on the North Cascades National Park boundary to the Cascade River Rd; S on Cascade River Rd to US Forest Service (USFS) Rd 1590; S on USFS Rd 1590 to USFS Trail 769 (South Fork Cascade River Trail); S on USFS Trail 769 to the Glacier Peak Wilderness Area boundary; W and S on Glacier Peak Wilderness Area Boundary to the Suiattle River; W down the Suiattle River to the Sauk River; N on the Sauk River to SR 530 (Sauk Valley Rd); S on SR 530 to the town of Darrington; W on SR 530 to SR 9 at the town of Arlington; N on SR 9 to SR 20, W of the town of Sedro-Woolley, 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 4 GMU 407 GMU 418 GMU 426 GMU 448 GMU 450