Stillaguamish GMU 448 black bear hunting: harvest, season and land
WDFW's harvest report shows 28 black bears taken in GMU 448 Stillaguamish in 2025. 442 bear hunters reported 2,935 days here, a success rate of 6.4% by WDFW's count. GMU 448 is 81.4% public land open to hunting, the largest share national forest (451,535 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 landMilitary land (restricted)Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 448Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 4, North Puget Sound |
|---|---|
| Size | 718,552 acres (1,123 square miles) |
| Public land open to hunting | 81.4% (584,876 acres) |
| Black bears taken, 2025 | 28 (41 in 2024) |
| Bear hunters, 2025 | 442 |
| 2026 fall season | August 1-November 15, bag limit 2 (Bear Management Unit 8, North Cascades West) |
| Towns in and near it | Sultan, Granite Falls, Gold Bar, Skykomish, Darrington and Monroe |
Also for GMU 448: deer hunting.
How many black bears are taken in GMU 448?
WDFW reports 28 black bears taken in GMU 448 in 2025, against 41 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 124, in 2008. WDFW's figures average 48 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 50 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Bears taken, general season | Males | Females | Bear hunters | Hunter days | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 28 | 18 | 10 | 442 | 2,935 | 6.4% |
| 2024 | 41 | 30 | 11 | 466 | 3,380 | 8.8% |
| 2023 | 62 | 42 | 20 | 514 | 4,286 | 12% |
| 2022 | 66 | 47 | 19 | 556 | 3,652 | 11.8% |
| 2021 | 42 | 30 | 12 | 553 | 4,177 | 7.6% |
| 2020 | 70 | 49 | 21 | 483 | 3,468 | 14.4% |
| 2019 | 45 | 35 | 10 | 530 | 4,404 | 8.4% |
| 2018 | 46 | 21 | 25 | 566 | 4,140 | 8.2% |
| 2017 | 38 | 30 | 8 | 518 | 3,347 | 7% |
| 2016 | 49 | 30 | 19 | 559 | 4,170 | 8.8% |
| 2015 | 46 | 33 | 13 | 546 | 3,513 | 8.4% |
| 2014 | 44 | 31 | 13 | 506 | 3,547 | 8.7% |
| 2013 | 33 | 19 | 14 | 489 | 3,249 | 6.7% |
| 2012 | 52 | 40 | 12 | 564 | 4,403 | 9.2% |
| 2011 | 59 | 0 | 0 | 537 | 3,811 | 11% |
| 2010 | 73 | 46 | 27 | 603 | 4,422 | 12.1% |
| 2009 | 31 | 24 | 7 | 504 | 4,254 | 6% |
| 2008 | 124 | 68 | 56 | 620 | 5,288 | 20% |
| 2007 | 60 | 49 | 11 | 460 | 3,443 | 13% |
| 2006 | 50 | 29 | 21 | 393 | 2,831 | 12.7% |
| 2005 | 46 | 30 | 16 | 406 | 3,191 | 11.3% |
| 2004 | 41 | 32 | 9 | 420 | 3,032 | 9.8% |
| 2003 | 46 | 35 | 11 | 433 | 3,396 | 10.6% |
| 2002 | 62 | 35 | 27 | 540 | 4,034 | 11.5% |
| 2001 | 29 | 17 | 12 | 544 | 4,462 | 5.3% |
| 2000 | 41 | 24 | 17 | 850 | 3,875 | 5% |
| 1999 | 36 | 20 | 16 | 987 | 9,412 | 4% |
| 1998 | 75 | 54 | 21 | 704 | 3,860 | 11% |
| 1997 | 28 | 20 | 8 | 231 | 1,481 | 12% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (black bear, GMU 448, 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 448 in 2026?
GMU 448 is in Bear Management Unit 8, North Cascades West, which also takes in GMUs 418, 426, 437, 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 448?
81.4% of GMU 448 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 584,876 of its 718,552 acres. The largest share is national forest, 451,535 acres or 62.8% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 132,911 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 448 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 451,535 | 62.8% |
| DNR state trust land | 132,911 | 18.5% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 14,776 | 2.1% |
| Military land (restricted) | 4,225 | 0.6% |
| BLM | 270 | under 0.1% |
| WDFW land | 160 | under 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 448?
Highways through the unit: US 2 (about 37 miles inside it) and SR 530 (about 12 miles inside it). Towns inside: Sultan, Granite Falls, Gold Bar, Index, Woods Creek and Verlot. Nearby: Skykomish (on the line), Darrington (on the line), Monroe (on the line) and Arlington (4 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 448?
GMU 448 touches 6 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 245 | Chiwawa | 88.6% | 25 | 265 |
| GMU 251 | Mission | 58.6% | 19 | 282 |
| GMU 407 | North Sound | 9.9% | 24 | 271 |
| GMU 437 | Sauk | 60.8% | 46 | 403 |
| GMU 450 | Cascade | 99.9% | 22 | 109 |
| GMU 460 | Snoqualmie | 61.3% | 20 | 350 |
Questions hunters ask
When is bear season in GMU 448 in 2026?
GMU 448 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 448?
WDFW reports 28 black bears taken in GMU 448 in 2025 (18 males, 10 females). The most in one year since 1997 was 124, in 2008.
How much public land is in GMU 448?
81.4% of GMU 448, 584,876 of its 718,552 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 448?
Sultan, Granite Falls and Gold Bar are inside the unit. Just outside: Skykomish (on the line), Darrington (on the line) and Monroe (on the line).
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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 245 GMU 251 GMU 407 GMU 437 GMU 450 GMU 460