Cascade GMU 450 black bear hunting: harvest, season and land
WDFW's harvest report shows 22 black bears taken in GMU 450 Cascade in 2025. 109 bear hunters reported 488 days here, a success rate of 20.2% by WDFW's count. GMU 450 is 99.9% public land open to hunting, the largest share national forest (308,447 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 park or historic site (no hunting)GMU 450Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 4, North Puget Sound |
|---|---|
| Size | 308,740 acres (482 square miles) |
| Counties | Skagit and Snohomish |
| Public land open to hunting | 99.9% (308,447 acres) |
| Black bears taken, 2025 | 22 (17 in 2024) |
| Bear hunters, 2025 | 109 |
| 2026 fall season | August 1-November 15, bag limit 2 (Bear Management Unit 8, North Cascades West) |
| Towns in and near it | Skykomish, Darrington and Index |
How many black bears are taken in GMU 450?
WDFW reports 22 black bears taken in GMU 450 in 2025, against 17 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 31, in 1998. WDFW's figures average 17 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 10 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Bears taken, general season | Males | Females | Bear hunters | Hunter days | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22 | 17 | 5 | 109 | 488 | 20.2% |
| 2024 | 17 | 11 | 6 | 89 | 399 | 19.2% |
| 2023 | 15 | 13 | 2 | 59 | 234 | 25.4% |
| 2022 | 24 | 15 | 9 | 76 | 300 | 31.6% |
| 2021 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 84 | 466 | 10.8% |
| 2020 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 80 | 362 | 18.8% |
| 2019 | 19 | 15 | 4 | 78 | 498 | 24.4% |
| 2018 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 47 | 397 | 8.6% |
| 2017 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 65 | 239 | 12% |
| 2016 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 49 | 208 | 10.2% |
| 2015 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 68 | 312 | 2.9% |
| 2014 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 72 | 231 | 11.1% |
| 2013 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 82 | 368 | 3.7% |
| 2012 | 16 | 10 | 6 | 78 | 311 | 20.5% |
| 2011 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 102 | 425 | 5.9% |
| 2010 | 13 | 5 | 8 | 115 | 535 | 11.3% |
| 2009 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 64 | 272 | 6% |
| 2008 | 22 | 18 | 4 | 89 | 343 | 25% |
| 2007 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 62 | 235 | 8.1% |
| 2006 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 62 | 215 | 14.5% |
| 2005 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 45 | 204 | 2.2% |
| 2004 | 18 | 15 | 3 | 70 | 347 | 25.7% |
| 2003 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 87 | 436 | 9.2% |
| 2002 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 101 | 709 | 14.9% |
| 2001 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 124 | 849 | 8.9% |
| 2000 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 358 | 1,453 | 2% |
| 1999 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 271 | 1,715 | 4% |
| 1998 | 31 | 27 | 4 | 189 | 633 | 16% |
| 1997 | 20 | 14 | 6 | 83 | 216 | 24% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (black bear, GMU 450, 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 450 in 2026?
GMU 450 is in Bear Management Unit 8, North Cascades West, which also takes in GMUs 418, 426, 437, 448 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 450?
99.9% of GMU 450 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 308,447 of its 308,740 acres. The largest share is national forest, 308,447 acres or 99.9% of the unit.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 450 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 308,447 | 99.9% |
| National park or historic site (no hunting) | 5 | 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 450?
No numbered highway crosses the unit. Nearby: Skykomish (10 miles), Darrington (11 miles), Index (14 miles) and Concrete (18 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 450?
GMU 450 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 244 | Clark | 99.5% | 9 | 112 |
| GMU 245 | Chiwawa | 88.6% | 25 | 265 |
| GMU 437 | Sauk | 60.8% | 46 | 403 |
| GMU 448 | Stillaguamish | 81.4% | 28 | 442 |
Questions hunters ask
When is bear season in GMU 450 in 2026?
GMU 450 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 450?
WDFW reports 22 black bears taken in GMU 450 in 2025 (17 males, 5 females). The most in one year since 1997 was 31, in 1998.
How much public land is in GMU 450?
99.9% of GMU 450, 308,447 of its 308,740 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 450?
No town or Census-listed community is inside it. The nearest towns are Skykomish (10 miles), Darrington (11 miles) and Index (14 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 450
Beginning on the Glacier Peak Wilderness boundary and Jordan Creek, W of Jordan Lakes; N and E on the wilderness boundary to US Forest Service (USFS) Trail 769; N on USFS Trail 769 to USFS Rd 1590; N on USFS Rd 1590 to the USFS Rd 15 (Cascade River Rd); N on USFS Rd 15 to the North Cascades National Park boundary; E on the North Cascades National Park boundary to USFS Trail 2000 (Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail); S on USFS Trail 2000 to the Rapid River at Lake Janus; NW down the Rapid River to Meadow Creek; N up Meadow Creek to Henry M. Jackson Wilderness Area boundary; N along the Henry M. Jackson Wilderness boundary to USFS Trail 1051; S on USFS Trail 1051 to USFS Rd 6300; W on USFS Rd 6300 to USFS Trail 1050; N on USFS Trail 1050 to USFS Trail 650 at Curry Gap; E on USFS Trail 650 to the Glacier Peak Wilderness boundary west of June Mountain; N on the Glacier Peak Wilderness boundary, across the Suiattle River, to Jordan Creek 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 244 GMU 245 GMU 437 GMU 448