Mossyrock GMU 505 black bear hunting: harvest, season and land
WDFW's harvest report shows 5 black bears taken in GMU 505 Mossyrock in 2025. 142 bear hunters reported 1,157 days here, a success rate of 3.6% by WDFW's count. GMU 505 is 3.4% public land open to hunting, the largest share DNR state trust land (6,282 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 forestDNR state trust landWDFW landOther public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 505Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 5, Southwest Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 189,663 acres (296 square miles) |
| Public land open to hunting | 3.4% (6,494 acres) |
| Black bears taken, 2025 | 5 (5 in 2024) |
| Bear hunters, 2025 | 142 |
| 2026 fall season | August 1-November 15, bag limit 2 (Bear Management Unit 11, Mount St. Helens) |
| Towns in and near it | Chehalis, Morton, Mossyrock, Napavine, Centralia and Winlock |
Also for GMU 505: elk hunting, deer hunting.
How many black bears are taken in GMU 505?
WDFW reports 5 black bears taken in GMU 505 in 2025, against 5 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 21, in 2017. WDFW's figures average 8 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 11 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Bears taken, general season | Males | Females | Bear hunters | Hunter days | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 142 | 1,157 | 3.6% |
| 2024 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 172 | 1,530 | 3% |
| 2023 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 179 | 1,455 | 7.8% |
| 2022 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 104 | 833 | 7.6% |
| 2021 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 154 | 1,746 | 3.8% |
| 2020 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 110 | 883 | 11% |
| 2019 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 112 | 918 | 8% |
| 2018 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 158 | 1,934 | 7% |
| 2017 | 21 | 17 | 4 | 137 | 917 | 15% |
| 2016 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 105 | 765 | 2.8% |
| 2015 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 160 | 967 | 3.8% |
| 2014 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 173 | 1,155 | 5.2% |
| 2013 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 169 | 1,130 | 5.9% |
| 2012 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 153 | 1,243 | 1.3% |
| 2011 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 180 | 1,222 | 2.2% |
| 2010 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 211 | 1,818 | 4.7% |
| 2009 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 228 | 1,703 | 7% |
| 2008 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 267 | 2,039 | 4% |
| 2007 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 209 | 1,297 | 4.3% |
| 2006 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 200 | 1,415 | 5% |
| 2005 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 188 | 1,338 | 3.2% |
| 2004 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 191 | 1,380 | 5.2% |
| 2003 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 191 | 1,263 | 4.2% |
| 2002 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 282 | 2,078 | 3.5% |
| 2001 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 306 | 2,238 | 4.6% |
| 2000 | 12 | 8 | 4 | 682 | 3,447 | 2% |
| 1999 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 582 | 4,851 | 1% |
| 1998 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 248 | 1,692 | 2% |
| 1997 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 132 | 803 | 5% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (black bear, GMU 505, 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 505 in 2026?
GMU 505 is in Bear Management Unit 11, Mount St. Helens, which also takes in GMUs 520, 524, 550, 554, 556 and 667. 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 505?
3.4% of GMU 505 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 6,494 of its 189,663 acres. The largest share is DNR state trust land, 6,282 acres or 3.3% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 6,282 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 505 |
|---|---|---|
| DNR state trust land | 6,282 | 3.3% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 1,277 | 0.7% |
| WDFW land | 211 | 0.1% |
| National forest | 1 | under 0.1% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 505, by WDFW's own boundaries: Cowlitz Wildlife Area (11,132 acres here; units Kosmos, Riffe Buffer, Peterman Ridge and Davis 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 505?
Highways through the unit: US 12 (about 52 miles inside it), SR 508 (about 29 miles inside it), I-5 (about 24 miles inside it), SR 122 (about 8 miles inside it) and SR 505 (about 4 miles inside it). Towns inside: Chehalis, Morton, Mossyrock, Toledo and Onalaska. Nearby: Napavine (on the line), Centralia (on the line), Winlock (2 miles) and Vader (3 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 505?
GMU 505 touches 7 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 501 | Lincoln | 21.8% | 6 | 185 |
| GMU 503 | Randle | 11.1% | 5 | 126 |
| GMU 510 | Stormking | 32.6% | 6 | 81 |
| GMU 516 | Packwood | 92.9% | 24 | 224 |
| GMU 520 | Winston | 13.8% | 8 | 234 |
| GMU 530 | Ryderwood | 13.6% | 12 | 412 |
| GMU 667 | Skookumchuck | 13.8% | 21 | 462 |
Questions hunters ask
When is bear season in GMU 505 in 2026?
GMU 505 is in WDFW's Bear Management Unit 11 (Mount St. Helens), 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 505?
WDFW reports 5 black bears taken in GMU 505 in 2025 (2 males, 3 females). The most in one year since 1997 was 21, in 2017.
How much public land is in GMU 505?
3.4% of GMU 505, 6,494 of its 189,663 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 505?
Chehalis, Morton and Mossyrock are inside the unit. Just outside: Napavine (on the line), Centralia (on the line) and Winlock (2 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 5 GMU 501 GMU 510 GMU 516 GMU 520 GMU 530 GMU 667