Margaret GMU 524 black bear hunting: harvest, season and land
WDFW's harvest report shows 10 black bears taken in GMU 524 Margaret in 2025. 93 bear hunters reported 987 days here, a success rate of 10.8% by WDFW's count. GMU 524 is 24.8% public land open to hunting, the largest share national forest (13,574 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 landGMU 524Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 5, Southwest Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 59,574 acres (93 square miles) |
| Counties | Cowlitz, Skamania and Lewis |
| Public land open to hunting | 24.8% (14,796 acres) |
| Black bears taken, 2025 | 10 (3 in 2024) |
| Bear hunters, 2025 | 93 |
| 2026 fall season | August 1-November 15, bag limit 2 (Bear Management Unit 11, Mount St. Helens) |
| Towns in and near it | Mossyrock, Morton and Toledo |
Also for GMU 524: elk hunting, deer hunting.
How many black bears are taken in GMU 524?
WDFW reports 10 black bears taken in GMU 524 in 2025, against 3 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 10, in 2025. WDFW's figures average 5 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 3 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Bears taken, general season | Males | Females | Bear hunters | Hunter days | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 93 | 987 | 10.8% |
| 2024 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 102 | 835 | 3% |
| 2023 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 98 | 727 | 5.2% |
| 2022 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 79 | 688 | 5% |
| 2021 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 96 | 874 | 3.2% |
| 2020 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 78 | 531 | 9% |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 63 | 658 | 0% |
| 2018 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 58 | 325 | 3.4% |
| 2017 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 45 | 310 | 4% |
| 2016 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 63 | 468 | 3.2% |
| 2015 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 98 | 607 | 2% |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 223 | 0% |
| 2013 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 38 | 278 | 7.9% |
| 2012 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 94 | 5.6% |
| 2011 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 150 | 5.6% |
| 2010 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 74 | 0% |
| 2009 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 77 | 0% |
| 2008 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 209 | 0% |
| 2007 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 151 | 3.7% |
| 2006 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 56 | 0% |
| 2005 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 70 | 7.7% |
| 2004 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 79 | 0% |
| 2003 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 95 | 7.1% |
| 2002 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 54 | 6.7% |
| 2001 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 236 | 0% |
| 2000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 160 | 551 | 0% |
| 1999 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 103 | 417 | 1% |
| 1998 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 256 | 0% |
| 1997 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 66 | 311 | 0% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (black bear, GMU 524, 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 524 in 2026?
GMU 524 is in Bear Management Unit 11, Mount St. Helens, which also takes in GMUs 505, 520, 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 524?
24.8% of GMU 524 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 14,796 of its 59,574 acres. The largest share is national forest, 13,574 acres or 22.8% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 21 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 524 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 13,574 | 22.8% |
| WDFW land | 1,201 | 2% |
| DNR state trust land | 21 | under 0.1% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 524, by WDFW's own boundaries: Mount Saint Helens Wildlife Area (1,392 acres here; units Mudflow and Hoffstadt).
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 524?
Highways through the unit: SR 504 (about 16 miles inside it). Nearby: Mossyrock (10 miles), Morton (12 miles), Toledo (14 miles) and Castle Rock (17 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 524?
GMU 524 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 516 | Packwood | 92.9% | 24 | 224 |
| GMU 520 | Winston | 13.8% | 8 | 234 |
| GMU 522 | Loo-wit | 95.5% | 0 | |
| GMU 556 | Toutle | 31.1% | 9 | 148 |
Questions hunters ask
When is bear season in GMU 524 in 2026?
GMU 524 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 524?
WDFW reports 10 black bears taken in GMU 524 in 2025 (9 males, 1 females). The most in one year since 1997 was 10, in 2025.
How much public land is in GMU 524?
24.8% of GMU 524, 14,796 of its 59,574 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 524?
No town or Census-listed community is inside it. The nearest towns are Mossyrock (10 miles), Morton (12 miles) and Toledo (14 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 524
Beginning on the North Fork Toutle River at the mouth of the Green River; SE up the North Fork Toutle River to the mouth of Hofstadt Creek; N and E up Hofstadt Creek to the State Route (SR) 504 bridge over Hofstadt Creek; E on SR 504 to USFS property boundary near the center of Section 35, T10N, R4E; E and N on USFS property boundary to the USFS property boundary in the SE 1/4 of Section 20, T10N, R5E; E to Minnie Peak; SW to USFS Trail 211 (Lakes Trail) and USFS Trail 230 (Coldwater Trail) junction; E on USFS Trail 211 (Lakes Trail) to USFS Trail 214 (Whittier Trail); S on USFS Trail 214 to USFS Trail 1 (Boundary Trail); E on USFS Trail 1 to USFS Rd 26; N on USFS Rd 26 to USFS Rd 2612; W on USFS Rd 2612 to the Green River; W down the Green River to its mouth on the North Fork of the Toutle River and 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 5 GMU 516 GMU 520