Battle Ground GMU 564 black bear hunting: harvest, season and land
WDFW's harvest report shows 13 black bears taken in GMU 564 Battle Ground in 2025. 63 bear hunters reported 411 days here, a success rate of 20.6% by WDFW's count. GMU 564 is 3.3% public land open to hunting, the largest share DNR state trust land (6,757 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 landNational wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted)National park or historic site (no hunting)Military land (restricted)Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 564Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 5, Southwest Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 337,874 acres (528 square miles) |
| Public land open to hunting | 3.3% (11,068 acres) |
| Black bears taken, 2025 | 13 (4 in 2024) |
| Bear hunters, 2025 | 63 |
| 2026 fall season | August 1-November 15, bag limit 2 (Bear Management Unit 10, Urban) |
| Towns in and near it | Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, Yacolt, Longview and Castle Rock |
Also for GMU 564: elk hunting, deer hunting.
How many black bears are taken in GMU 564?
WDFW reports 13 black bears taken in GMU 564 in 2025, against 4 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 13, in 2025. WDFW's figures average 6 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 6 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Bears taken, general season | Males | Females | Bear hunters | Hunter days | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 63 | 411 | 20.6% |
| 2024 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 99 | 548 | 4% |
| 2023 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 112 | 562 | 4.4% |
| 2022 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 72 | 464 | 5.6% |
| 2021 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 112 | 591 | 4.4% |
| 2020 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 89 | 531 | 11.2% |
| 2019 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 91 | 681 | 6.6% |
| 2018 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 90 | 544 | 5.6% |
| 2017 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 85 | 465 | 5% |
| 2016 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 129 | 725 | 2.4% |
| 2015 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 100 | 578 | 3% |
| 2014 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 107 | 731 | 3.7% |
| 2013 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 81 | 474 | 6.2% |
| 2012 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 127 | 812 | 7.1% |
| 2011 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 87 | 472 | 5.7% |
| 2010 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 139 | 694 | 5% |
| 2009 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 140 | 950 | 4% |
| 2008 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 143 | 987 | 6% |
| 2007 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 112 | 736 | 5.4% |
| 2006 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 116 | 903 | 4.3% |
| 2005 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 102 | 578 | 6.9% |
| 2004 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 103 | 618 | 2.9% |
| 2003 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 90 | 510 | 3.3% |
| 2002 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 124 | 842 | 1.6% |
| 2001 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 143 | 867 | 4.9% |
| 2000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 345 | 1,420 | 0% |
| 1999 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 271 | 1,346 | 0% |
| 1998 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 192 | 1,082 | 0% |
| 1997 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 381 | 0% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (black bear, GMU 564, 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 564 in 2026?
GMU 564 is in Bear Management Unit 10, Urban, which also takes in GMUs 407, 454, 504, 624, 627, 633, 652, 666 and 684. 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 564?
3.3% of GMU 564 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 11,068 of its 337,874 acres. The largest share is DNR state trust land, 6,757 acres or 2% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 6,757 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 564 |
|---|---|---|
| DNR state trust land | 6,757 | 2% |
| National wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted) | 6,246 | 1.8% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 4,268 | 1.3% |
| WDFW land | 3,245 | 1% |
| National forest | 1,066 | 0.3% |
| Military land (restricted) | 77 | under 0.1% |
| National park or historic site (no hunting) | 65 | under 0.1% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 564, by WDFW's own boundaries: Shillapoo Wildlife Area (2,424 acres here; units Vancouver Lake, Shillapoo South and Shillapoo North) and Mount Saint Helens Wildlife Area (302 acres here; units Duck Lake (Clark County), Two Forks, Cedar Creek and Nelson).
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 564?
Highways through the unit: I-5 (about 87 miles inside it), SR 14 (about 39 miles inside it), SR 500 (about 31 miles inside it), SR 503 (about 31 miles inside it) and I-205 (about 22 miles inside it). Towns inside: Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, Kelso, Ridgefield and Washougal. Nearby: Yacolt (on the line), Longview (2 miles), Castle Rock (5 miles) and North Bonneville (11 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 564?
GMU 564 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 504 | Stella | 0.3% | 2 | 37 |
| GMU 550 | Coweeman | 7.2% | 10 | 331 |
| GMU 554 | Yale | 22.4% | 2 | 44 |
| GMU 568 | Washougal | 49.5% | 29 | 408 |
Questions hunters ask
When is bear season in GMU 564 in 2026?
GMU 564 is in WDFW's Bear Management Unit 10 (Urban), 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 564?
WDFW reports 13 black bears taken in GMU 564 in 2025 (13 males, 0 females). The most in one year since 1997 was 13, in 2025.
How much public land is in GMU 564?
3.3% of GMU 564, 11,068 of its 337,874 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 564?
Vancouver, Camas and Battle Ground are inside the unit. Just outside: Yacolt (on the line), Longview (2 miles) and Castle Rock (5 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.
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