Siouxon GMU 572 black bear hunting: harvest, season and land
WDFW's harvest report shows 15 black bears taken in GMU 572 Siouxon in 2025. 228 bear hunters reported 1,352 days here, a success rate of 6.6% by WDFW's count. GMU 572 is 91.4% public land open to hunting, the largest share national forest (221,885 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 landNational wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted)Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 572Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 5, Southwest Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 278,613 acres (435 square miles) |
| Counties | Skamania and Clark |
| Public land open to hunting | 91.4% (254,679 acres) |
| Black bears taken, 2025 | 15 (10 in 2024) |
| Bear hunters, 2025 | 228 |
| 2026 fall season | August 1-November 15, bag limit 2 (Bear Management Unit 9, South Cascades West) |
| Towns in and near it | Yacolt, Stevenson and North Bonneville |
Also for GMU 572: elk hunting, deer hunting.
How many black bears are taken in GMU 572?
WDFW reports 15 black bears taken in GMU 572 in 2025, against 10 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 17, in 2018. WDFW's figures average 10 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 | 15 | 13 | 2 | 228 | 1,352 | 6.6% |
| 2024 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 246 | 2,400 | 4% |
| 2023 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 244 | 1,566 | 2.4% |
| 2022 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 223 | 1,650 | 4% |
| 2021 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 212 | 1,428 | 5.2% |
| 2020 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 230 | 1,360 | 5.2% |
| 2019 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 252 | 1,728 | 3.6% |
| 2018 | 17 | 11 | 6 | 304 | 2,344 | 5.6% |
| 2017 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 230 | 1,515 | 2% |
| 2016 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 309 | 2,128 | 2.6% |
| 2015 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 316 | 2,122 | 4.1% |
| 2014 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 302 | 2,260 | 1% |
| 2013 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 322 | 2,358 | 3.1% |
| 2012 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 339 | 2,248 | 2.4% |
| 2011 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 341 | 2,408 | 5% |
| 2010 | 16 | 10 | 6 | 373 | 2,864 | 4.3% |
| 2009 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 376 | 2,688 | 3% |
| 2008 | 17 | 7 | 10 | 494 | 3,974 | 3% |
| 2007 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 414 | 2,924 | 2.2% |
| 2006 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 435 | 2,992 | 1.4% |
| 2005 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 422 | 2,967 | 2.4% |
| 2004 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 458 | 3,161 | 2.2% |
| 2003 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 458 | 3,365 | 2.6% |
| 2002 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 505 | 3,964 | 2.8% |
| 2001 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 514 | 4,115 | 2.1% |
| 2000 | 15 | 13 | 2 | 965 | 5,522 | 2% |
| 1999 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 879 | 5,594 | 1% |
| 1998 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 652 | 4,095 | 2% |
| 1997 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 297 | 1,652 | 0% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (black bear, GMU 572, 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 572 in 2026?
GMU 572 is in Bear Management Unit 9, South Cascades West, which also takes in GMUs 466, 485, 503, 510, 513, 516, 560, 568, 574, 653 and 654. 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 572?
91.4% of GMU 572 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 254,679 of its 278,613 acres. The largest share is national forest, 221,885 acres or 79.6% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 32,793 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 572 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 221,885 | 79.6% |
| DNR state trust land | 32,793 | 11.8% |
| National wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted) | 270 | 0.1% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 57 | under 0.1% |
| BLM | 1 | 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 572?
No numbered highway crosses the unit. Nearby: Yacolt (6 miles), Stevenson (7 miles), North Bonneville (10 miles) and Battle Ground (14 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 572?
GMU 572 touches 5 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 554 | Yale | 22.4% | 2 | 44 |
| GMU 556 | Toutle | 31.1% | 9 | 148 |
| GMU 560 | Lewis River | 90.2% | 24 | 463 |
| GMU 568 | Washougal | 49.5% | 29 | 408 |
| GMU 574 | Wind River | 73.3% | 7 | 124 |
Questions hunters ask
When is bear season in GMU 572 in 2026?
GMU 572 is in WDFW's Bear Management Unit 9 (South 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 572?
WDFW reports 15 black bears taken in GMU 572 in 2025 (13 males, 2 females). The most in one year since 1997 was 17, in 2018.
How much public land is in GMU 572?
91.4% of GMU 572, 254,679 of its 278,613 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 572?
No town or Census-listed community is inside it. The nearest towns are Yacolt (6 miles), Stevenson (7 miles) and North Bonneville (10 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 572
Beginning at the Yale Dam at Yale Lake; N then E along the shore of Yale Lake to the Lewis River; NE along the Lewis River to Swift Reservoir; E along the north shore Swift Reservoir to US Forest Service (USFS) Rd 90 at the Eagle Cliff bridge; E on USFS Rd 90 to USFS Rd 51 (Curly Creek Rd); SE on USFS Rd 51 to USFS Rd 30 (Wind River Rd); N on USFS Rd 30 to USFS Rd 24 (Twin Butte Rd); S on USFS Rd 24 to USFS Rd 60 (Carson Guler Rd); SW on USFS Rd 60 to USFS Rd 65; SW on USFS Rd 65 to USFS Rd 6517 (Warren Gap Rd); W on USFS Rd 6517 to the Wind River Rd; S on the Wind River Rd to Hemlock Rd at the town of Stabler; W on Hemlock Rd to USFS Rd 41 (Sunset-Hemlock Rd); W on the USFS Rd 41 to USFS Road 42 (Green Fork Rd) at Sunset Falls; NE on USFS Rd 42 to USFS Rd 4205 (Gumboot Rd); N on USFS Rd 4205 to USFS Rd 53; NW on USFS Rd 53 to USFS Rd 54; W on USFS Rd 54 to Canyon Creek; W and NW down Canyon Creek to the Lewis River; NE up the Lewis River to the Yale Dam 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 5 GMU 560 GMU 568 GMU 574