West Klickitat GMU 578 black bear hunting: harvest, season and land
WDFW's harvest report shows 19 black bears taken in GMU 578 West Klickitat in 2025. 279 bear hunters reported 2,265 days here, a success rate of 6.8% by WDFW's count. GMU 578 is 27.6% public land open to hunting, the largest share DNR state trust land (65,970 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 landWDFW landNational wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted)Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 578Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 5, Southwest Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 292,967 acres (458 square miles) |
| Public land open to hunting | 27.6% (80,897 acres) |
| Black bears taken, 2025 | 19 (46 in 2024) |
| Bear hunters, 2025 | 279 |
| 2026 fall season | August 1-November 15, bag limit 2 (Bear Management Unit 7, South Cascades East) |
| Towns in and near it | White Salmon, Bingen, Klickitat, Goldendale and Stevenson |
Also for GMU 578: elk hunting, deer hunting.
How many black bears are taken in GMU 578?
WDFW reports 19 black bears taken in GMU 578 in 2025, against 46 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 49, in 2020. WDFW's figures average 36 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 35 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Bears taken, general season | Males | Females | Bear hunters | Hunter days | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 19 | 5 | 14 | 279 | 2,265 | 6.8% |
| 2024 | 46 | 33 | 13 | 322 | 2,777 | 14.2% |
| 2023 | 38 | 33 | 5 | 326 | 2,527 | 11.6% |
| 2022 | 42 | 30 | 12 | 314 | 2,291 | 13.4% |
| 2021 | 34 | 28 | 6 | 338 | 2,478 | 10% |
| 2020 | 49 | 35 | 14 | 392 | 3,420 | 12.6% |
| 2019 | 44 | 37 | 7 | 325 | 2,442 | 13.6% |
| 2018 | 24 | 16 | 8 | 331 | 2,650 | 7.2% |
| 2017 | 35 | 25 | 10 | 397 | 3,199 | 9% |
| 2016 | 25 | 20 | 5 | 321 | 2,219 | 7.8% |
| 2015 | 28 | 24 | 4 | 352 | 2,358 | 8% |
| 2014 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 376 | 2,772 | 6.1% |
| 2013 | 22 | 18 | 4 | 369 | 2,647 | 6% |
| 2012 | 37 | 25 | 12 | 358 | 2,298 | 10.3% |
| 2011 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 386 | 2,798 | 6.7% |
| 2010 | 25 | 20 | 5 | 364 | 2,477 | 6.9% |
| 2009 | 16 | 13 | 3 | 393 | 2,428 | 4% |
| 2008 | 16 | 11 | 5 | 431 | 2,791 | 4% |
| 2007 | 18 | 12 | 6 | 460 | 3,019 | 3.9% |
| 2006 | 25 | 16 | 9 | 397 | 2,892 | 6.3% |
| 2005 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 340 | 2,385 | 6.2% |
| 2004 | 11 | 4 | 7 | 355 | 2,324 | 3.1% |
| 2003 | 21 | 17 | 4 | 392 | 2,784 | 5.4% |
| 2002 | 21 | 16 | 5 | 386 | 2,670 | 5.4% |
| 2001 | 25 | 18 | 7 | 387 | 2,568 | 6.5% |
| 2000 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 797 | 3,231 | 1% |
| 1999 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 798 | 5,922 | 2% |
| 1998 | 23 | 17 | 6 | 365 | 1,949 | 6% |
| 1997 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 105 | 420 | 6% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (black bear, GMU 578, 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 578 in 2026?
GMU 578 is in Bear Management Unit 7, South Cascades East, which also takes in GMUs 336, 340, 342, 346, 352, 356, 360, 364, 368, 382 and 388. 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 578?
27.6% of GMU 578 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 80,897 of its 292,967 acres. The largest share is DNR state trust land, 65,970 acres or 22.5% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 65,970 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 578 |
|---|---|---|
| DNR state trust land | 65,970 | 22.5% |
| National forest | 10,870 | 3.7% |
| National wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted) | 6,515 | 2.2% |
| WDFW land | 2,630 | 0.9% |
| BLM | 1,427 | 0.5% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 356 | 0.1% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 578, by WDFW's own boundaries: Klickitat Wildlife Area (3,902 acres here; units Fisher Hill, Sondino Ponds, Dillacort Canyon and Mineral Springs).
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 578?
Highways through the unit: SR 141 (about 23 miles inside it) and SR 142 (about 7 miles inside it). Towns inside: White Salmon, Bingen, Klickitat and Glenwood. Nearby: Goldendale (12 miles) and Stevenson (18 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 578?
GMU 578 touches 3 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 388 | Grayback | 11.2% | 3 | 114 |
| GMU 560 | Lewis River | 90.2% | 24 | 463 |
| GMU 574 | Wind River | 73.3% | 7 | 124 |
Questions hunters ask
When is bear season in GMU 578 in 2026?
GMU 578 is in WDFW's Bear Management Unit 7 (South Cascades East), 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 578?
WDFW reports 19 black bears taken in GMU 578 in 2025 (5 males, 14 females). The most in one year since 1997 was 49, in 2020.
How much public land is in GMU 578?
27.6% of GMU 578, 80,897 of its 292,967 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 578?
White Salmon, Bingen and Klickitat are inside the unit. Just outside: Goldendale (12 miles) and Stevenson (18 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 388 GMU 560 GMU 574