Hoko GMU 601 black bear hunting: harvest, season and land
WDFW's harvest report shows 6 black bears taken in GMU 601 Hoko in 2025. 44 bear hunters reported 248 days here, a success rate of 13.6% by WDFW's count. GMU 601 is 8.9% public land open to hunting, the largest share DNR state trust land (7,433 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.
DNR state trust landWDFW landNational park or historic site (no hunting)Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 601Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 6, Coastal Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 83,726 acres (131 square miles) |
| Counties | Clallam |
| Public land open to hunting | 8.9% (7,449 acres) |
| Black bears taken, 2025 | 6 (2 in 2024) |
| Bear hunters, 2025 | 44 |
| 2026 fall season | August 1-November 15, bag limit 2 (Bear Management Unit 13, Olympic Peninsula West) |
| Towns in and near it | Forks |
Also for GMU 601: elk hunting, deer hunting.
How many black bears are taken in GMU 601?
WDFW reports 6 black bears taken in GMU 601 in 2025, against 2 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 11, in 2021. WDFW's figures average 6 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 5 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Bears taken, general season | Males | Females | Bear hunters | Hunter days | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 44 | 248 | 13.6% |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 43 | 221 | 4.6% |
| 2023 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 62 | 315 | 8% |
| 2022 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 51 | 344 | 13.8% |
| 2021 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 74 | 546 | 14.8% |
| 2020 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 91 | 569 | 2.2% |
| 2019 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 69 | 498 | 16% |
| 2018 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 41 | 397 | 12.2% |
| 2017 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 34 | 235 | 15% |
| 2016 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 39 | 458 | 5.2% |
| 2015 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 44 | 355 | 6.8% |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 322 | 0% |
| 2013 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 47 | 518 | 8.5% |
| 2012 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 43 | 309 | 2.3% |
| 2011 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 67 | 497 | 7.5% |
| 2010 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 62 | 525 | 4.8% |
| 2009 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 57 | 425 | 4% |
| 2008 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 77 | 682 | 9% |
| 2007 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 53 | 407 | 3.8% |
| 2006 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 54 | 316 | 5.6% |
| 2005 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 43 | 318 | 7% |
| 2004 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 65 | 429 | 4.6% |
| 2003 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 65 | 443 | 4.6% |
| 2002 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 82 | 640 | 9.8% |
| 2001 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 110 | 1,072 | 9.1% |
| 2000 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 122 | 564 | 1% |
| 1999 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 163 | 1,848 | 2% |
| 1998 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 136 | 1,841 | 1% |
| 1997 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 120 | 0% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (black bear, GMU 601, 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 601 in 2026?
GMU 601 is in Bear Management Unit 13, Olympic Peninsula West, which also takes in GMUs 602, 612, 615, 642, 648 and 651. 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 601?
8.9% of GMU 601 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 7,449 of its 83,726 acres. The largest share is DNR state trust land, 7,433 acres or 8.9% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 7,433 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 601 |
|---|---|---|
| DNR state trust land | 7,433 | 8.9% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 236 | 0.3% |
| WDFW land | 16 | under 0.1% |
| National park or historic site (no hunting) | 8 | 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 601?
Highways through the unit: SR 112 (about 17 miles inside it). Nearby: Forks (16 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 601?
GMU 601 touches 1 other GMU. Their public land and WDFW's 2025 black bear numbers, for comparison:
| GMU | Name | Public land | Black bears taken, 2025 | Bear hunters, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 602 | Dickey | 33.3% | 11 | 108 |
Questions hunters ask
When is bear season in GMU 601 in 2026?
GMU 601 is in WDFW's Bear Management Unit 13 (Olympic Peninsula 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 601?
WDFW reports 6 black bears taken in GMU 601 in 2025 (3 males, 3 females). The most in one year since 1997 was 11, in 2021.
How much public land is in GMU 601?
8.9% of GMU 601, 7,449 of its 83,726 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 601?
No town or Census-listed community is inside it. The nearest towns are Forks (16 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 601
Beginning on the Makah Indian reservation boundary and the Strait of Juan de Fuca; SE along the shore of the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the mouth of the Hoko River; S along the Hoko River to State Route (SR) 112; SE on SR 112 to the Hoko-Ozette Rd; SW on the Hoko-Ozette Rd to the Olympic National Park boundary near Ozette; N along the Olympic National Park boundary to the Makah Indian reservation boundary; E and N along the Makah Indian reservation boundary to the Strait of Juan de Fuca 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 6 GMU 602