Wynoochee GMU 648 black bear hunting: harvest, season and land
WDFW's harvest report shows 24 black bears taken in GMU 648 Wynoochee in 2025. 303 bear hunters reported 2,834 days here, a success rate of 8% by WDFW's count. GMU 648 is 3.9% public land open to hunting, the largest share national forest (5,248 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 landOther public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 648Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 6, Coastal Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 275,692 acres (431 square miles) |
| Public land open to hunting | 3.9% (10,816 acres) |
| Black bears taken, 2025 | 24 (31 in 2024) |
| Bear hunters, 2025 | 303 |
| 2026 fall season | August 1-November 15, bag limit 2 (Bear Management Unit 13, Olympic Peninsula West) |
| Towns in and near it | Montesano, Brady, Aberdeen Gardens, Aberdeen, Hoquiam and Cosmopolis |
Also for GMU 648: elk hunting, deer hunting.
How many black bears are taken in GMU 648?
WDFW reports 24 black bears taken in GMU 648 in 2025, against 31 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 52, in 2022. WDFW's figures average 30 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 20 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Bears taken, general season | Males | Females | Bear hunters | Hunter days | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 24 | 16 | 8 | 303 | 2,834 | 8% |
| 2024 | 31 | 23 | 8 | 252 | 2,391 | 12.4% |
| 2023 | 25 | 17 | 8 | 263 | 2,667 | 9.6% |
| 2022 | 52 | 42 | 10 | 284 | 2,680 | 18.4% |
| 2021 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 275 | 2,519 | 6.2% |
| 2020 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 262 | 2,781 | 6.4% |
| 2019 | 40 | 32 | 8 | 308 | 2,671 | 13% |
| 2018 | 18 | 15 | 3 | 223 | 1,828 | 8% |
| 2017 | 17 | 11 | 6 | 246 | 1,648 | 7% |
| 2016 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 208 | 2,019 | 3.8% |
| 2015 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 195 | 1,517 | 6.2% |
| 2014 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 207 | 1,566 | 5.3% |
| 2013 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 265 | 2,125 | 4.2% |
| 2012 | 25 | 20 | 5 | 323 | 2,487 | 7.7% |
| 2011 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 304 | 2,488 | 5.3% |
| 2010 | 30 | 18 | 12 | 341 | 2,734 | 8.8% |
| 2009 | 19 | 18 | 1 | 377 | 3,289 | 5% |
| 2008 | 29 | 18 | 11 | 413 | 3,655 | 7% |
| 2007 | 23 | 15 | 8 | 418 | 3,360 | 5.5% |
| 2006 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 350 | 2,676 | 5.1% |
| 2005 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 305 | 2,530 | 4.6% |
| 2004 | 20 | 16 | 4 | 390 | 3,263 | 5.1% |
| 2003 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 387 | 3,308 | 3.1% |
| 2002 | 16 | 13 | 3 | 445 | 3,872 | 3.6% |
| 2001 | 33 | 20 | 13 | 559 | 4,830 | 5.9% |
| 2000 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 912 | 5,788 | 1% |
| 1999 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 784 | 7,219 | 1% |
| 1998 | 23 | 17 | 6 | 718 | 3,427 | 3% |
| 1997 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 289 | 1,473 | 1% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (black bear, GMU 648, 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 648 in 2026?
GMU 648 is in Bear Management Unit 13, Olympic Peninsula West, which also takes in GMUs 601, 602, 612, 615, 642 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 648?
3.9% of GMU 648 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 10,816 of its 275,692 acres. The largest share is national forest, 5,248 acres or 1.9% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 4,628 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 648 |
|---|---|---|
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 19,858 | 7.2% |
| National forest | 5,248 | 1.9% |
| DNR state trust land | 4,628 | 1.7% |
| WDFW land | 940 | 0.3% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 648, by WDFW's own boundaries: Olympic Wildlife Area (1,403 acres here; units Olympic and Wynoochee Mitigation).
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 648?
Highways through the unit: US 101 (about 21 miles inside it) and US 12 (about 8 miles inside it). Towns inside: Montesano, Brady and Aberdeen Gardens. Nearby: Aberdeen (on the line), Hoquiam (on the line), Cosmopolis (2 miles) and Elma (4 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 648?
GMU 648 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 636 | Skokomish | 56% | 8 | 186 |
| GMU 638 | Quinault Ridge | 85.9% | 3 | 55 |
| GMU 642 | Copalis | 9.1% | 25 | 104 |
| GMU 651 | Satsop | 2.8% | 3 | 129 |
| GMU 660 | Minot Peak | 15.8% | 29 | 238 |
Questions hunters ask
When is bear season in GMU 648 in 2026?
GMU 648 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 648?
WDFW reports 24 black bears taken in GMU 648 in 2025 (16 males, 8 females). The most in one year since 1997 was 52, in 2022.
How much public land is in GMU 648?
3.9% of GMU 648, 10,816 of its 275,692 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 648?
Montesano, Brady and Aberdeen Gardens are inside the unit. Just outside: Aberdeen (on the line), Hoquiam (on the line) and Cosmopolis (2 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 6 GMU 636 GMU 638 GMU 642 GMU 651 GMU 660