White River GMU 653 black bear hunting: harvest, season and land
WDFW's harvest report shows 9 black bears taken in GMU 653 White River in 2025. 148 bear hunters reported 839 days here, a success rate of 6% by WDFW's count. GMU 653 is 52.7% public land open to hunting, the largest share national forest (130,215 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 landNational park or historic site (no hunting)Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 653Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 6, Coastal Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 248,222 acres (388 square miles) |
| Counties | King and Pierce |
| Public land open to hunting | 52.7% (130,922 acres) |
| Black bears taken, 2025 | 9 (11 in 2024) |
| Bear hunters, 2025 | 148 |
| 2026 fall season | August 1-November 15, bag limit 2 (Bear Management Unit 9, South Cascades West) |
| Towns in and near it | Buckley, Wilkeson, Carbonado, South Prairie, Enumclaw and Orting |
Also for GMU 653: elk hunting, deer hunting.
How many black bears are taken in GMU 653?
WDFW reports 9 black bears taken in GMU 653 in 2025, against 11 in 2024. The most in one year since 2000 was 39, in 2008. WDFW's figures average 13 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 17 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Bears taken, general season | Males | Females | Bear hunters | Hunter days | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 148 | 839 | 6% |
| 2024 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 151 | 886 | 7.2% |
| 2023 | 16 | 7 | 9 | 218 | 1,593 | 7.4% |
| 2022 | 17 | 11 | 6 | 202 | 1,477 | 8.4% |
| 2021 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 207 | 1,247 | 6.8% |
| 2020 | 16 | 11 | 5 | 141 | 1,163 | 11.4% |
| 2019 | 32 | 25 | 7 | 196 | 1,396 | 16.4% |
| 2018 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 191 | 1,132 | 6.8% |
| 2017 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 168 | 1,195 | 7% |
| 2016 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 237 | 1,770 | 5.4% |
| 2015 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 187 | 1,182 | 1.6% |
| 2014 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 209 | 1,643 | 5.3% |
| 2013 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 253 | 1,828 | 2% |
| 2012 | 18 | 12 | 6 | 271 | 2,059 | 6.6% |
| 2011 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 296 | 1,889 | 5.7% |
| 2010 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 274 | 2,109 | 5.5% |
| 2009 | 25 | 13 | 12 | 304 | 2,811 | 8% |
| 2008 | 39 | 26 | 13 | 364 | 2,414 | 11% |
| 2007 | 30 | 21 | 9 | 297 | 2,266 | 10.1% |
| 2006 | 20 | 15 | 5 | 224 | 1,739 | 8.9% |
| 2005 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 308 | 2,492 | 4.2% |
| 2004 | 31 | 22 | 9 | 348 | 2,683 | 8.9% |
| 2003 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 355 | 3,185 | 3.9% |
| 2002 | 24 | 21 | 3 | 479 | 4,234 | 5% |
| 2001 | 28 | 20 | 8 | 500 | 4,136 | 5.6% |
| 2000 | 20 | 18 | 2 | 673 | 4,309 | 3% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (black bear, GMU 653, 2000 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 653 in 2026?
GMU 653 is in Bear Management Unit 9, South Cascades West, which also takes in GMUs 466, 485, 503, 510, 513, 516, 560, 568, 572, 574 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 653?
52.7% of GMU 653 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 130,922 of its 248,222 acres. The largest share is national forest, 130,215 acres or 52.5% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 707 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 653 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 130,215 | 52.5% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 5,044 | 2% |
| DNR state trust land | 707 | 0.3% |
| National park or historic site (no hunting) | 221 | 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 653?
Highways through the unit: SR 410 (about 29 miles inside it) and SR 165 (about 12 miles inside it). Towns inside: Buckley, Wilkeson, Carbonado and Greenwater. Nearby: South Prairie (2 miles), Enumclaw (2 miles), Orting (6 miles) and Bonney Lake (6 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 653?
GMU 653 touches 6 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 346 | Little Naches | 93.7% | 15 | 255 |
| GMU 454 | Issaquah | 4.6% | 12 | 122 |
| GMU 466 | Stampede | 58.4% | 3 | 111 |
| GMU 485 | Green River | 53.8% | 2 | 3 |
| GMU 652 | Puyallup | 1.1% | 15 | 148 |
| GMU 654 | Mashel | 19.3% | 32 | 303 |
Questions hunters ask
When is bear season in GMU 653 in 2026?
GMU 653 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 653?
WDFW reports 9 black bears taken in GMU 653 in 2025 (3 males, 6 females). The most in one year since 2000 was 39, in 2008.
How much public land is in GMU 653?
52.7% of GMU 653, 130,922 of its 248,222 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 653?
Buckley, Wilkeson and Carbonado are inside the unit. Just outside: South Prairie (2 miles), Enumclaw (2 miles) and Orting (6 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 653
Beginning at the lookout station at US Forest Service (USFS) Rd 7110 (Grass Mountain mainline) and the posted GMU 485 boundary encompassing the controlled access portion of the Green River Watershed; E on the posted GMU 485 boundary encompassing the controlled access portion of the Green River Watershed to USFS Rd 7032; E along USFS Rd 7032 to USFS Rd 7030; SE along USFS Rd 7030 to USFS Rd 7036; SE along USFS Rd 7036 to USFS Rd 7038; SE on USFS Rd 7038 to USFS Trail 2000 (Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail) at its closest point to USFS Rd 7038 near Windy Gap north of Pyramid Peak; S on the USFS Trail 2000 to Pierce-Yakima county Line (Cascades Crest) in T17N, R10E, Sec 35; S on the county line to the Mt. Rainier National Park boundary in T17 R, R10E, Sec 35; S on the park boundary to Chinook Pass; N and W on the Mt. Rainier National Park boundary to the Carbon River; NW down the Carbon River to the power transmission line at T19N, R06E, Sec 21; NE along the power transmission line to SR 165; NE on SR 165 to SR 410; NE on SR 410 to the White River; SE along the White River to the power transmission lines on the north side of the White River near Mud Mountain Dam Rd; NE on the power transmission lines to State Route (SR) 410; E on SR 410 to USFS Rd 7110; N on USFS Rd 7110 to the posted GMU 485 boundary encompassing the controlled access portion of the Green River Watershed 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 346 GMU 454 GMU 466 GMU 652 GMU 654