Diablo GMU 426 deer hunting: harvest, seasons and permits
WDFW's harvest report shows 30 deer taken in GMU 426 Diablo in 2025, 1 of them on special permits. General-season hunters numbered 77 (WDFW's archery, modern firearm, muzzleloader and multiple-season counts added together), with 416 hunter days. GMU 426 is 93.5% public land open to hunting, the largest share national recreation area (104,333 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 forestNational recreation areaNational park or historic site (no hunting)Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 426Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 4, North Puget Sound |
|---|---|
| Size | 205,907 acres (322 square miles) |
| Counties | Skagit and Whatcom |
| Public land open to hunting | 93.5% (192,570 acres) |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 30 (12 in 2024) |
| General-season hunters, 2025 | 77 |
| Modern firearm, 2026 | Oct. 17-Nov. 1, any buck |
| Deer special permit hunts, 2026 | 1 hunt, 10 permits |
| Towns in and near it | Concrete |
Also for GMU 426: black bear hunting.
How many deer are taken in GMU 426?
WDFW reports 30 deer taken in GMU 426 in 2025, against 12 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 30, in 2025. WDFW's figures average 16 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 21 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Deer taken, all hunts | General season | Special permit | Antlered | Antlerless | General-season hunters | Hunter days | Deer per 100 general hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 30 | 29 | 1 | 30 | 0 | 77 | 416 | 38 |
| 2024 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 35 | 122 | 31 |
| 2023 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 48 | 175 | 19 |
| 2022 | 14 | 13 | 1 | 14 | 0 | 68 | 281 | 19 |
| 2021 | 14 | 13 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 47 | 232 | 28 |
| 2020 | 26 | 24 | 2 | 24 | 2 | 79 | 372 | 30 |
| 2019 | 25 | 24 | 1 | 23 | 2 | 108 | 454 | 22 |
| 2018 | 22 | 20 | 2 | 22 | 0 | 79 | 321 | 25 |
| 2017 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 78 | 371 | 10 |
| 2016 | 23 | 19 | 4 | 21 | 2 | 79 | 268 | 24 |
| 2015 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 39 | 50 |
| 2014 | 21 | 17 | 4 | 18 | 3 | 69 | 244 | 25 |
| 2013 | 15 | 14 | 1 | 12 | 3 | 49 | 181 | 29 |
| 2012 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 50 | 215 | 10 |
| 2011 | 15 | 13 | 2 | 14 | 1 | 57 | 253 | 23 |
| 2010 | 19 | 16 | 3 | 18 | 1 | 57 | 224 | 28 |
| 2009 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 59 | 234 | 12 | |
| 2008 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | ||||
| 2007 | 10 | 10 | not split out | 10 | 0 | 57 | 214 | 18 |
| 2006 | 13 | 13 | not split out | 12 | 1 | 77 | 400 | 17 |
| 2005 | 20 | 20 | not split out | 19 | 1 | 75 | 338 | 27 |
| 2004 | 17 | 17 | not split out | 17 | 0 | 80 | 371 | 21 |
| 2003 | 11 | 11 | not split out | 9 | 2 | 54 | 217 | 20 |
| 2002 | 16 | 16 | not split out | 14 | 2 | 87 | 284 | 18 |
| 2001 | 17 | 17 | not split out | 14 | 3 | 94 | 343 | 18 |
| 2000 | 2 | 2 | not split out | 2 | 0 | 117 | 374 | 2 |
| 1999 | 7 | 7 | not split out | 7 | 0 | 110 | 595 | 6 |
| 1998 | 20 | 20 | not split out | 18 | 2 | 212 | 461 | 9 |
| 1997 | 3 | 3 | not split out | 3 | 0 | 97 | 228 | 3 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer, GMU 426, 1997 to 2025), read through WDFW's Hunt Planner harvest table. "All hunts" is WDFW's general plus special permit total where it publishes one (from 2008), otherwise the general season. Where WDFW gives no all-weapon hunter count, the hunters and days shown are its per-weapon counts added together. Deer per 100 general hunters is worked out from WDFW's own two figures. The averages above are of WDFW's yearly figures.
How did each weapon do in GMU 426 in 2025?
The modern firearm general season drew the most deer hunters in GMU 426 in 2025: 69, who took 26 (37.6% success by WDFW's count).
| Weapon, 2025 general season | Hunters | Hunter days | Deer taken | Success (WDFW) | Days per animal (WDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0% | |
| Modern firearm | 69 | 393 | 26 | 37.6% | 15 |
| Multiple-season tag | 4 | 15 | 3 | 75% | 5 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer general season, 2025).
What size bucks come out of GMU 426?
WDFW counts antlered deer by the points on one side. In 2025, the most common was 4-point: 12 of 30 antlered deer.
| Year | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 or more | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 5 | 0 |
| 2024 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| 2022 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 2 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer, antler points).
When is deer season in GMU 426 in 2026?
General seasons for all hunters in GMU 426, by weapon: archery: Sept. 1-25 (any deer, black-tailed deer); muzzleloader: Sept. 26-Oct. 4 (any buck, black-tailed deer); modern firearm: Oct. 17-Nov. 1 (any buck, black-tailed deer).
| Weapon | Season | Deer | 2026 dates | Legal deer | Who | WDFW's notes for GMU 426 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modern firearm | General season | Black-tailed Deer | Oct. 17-Nov. 1 | Any buck | All hunters | |
| Archery | Early archery season | Black-tailed Deer | Sept. 1-25 | Any deer | All hunters | |
| Muzzleloader | Early muzzleloader season | Black-tailed Deer | Sept. 26-Oct. 4 | Any buck | All hunters |
Source: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, pages 23, 24 and 25, with WDFW's April 2026 corrections. WDFW can change a season during the year: check WDFW's regulations page before you go.
Which special permit deer hunts include GMU 426?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 1 deer special permit hunt that takes in GMU 426, with 10 permits in all. The applicant counts and average points are the ones WDFW prints for the 2025 drawing; the 2025 results are from WDFW's harvest report for each hunt number.
| Hunt | Name and category | Tag | 2026 dates | Legal deer | Unit or area | 2026 permits | 2025 applicants / average points (WDFW) | 2025 result: hunters, deer taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1046 | Diablo (formerly Skagit) Quality Deer | Modern | Nov. 2-18 | Any Buck | GMU 426 | 10 | 81 / 6 |
Sources: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, page 27; WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer individual hunts, 2025). A hunt's 2025 result is shown only where the 2025 hunt had the same number and name.
How much public land is in GMU 426?
93.5% of GMU 426 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 192,570 of its 205,907 acres. The largest share is national recreation area, 104,333 acres or 50.7% of the unit.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 426 |
|---|---|---|
| National recreation area | 104,333 | 50.7% |
| National forest | 88,237 | 42.9% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 652 | 0.3% |
| National park or historic site (no hunting) | 122 | 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 426?
Highways through the unit: SR 20 (about 46 miles inside it). Nearby: Concrete (17 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 426?
GMU 426 touches 4 other GMUs. Their public land and WDFW's 2025 deer numbers, for comparison:
| GMU | Name | Public land | Deer taken, 2025 | General hunters, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 203 | Pasayten | 100% | 11 | 271 |
| GMU 218 | Chewuch | 94.8% | 226 | 1,220 |
| GMU 231 | Gardner | 89% | 130 | 721 |
| GMU 437 | Sauk | 60.8% | 201 | 918 |
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season in GMU 426 in 2026?
By WDFW's 2026 pamphlet, the general deer seasons open to all hunters in GMU 426 are archery: Sept. 1-25 (any deer, black-tailed deer); muzzleloader: Sept. 26-Oct. 4 (any buck, black-tailed deer); modern firearm: Oct. 17-Nov. 1 (any buck, black-tailed deer).
How many deer are taken in GMU 426?
WDFW reports 30 deer taken in GMU 426 in 2025: 30 antlered and 0 antlerless. The most in one year since 1997 was 30, in 2025.
Which special permit deer hunts include GMU 426?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 1 deer permit hunt for GMU 426: 1046 Diablo (formerly Skagit) (10 permits). Applications for 2026 closed May 20.
How much public land is in GMU 426?
93.5% of GMU 426, 192,570 of its 205,907 acres, is national forest, BLM, DNR trust, WDFW, Reclamation or national recreation area land; the largest share is national recreation area. Measured by FilledTag from WA DNR's public land maps.
What town is closest to GMU 426?
No town or Census-listed community is inside it. The nearest towns are Concrete (17 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 426
Beginning at the US-Canadian border and the western boundary of the Ross Lake National Recreation Area; S on the Ross Lake National Recreation Area boundary, across SR 20 (North Cascades Hwy) and Skagit River, then NE and E on the Ross Lake National Recreation Area boundary to a point 2 miles east of Panther Creek, where the recreation boundary connects with the Okanogan National Forest boundary; S on North Cascades National Park boundary to the Skagit-Chelan county line at Fisher Peak; SE along the Skagit-Chelan county line to the US Forest Service (USFS) Trail 2000 (Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail); N on the USFS Trail 2000 to the Pasayten Wilderness boundary at Jim Pass; W along the Pasayten Wilderness boundary to the Ross Lake National Recreation Area boundary; N along the Ross Lake National Recreation Area-Pasayten Wilderness Area boundary to the US-Canadian border; W along the US-Canadian border to the NW corner of the Ross Lake National Recreation Area 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 deer by GMU Region 4 GMU 203 GMU 218 GMU 231 GMU 437