Sauk GMU 437 deer hunting: harvest, seasons and permits
WDFW's harvest report shows 201 deer taken in GMU 437 Sauk in 2025, 9 of them on special permits. General-season hunters numbered 918 (WDFW's archery, modern firearm, muzzleloader and multiple-season counts added together), with 5,328 hunter days. GMU 437 is 60.8% public land open to hunting, the largest share national forest (239,274 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 recreation areaNational park or historic site (no hunting)Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 437Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 4, North Puget Sound |
|---|---|
| Size | 564,785 acres (882 square miles) |
| Counties | Skagit and Snohomish |
| Public land open to hunting | 60.8% (343,245 acres) |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 201 (195 in 2024) |
| General-season hunters, 2025 | 918 |
| Modern firearm, 2026 | Oct. 17-Nov. 1, any buck |
| Deer special permit hunts, 2026 | 1 hunt, 25 permits |
| Towns in and near it | Darrington, Hamilton, Concrete, Sedro-Woolley, Arlington and Mount Vernon |
Also for GMU 437: elk hunting, black bear hunting.
How many deer are taken in GMU 437?
WDFW reports 201 deer taken in GMU 437 in 2025, against 195 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 290, in 2016. WDFW's figures average 181 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 230 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 | 201 | 192 | 9 | 182 | 19 | 918 | 5,328 | 21 |
| 2024 | 195 | 191 | 4 | 181 | 14 | 970 | 5,131 | 20 |
| 2023 | 167 | 164 | 3 | 148 | 19 | 863 | 4,796 | 19 |
| 2022 | 147 | 142 | 5 | 131 | 16 | 975 | 4,836 | 15 |
| 2021 | 193 | 192 | 1 | 165 | 28 | 1,110 | 6,462 | 17 |
| 2020 | 202 | 199 | 3 | 182 | 20 | 1,167 | 6,418 | 17 |
| 2019 | 199 | 194 | 5 | 177 | 22 | 1,086 | 6,326 | 18 |
| 2018 | 252 | 246 | 6 | 223 | 29 | 1,179 | 7,106 | 21 |
| 2017 | 209 | 195 | 14 | 181 | 28 | 1,139 | 6,733 | 17 |
| 2016 | 290 | 284 | 6 | 256 | 34 | 1,105 | 6,073 | 26 |
| 2015 | 253 | 244 | 9 | 233 | 20 | 1,069 | 5,212 | 23 |
| 2014 | 159 | 155 | 4 | 140 | 19 | 938 | 4,988 | 17 |
| 2013 | 165 | 159 | 6 | 143 | 22 | 985 | 5,378 | 16 |
| 2012 | 130 | 121 | 9 | 102 | 28 | 840 | 4,532 | 14 |
| 2011 | 134 | 126 | 8 | 112 | 22 | 970 | 5,015 | 13 |
| 2010 | 132 | 128 | 4 | 122 | 10 | 875 | 4,587 | 15 |
| 2009 | 155 | 149 | 6 | 136 | 19 | 942 | 5,013 | 16 |
| 2008 | 117 | 113 | 4 | 93 | 24 | |||
| 2007 | 157 | 157 | not split out | 130 | 27 | 869 | 5,012 | 18 |
| 2006 | 140 | 140 | not split out | 113 | 27 | 788 | 4,179 | 18 |
| 2005 | 127 | 127 | not split out | 120 | 7 | 842 | 4,351 | 15 |
| 2004 | 151 | 151 | not split out | 151 | 0 | 893 | 4,444 | 17 |
| 2003 | 102 | 102 | not split out | 91 | 11 | 882 | 4,658 | 12 |
| 2002 | 107 | 107 | not split out | 87 | 20 | 919 | 5,035 | 12 |
| 2001 | 130 | 130 | not split out | 107 | 23 | 1,019 | 5,335 | 13 |
| 2000 | 78 | 78 | not split out | 68 | 10 | 1,471 | 5,988 | 5 |
| 1999 | 86 | 86 | not split out | 75 | 11 | 1,703 | 10,950 | 5 |
| 1998 | 131 | 131 | not split out | 111 | 20 | 2,377 | 10,200 | 6 |
| 1997 | 131 | 131 | not split out | 93 | 38 | 1,456 | 5,795 | 9 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer, GMU 437, 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 437 in 2025?
The modern firearm general season drew the most deer hunters in GMU 437 in 2025: 627, who took 144 (23% success by WDFW's count).
| Weapon, 2025 general season | Hunters | Hunter days | Deer taken | Success (WDFW) | Days per animal (WDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 124 | 809 | 26 | 21% | 31 |
| Modern firearm | 627 | 3,126 | 144 | 23% | 22 |
| Muzzleloader | 27 | 117 | 8 | 29.6% | 15 |
| Multiple-season tag | 140 | 1,276 | 14 | 10% | 91 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer general season, 2025).
What size bucks come out of GMU 437?
WDFW counts antlered deer by the points on one side. In 2025, the most common was 2-point: 70 of 182 antlered deer.
| Year | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 or more | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 62 | 70 | 28 | 17 | 5 | 19 |
| 2024 | 43 | 61 | 48 | 25 | 4 | 14 |
| 2023 | 32 | 62 | 37 | 9 | 8 | 19 |
| 2022 | 37 | 55 | 23 | 8 | 8 | 16 |
| 2021 | 38 | 70 | 30 | 21 | 6 | 28 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer, antler points).
When is deer season in GMU 437 in 2026?
General seasons for all hunters in GMU 437, by weapon: archery: Sept. 1-25 (any deer, black-tailed deer) and Nov. 25-Dec. 15 (late season, 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 437 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Archery | Late archery season | Black-tailed Deer | Nov. 25-Dec. 15 | 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 437?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 1 deer special permit hunt that takes in GMU 437, with 25 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1047 | Sauk Quality Deer | Modern | Nov. 2-13 | Any Buck | GMU 437 | 25 | 224 / 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 437?
60.8% of GMU 437 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 343,245 of its 564,785 acres. The largest share is national forest, 239,274 acres or 42.4% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 100,598 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 437 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 239,274 | 42.4% |
| DNR state trust land | 100,598 | 17.8% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 6,838 | 1.2% |
| WDFW land | 3,229 | 0.6% |
| National park or historic site (no hunting) | 212 | under 0.1% |
| BLM | 98 | under 0.1% |
| National recreation area | 46 | under 0.1% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 437, by WDFW's own boundaries: Skagit Wildlife Area (2,469 acres here; units Bald Eagle, Ross Island and Jackman Creek).
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 437?
Highways through the unit: SR 20 (about 39 miles inside it), SR 530 (about 32 miles inside it) and SR 9 (about 20 miles inside it). Towns inside: Darrington, Hamilton, Concrete, Lyman, Swede Heaven and Marblemount. Nearby: Sedro-Woolley (on the line), Arlington (2 miles), Mount Vernon (2 miles) and Burlington (4 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 437?
GMU 437 touches 5 other GMUs. Their public land and WDFW's 2025 deer numbers, for comparison:
| GMU | Name | Public land | Deer taken, 2025 | General hunters, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 407 | North Sound | 9.9% | 462 | 1,687 |
| GMU 418 | Nooksack | 70.6% | 76 | 605 |
| GMU 426 | Diablo | 93.5% | 30 | 77 |
| GMU 448 | Stillaguamish | 81.4% | 161 | 967 |
| GMU 450 | Cascade | 99.9% | 2 | 56 |
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season in GMU 437 in 2026?
By WDFW's 2026 pamphlet, the general deer seasons open to all hunters in GMU 437 are archery: Sept. 1-25 (any deer, black-tailed deer) and Nov. 25-Dec. 15 (late season, 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 437?
WDFW reports 201 deer taken in GMU 437 in 2025: 182 antlered and 19 antlerless. The most in one year since 1997 was 290, in 2016.
Which special permit deer hunts include GMU 437?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 1 deer permit hunt for GMU 437: 1047 Sauk (25 permits). Applications for 2026 closed May 20.
How much public land is in GMU 437?
60.8% of GMU 437, 343,245 of its 564,785 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 437?
Darrington, Hamilton and Concrete are inside the unit. Just outside: Sedro-Woolley (on the line), Arlington (2 miles) and Mount Vernon (2 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 437
Beginning at the intersection of State Route (SR) 9 and SR 20, W of the town of Sedro-Woolley; E along SR 20 to Baker River Rd at the town of Concrete; N on Baker River Rd to Thunder Creek; E up Thunder Creek to Watson Creek; N up Watson Creek to its headwaters; E from the headwaters of Watson Creek to Noisy Diobsud Wilderness boundary; N and E on Noisy Diobsud Wilderness boundary to North Cascades National Park boundary; S and E along the North Cascades National Park boundary to the Ross Lake National Recreation boundary; S along the Ross Lake National Recreation Area boundary, across the SR 20 (North Cascade Hwy) and the Skagit River, then E along the Ross Lake National Recreation Area boundary to the North Cascades National Park boundary near Big Devil Peak; SE on the North Cascades National Park boundary to the Cascade River Rd; S on Cascade River Rd to US Forest Service (USFS) Rd 1590; S on USFS Rd 1590 to USFS Trail 769 (South Fork Cascade River Trail); S on USFS Trail 769 to the Glacier Peak Wilderness Area boundary; W and S on Glacier Peak Wilderness Area Boundary to the Suiattle River; W down the Suiattle River to the Sauk River; N on the Sauk River to SR 530 (Sauk Valley Rd); S on SR 530 to the town of Darrington; W on SR 530 to SR 9 at the town of Arlington; N on SR 9 to SR 20, W of the town of Sedro-Woolley, 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 407 GMU 418 GMU 426 GMU 448