Lincoln GMU 501 deer hunting: harvest, seasons and permits
WDFW's harvest report shows 387 deer taken in GMU 501 Lincoln in 2025, 9 of them on special permits. General-season hunters numbered 1,300 (WDFW's archery, modern firearm, muzzleloader and multiple-season counts added together), with 7,814 hunter days. GMU 501 is 21.8% public land open to hunting, the largest share DNR state trust land (32,522 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 wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted)Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 501Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 5, Southwest Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 150,408 acres (235 square miles) |
| Public land open to hunting | 21.8% (32,754 acres) |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 387 (433 in 2024) |
| General-season hunters, 2025 | 1,300 |
| Modern firearm, 2026 | Oct. 17-Nov. 1, any buck |
| Deer special permit hunts, 2026 | 5 hunts, 36 permits |
| Towns in and near it | Grand Mound, Fords Prairie, Oakville, Centralia and Chehalis |
Also for GMU 501: elk hunting, black bear hunting.
How many deer are taken in GMU 501?
WDFW reports 387 deer taken in GMU 501 in 2025, against 433 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 587, in 2001. WDFW's figures average 336 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 274 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 | 387 | 378 | 9 | 370 | 17 | 1,300 | 7,814 | 29 |
| 2024 | 433 | 420 | 13 | 405 | 28 | 1,283 | 7,154 | 33 |
| 2023 | 368 | 361 | 7 | 351 | 17 | 1,213 | 6,567 | 30 |
| 2022 | 263 | 252 | 11 | 252 | 11 | 1,063 | 6,541 | 24 |
| 2021 | 230 | 224 | 6 | 220 | 10 | 1,171 | 7,413 | 19 |
| 2020 | 329 | 322 | 7 | 312 | 17 | 1,336 | 8,180 | 24 |
| 2019 | 296 | 289 | 7 | 288 | 8 | 1,120 | 6,541 | 26 |
| 2018 | 259 | 251 | 8 | 242 | 17 | 990 | 5,928 | 25 |
| 2017 | 217 | 210 | 7 | 205 | 12 | 1,048 | 5,966 | 20 |
| 2016 | 267 | 262 | 5 | 258 | 9 | 1,195 | 6,813 | 22 |
| 2015 | 309 | 302 | 7 | 263 | 46 | 1,271 | 6,755 | 24 |
| 2014 | 316 | 310 | 6 | 283 | 33 | 1,388 | 7,559 | 22 |
| 2013 | 370 | 365 | 5 | 319 | 51 | 1,571 | 8,104 | 23 |
| 2012 | 375 | 363 | 12 | 288 | 87 | 1,609 | 8,430 | 23 |
| 2011 | 318 | 313 | 5 | 260 | 58 | 1,787 | 9,722 | 18 |
| 2010 | 398 | 389 | 9 | 330 | 68 | 1,838 | 9,899 | 21 |
| 2009 | 387 | 363 | 24 | 280 | 107 | 2,158 | 11,750 | 17 |
| 2008 | 438 | 422 | 16 | 364 | 75 | |||
| 2007 | 429 | 429 | not split out | 360 | 69 | 2,238 | 12,656 | 19 |
| 2006 | 414 | 414 | not split out | 345 | 69 | 2,112 | 11,830 | 20 |
| 2005 | 323 | 323 | not split out | 262 | 61 | 2,101 | 11,811 | 15 |
| 2004 | 517 | 517 | not split out | 424 | 93 | 2,432 | 13,210 | 21 |
| 2003 | 533 | 533 | not split out | 407 | 126 | 2,161 | 12,866 | 25 |
| 2002 | 449 | 449 | not split out | 344 | 105 | 2,361 | 14,400 | 19 |
| 2001 | 587 | 587 | not split out | 456 | 131 | 2,743 | 15,269 | 21 |
| 2000 | 414 | 414 | not split out | 328 | 86 | 2,806 | 12,529 | 15 |
| 1999 | 521 | 521 | not split out | 410 | 111 | 2,554 | 14,668 | 20 |
| 1998 | 402 | 402 | not split out | 304 | 98 | 3,064 | 12,065 | 13 |
| 1997 | 412 | 412 | not split out | 345 | 67 | 3,252 | 13,796 | 13 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer, GMU 501, 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 501 in 2025?
The modern firearm general season drew the most deer hunters in GMU 501 in 2025: 992, who took 313 (31.6% success by WDFW's count).
| Weapon, 2025 general season | Hunters | Hunter days | Deer taken | Success (WDFW) | Days per animal (WDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 90 | 621 | 21 | 23.4% | 30 |
| Modern firearm | 992 | 5,779 | 313 | 31.6% | 18 |
| Muzzleloader | 117 | 638 | 29 | 24.8% | 22 |
| Multiple-season tag | 101 | 776 | 15 | 14.8% | 52 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer general season, 2025).
What size bucks come out of GMU 501?
WDFW counts antlered deer by the points on one side. In 2025, the most common was 2-point: 165 of 370 antlered deer.
| Year | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 or more | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 133 | 165 | 53 | 12 | 7 | 17 |
| 2024 | 139 | 182 | 53 | 25 | 6 | 28 |
| 2023 | 113 | 158 | 57 | 14 | 9 | 17 |
| 2022 | 102 | 85 | 36 | 25 | 4 | 11 |
| 2021 | 47 | 93 | 53 | 20 | 7 | 10 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer, antler points).
When is deer season in GMU 501 in 2026?
General seasons for all hunters in GMU 501, by weapon: archery: Sept. 1-25 (any deer, black-tailed deer); muzzleloader: Sept. 26-Oct. 4 (any buck, black-tailed deer) and Nov. 25-Dec. 15 (late season, any buck, black-tailed deer); modern firearm: Oct. 17-Nov. 1 (any buck, black-tailed deer) and Nov. 19-22 (late season, any buck, black-tailed deer).
| Weapon | Season | Deer | 2026 dates | Legal deer | Who | WDFW's notes for GMU 501 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modern firearm | General season | Black-tailed Deer | Oct. 17-Nov. 1 | Any buck | All hunters | |
| Modern firearm | Late general season | Black-tailed Deer | Nov. 19-22 | 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 | |
| Muzzleloader | Late muzzleloader season | Black-tailed Deer | Nov. 25-Dec. 15 | 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 501?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 5 deer special permit hunts that take in GMU 501, with 36 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1051 | Lincoln Quality Deer | Modern | Nov. 2-18 | Any Buck | GMU 501 | 4 | 119 / 11 | |
| 1308 | Lincoln Antlerless Deer | Modern | Oct. 17-Nov. 1 | Antlerless | GMU 501 | 15 | 401 / 8 | 6 hunters, 4 taken |
| 1536 | Lincoln Youth only | Modern | Oct. 17-Nov. 1 | Antlerless | GMU 501 | 10 | 41 / 2 | 2 hunters, 2 taken |
| 1625 | Lincoln Hunters 65 or older | Modern | Oct. 17-Nov. 1 | Antlerless | GMU 501 | 5 | 54 / 7 | |
| 1727 | Lincoln Hunters with disabilities | Modern | Oct. 17-Nov. 1 | Antlerless | GMU 501 | 2 | 20 / 2 |
Sources: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, pages 28, 31, 36, 38 and 39; 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 501?
21.8% of GMU 501 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 32,754 of its 150,408 acres. The largest share is DNR state trust land, 32,522 acres or 21.6% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 32,522 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 501 |
|---|---|---|
| DNR state trust land | 32,522 | 21.6% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 235 | 0.2% |
| WDFW land | 232 | 0.2% |
| National wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted) | 20 | 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 501?
Highways through the unit: US 12 (about 20 miles inside it), I-5 (about 12 miles inside it) and SR 6 (about 7 miles inside it). Towns inside: Grand Mound and Fords Prairie. Nearby: Oakville (on the line), Centralia (on the line), Chehalis (on the line) and Pe Ell (4 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 501?
GMU 501 touches 7 other GMUs. Their public land and WDFW's 2025 deer numbers, for comparison:
| GMU | Name | Public land | Deer taken, 2025 | General hunters, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 505 | Mossyrock | 3.4% | 394 | 1,269 |
| GMU 530 | Ryderwood | 13.6% | 561 | 1,815 |
| GMU 660 | Minot Peak | 15.8% | 289 | 879 |
| GMU 663 | Capitol Peak | 68.5% | 388 | 1,816 |
| GMU 666 | Deschutes | 1.8% | 276 | 836 |
| GMU 667 | Skookumchuck | 13.8% | 849 | 2,300 |
| GMU 672 | Fall River | 26% | 340 | 1,165 |
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season in GMU 501 in 2026?
By WDFW's 2026 pamphlet, the general deer seasons open to all hunters in GMU 501 are archery: Sept. 1-25 (any deer, black-tailed deer); muzzleloader: Sept. 26-Oct. 4 (any buck, black-tailed deer) and Nov. 25-Dec. 15 (late season, any buck, black-tailed deer); modern firearm: Oct. 17-Nov. 1 (any buck, black-tailed deer) and Nov. 19-22 (late season, any buck, black-tailed deer).
How many deer are taken in GMU 501?
WDFW reports 387 deer taken in GMU 501 in 2025: 370 antlered and 17 antlerless. The most in one year since 1997 was 587, in 2001.
Which special permit deer hunts include GMU 501?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 5 deer permit hunts for GMU 501: 1051 Lincoln (4 permits), 1308 Lincoln (15 permits), 1536 Lincoln (10 permits), 1625 Lincoln (5 permits) and 1727 Lincoln (2 permits). Applications for 2026 closed May 20.
How much public land is in GMU 501?
21.8% of GMU 501, 32,754 of its 150,408 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 501?
Grand Mound and Fords Prairie are inside the unit. Just outside: Oakville (on the line), Centralia (on the line) and Chehalis (on the line).
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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.
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