Mossyrock GMU 505 deer hunting: harvest, seasons and permits
WDFW's harvest report shows 394 deer taken in GMU 505 Mossyrock in 2025, 6 of them on special permits. General-season hunters numbered 1,269 (WDFW's archery, modern firearm, muzzleloader and multiple-season counts added together), with 6,832 hunter days. GMU 505 is 3.4% public land open to hunting, the largest share DNR state trust land (6,282 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 505Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 5, Southwest Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 189,663 acres (296 square miles) |
| Public land open to hunting | 3.4% (6,494 acres) |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 394 (409 in 2024) |
| General-season hunters, 2025 | 1,269 |
| Modern firearm, 2026 | Oct. 17-Nov. 1, any buck |
| Deer special permit hunts, 2026 | 6 hunts, 60 permits |
| Towns in and near it | Chehalis, Morton, Mossyrock, Napavine, Centralia and Winlock |
Also for GMU 505: elk hunting, black bear hunting.
How many deer are taken in GMU 505?
WDFW reports 394 deer taken in GMU 505 in 2025, against 409 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 537, in 1997. WDFW's figures average 351 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 286 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 | 394 | 388 | 6 | 362 | 32 | 1,269 | 6,832 | 31 |
| 2024 | 409 | 405 | 4 | 391 | 18 | 1,203 | 6,410 | 34 |
| 2023 | 410 | 405 | 5 | 373 | 37 | 1,353 | 6,879 | 30 |
| 2022 | 254 | 251 | 3 | 238 | 16 | 1,078 | 5,965 | 23 |
| 2021 | 290 | 284 | 6 | 259 | 31 | 1,193 | 7,868 | 24 |
| 2020 | 283 | 278 | 5 | 251 | 32 | 1,233 | 6,805 | 23 |
| 2019 | 261 | 254 | 7 | 228 | 33 | 988 | 5,417 | 26 |
| 2018 | 266 | 251 | 15 | 229 | 37 | 1,044 | 6,226 | 24 |
| 2017 | 245 | 236 | 9 | 202 | 43 | 1,188 | 6,646 | 20 |
| 2016 | 377 | 363 | 14 | 324 | 53 | 1,363 | 7,427 | 27 |
| 2015 | 302 | 290 | 12 | 242 | 60 | 1,209 | 6,908 | 24 |
| 2014 | 307 | 290 | 17 | 248 | 59 | 1,339 | 7,494 | 22 |
| 2013 | 331 | 324 | 7 | 267 | 64 | 1,420 | 8,289 | 23 |
| 2012 | 306 | 295 | 11 | 247 | 59 | 1,324 | 7,710 | 22 |
| 2011 | 287 | 277 | 10 | 232 | 55 | 1,446 | 8,117 | 19 |
| 2010 | 301 | 287 | 14 | 252 | 49 | 1,414 | 8,146 | 20 |
| 2009 | 283 | 253 | 30 | 218 | 65 | 1,508 | 8,953 | 17 |
| 2008 | 320 | 292 | 28 | 261 | 60 | |||
| 2007 | 345 | 345 | not split out | 297 | 48 | 1,510 | 8,322 | 23 |
| 2006 | 325 | 325 | not split out | 285 | 40 | 1,510 | 9,094 | 22 |
| 2005 | 303 | 303 | not split out | 241 | 62 | 1,415 | 7,816 | 21 |
| 2004 | 333 | 333 | not split out | 279 | 54 | 1,583 | 9,192 | 21 |
| 2003 | 330 | 330 | not split out | 285 | 45 | 1,456 | 8,189 | 23 |
| 2002 | 358 | 358 | not split out | 303 | 55 | 1,976 | 12,000 | 18 |
| 2001 | 423 | 423 | not split out | 359 | 64 | 2,311 | 13,059 | 18 |
| 2000 | 344 | 344 | not split out | 300 | 44 | 2,821 | 11,903 | 12 |
| 1999 | 463 | 463 | not split out | 422 | 41 | 2,828 | 17,724 | 16 |
| 1998 | 388 | 388 | not split out | 334 | 54 | 3,398 | 13,869 | 11 |
| 1997 | 537 | 537 | not split out | 461 | 76 | 2,923 | 10,527 | 18 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer, GMU 505, 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 505 in 2025?
The modern firearm general season drew the most deer hunters in GMU 505 in 2025: 997, who took 322 (32.2% success by WDFW's count).
| Weapon, 2025 general season | Hunters | Hunter days | Deer taken | Success (WDFW) | Days per animal (WDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 171 | 1,212 | 40 | 23.4% | 30 |
| Modern firearm | 997 | 5,033 | 322 | 32.2% | 16 |
| Muzzleloader | 31 | 150 | 7 | 22.6% | 21 |
| Multiple-season tag | 70 | 437 | 19 | 27.2% | 23 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer general season, 2025).
What size bucks come out of GMU 505?
WDFW counts antlered deer by the points on one side. In 2025, the most common was 2-point: 159 of 362 antlered deer.
| Year | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 or more | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 84 | 159 | 88 | 24 | 7 | 32 |
| 2024 | 73 | 140 | 117 | 47 | 14 | 18 |
| 2023 | 81 | 179 | 75 | 29 | 9 | 37 |
| 2022 | 68 | 76 | 76 | 18 | 0 | 16 |
| 2021 | 57 | 100 | 60 | 29 | 13 | 31 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer, antler points).
When is deer season in GMU 505 in 2026?
General seasons for all hunters in GMU 505, by weapon: archery: Sept. 1-25 (any deer, black-tailed deer) and Nov. 25-Dec. 31 (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) and Nov. 19-22 (late season, any buck, black-tailed deer).
| Weapon | Season | Deer | 2026 dates | Legal deer | Who | WDFW's notes for GMU 505 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Archery | Late archery season | Black-tailed Deer | Nov. 25-Dec. 31 | 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 505?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 6 deer special permit hunts that take in GMU 505, with 60 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1052 | Mossyrock Quality Deer | Modern | Nov. 2-18 | Any Buck | GMU 505 | 2 | 65 / 5 | |
| 1309 | Mossyrock Antlerless Deer | Modern | Oct. 17-Nov. 1 | Antlerless | GMU 505 | 30 | 452 / 5 | 10 hunters, 4 taken |
| 1341 | Mossyrock Antlerless Deer | Muzzleloader | Sept. 26-Oct. 4 | Antlerless | GMU 505 | 10 | 28 / 3 | 4 hunters, 1 taken |
| 1538 | Mossyrock Youth only | Modern | Oct. 17-Nov. 1 | Antlerless | GMU 505 | 10 | 34 / 1 | 1 hunter, 0 taken |
| 1626 | Mossyrock Hunters 65 or older | Modern | Oct. 17-Nov. 1 | Antlerless | GMU 505 | 5 | 50 / 4 | |
| 1728 | Mossyrock Hunters with disabilities | Modern | Oct. 17-Nov. 1 | Antlerless | GMU 505 | 3 | 18 / 3 |
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 505?
3.4% of GMU 505 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 6,494 of its 189,663 acres. The largest share is DNR state trust land, 6,282 acres or 3.3% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 6,282 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 505 |
|---|---|---|
| DNR state trust land | 6,282 | 3.3% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 1,277 | 0.7% |
| WDFW land | 211 | 0.1% |
| National forest | 1 | under 0.1% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 505, by WDFW's own boundaries: Cowlitz Wildlife Area (11,132 acres here; units Kosmos, Riffe Buffer, Peterman Ridge and Davis Lake).
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 505?
Highways through the unit: US 12 (about 52 miles inside it), SR 508 (about 29 miles inside it), I-5 (about 24 miles inside it), SR 122 (about 8 miles inside it) and SR 505 (about 4 miles inside it). Towns inside: Chehalis, Morton, Mossyrock, Toledo and Onalaska. Nearby: Napavine (on the line), Centralia (on the line), Winlock (2 miles) and Vader (3 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 505?
GMU 505 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 501 | Lincoln | 21.8% | 387 | 1,300 |
| GMU 503 | Randle | 11.1% | 88 | 433 |
| GMU 510 | Stormking | 32.6% | 89 | 399 |
| GMU 516 | Packwood | 92.9% | 126 | 648 |
| GMU 520 | Winston | 13.8% | 545 | 1,691 |
| GMU 530 | Ryderwood | 13.6% | 561 | 1,815 |
| GMU 667 | Skookumchuck | 13.8% | 849 | 2,300 |
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season in GMU 505 in 2026?
By WDFW's 2026 pamphlet, the general deer seasons open to all hunters in GMU 505 are archery: Sept. 1-25 (any deer, black-tailed deer) and Nov. 25-Dec. 31 (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) and Nov. 19-22 (late season, any buck, black-tailed deer).
How many deer are taken in GMU 505?
WDFW reports 394 deer taken in GMU 505 in 2025: 362 antlered and 32 antlerless. The most in one year since 1997 was 537, in 1997.
Which special permit deer hunts include GMU 505?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 6 deer permit hunts for GMU 505: 1052 Mossyrock (2 permits), 1309 Mossyrock (30 permits), 1341 Mossyrock (10 permits), 1538 Mossyrock (10 permits), 1626 Mossyrock (5 permits) and 1728 Mossyrock (3 permits). Applications for 2026 closed May 20.
How much public land is in GMU 505?
3.4% of GMU 505, 6,494 of its 189,663 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 505?
Chehalis, Morton and Mossyrock are inside the unit. Just outside: Napavine (on the line), Centralia (on the line) and Winlock (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.
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