South Rainier GMU 513 deer hunting: harvest, seasons and permits
WDFW's harvest report shows 55 deer taken in GMU 513 South Rainier in 2025, 1 of them on special permits. General-season hunters numbered 303 (WDFW's archery, modern firearm, muzzleloader and multiple-season counts added together), with 1,181 hunter days. GMU 513 is 93.2% public land open to hunting, the largest share national forest (141,667 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 landNational park or historic site (no hunting)Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 513Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 5, Southwest Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 153,803 acres (240 square miles) |
| Counties | Lewis |
| Public land open to hunting | 93.2% (143,380 acres) |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 55 (33 in 2024) |
| General-season hunters, 2025 | 303 |
| Modern firearm, 2026 | Oct. 17-Nov. 1, any buck |
| Deer special permit hunts, 2026 | 2 hunts, 6 permits |
| Towns in and near it | Packwood, Eatonville and Morton |
Also for GMU 513: elk hunting, black bear hunting.
How many deer are taken in GMU 513?
WDFW reports 55 deer taken in GMU 513 in 2025, against 33 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 118, in 1997. WDFW's figures average 37 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 36 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 | 55 | 54 | 1 | 55 | 0 | 303 | 1,181 | 18 |
| 2024 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 249 | 1,226 | 13 | |
| 2023 | 28 | 27 | 1 | 27 | 1 | 237 | 1,414 | 11 |
| 2022 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 264 | 1,199 | 13 | |
| 2021 | 37 | 37 | 37 | 0 | 320 | 1,791 | 12 | |
| 2020 | 24 | 23 | 1 | 20 | 4 | 270 | 1,171 | 9 |
| 2019 | 33 | 33 | 30 | 3 | 278 | 1,551 | 12 | |
| 2018 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 3 | 346 | 1,707 | 7 | |
| 2017 | 56 | 55 | 1 | 53 | 3 | 310 | 1,389 | 18 |
| 2016 | 42 | 39 | 3 | 34 | 8 | 321 | 1,514 | 12 |
| 2015 | 34 | 32 | 2 | 28 | 6 | 325 | 1,551 | 10 |
| 2014 | 41 | 37 | 4 | 34 | 7 | 346 | 1,583 | 11 |
| 2013 | 27 | 24 | 3 | 21 | 6 | 353 | 1,734 | 7 |
| 2012 | 53 | 48 | 5 | 38 | 15 | 396 | 2,052 | 12 |
| 2011 | 42 | 41 | 1 | 37 | 5 | 405 | 2,024 | 10 |
| 2010 | 69 | 66 | 3 | 56 | 13 | 456 | 2,405 | 14 |
| 2009 | 49 | 44 | 5 | 42 | 7 | 382 | 1,779 | 12 |
| 2008 | 43 | 39 | 4 | 40 | 4 | |||
| 2007 | 50 | 50 | not split out | 44 | 6 | 446 | 2,053 | 11 |
| 2006 | 68 | 68 | not split out | 60 | 8 | 475 | 2,275 | 14 |
| 2005 | 71 | 71 | not split out | 67 | 4 | 479 | 2,113 | 15 |
| 2004 | 81 | 81 | not split out | 72 | 9 | 532 | 2,428 | 15 |
| 2003 | 47 | 47 | not split out | 43 | 4 | 478 | 2,336 | 10 |
| 2002 | 54 | 54 | not split out | 46 | 8 | 554 | 2,915 | 10 |
| 2001 | 87 | 87 | not split out | 83 | 4 | 725 | 3,338 | 12 |
| 2000 | 74 | 74 | not split out | 66 | 8 | 914 | 2,933 | 8 |
| 1999 | 66 | 66 | not split out | 59 | 7 | 902 | 3,630 | 7 |
| 1998 | 109 | 109 | not split out | 99 | 10 | 1,164 | 4,276 | 9 |
| 1997 | 118 | 118 | not split out | 107 | 11 | 1,148 | 4,086 | 10 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer, GMU 513, 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 513 in 2025?
The modern firearm general season drew the most deer hunters in GMU 513 in 2025: 239, who took 47 (19.6% success by WDFW's count).
| Weapon, 2025 general season | Hunters | Hunter days | Deer taken | Success (WDFW) | Days per animal (WDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 25 | 107 | 2 | 8% | 54 |
| Modern firearm | 239 | 838 | 47 | 19.6% | 18 |
| Muzzleloader | 6 | 19 | 0 | 0% | |
| Multiple-season tag | 33 | 217 | 5 | 15.2% | 43 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer general season, 2025).
What size bucks come out of GMU 513?
WDFW counts antlered deer by the points on one side. In 2025, the most common was 3-point: 21 of 55 antlered deer.
| Year | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 or more | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 4 | 9 | 0 |
| 2024 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| 2023 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 2022 | 5 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 | 16 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 0 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer, antler points).
When is deer season in GMU 513 in 2026?
General seasons for all hunters in GMU 513, by weapon: archery: Sept. 1-20 (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) and Nov. 19-22 (late season, any buck, black-tailed deer).
| Weapon | Season | Deer | 2026 dates | Legal deer | Who | WDFW's notes for GMU 513 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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. 1-20 | 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 513?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 2 deer special permit hunts that take in GMU 513, with 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1055 | South Rainier Quality Deer | Modern | Nov. 2-18 | Any Buck | GMU 513 | 1 | 33 / 11 | |
| 1540 | South Rainier Youth only | Modern | Oct. 17-Nov. 1 | Antlerless | GMU 513 | 5 | 8 / 1 | 2 hunters, 0 taken |
Sources: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, pages 28 and 36; 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 513?
93.2% of GMU 513 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 143,380 of its 153,803 acres. The largest share is national forest, 141,667 acres or 92.1% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 1,598 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 513 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 141,667 | 92.1% |
| DNR state trust land | 1,598 | 1% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 179 | 0.1% |
| BLM | 115 | 0.1% |
| National park or historic site (no hunting) | 66 | 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 513?
Highways through the unit: US 12 (about 22 miles inside it) and SR 123 (about 3 miles inside it). Towns inside: Packwood. Nearby: Eatonville (16 miles) and Morton (17 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 513?
GMU 513 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 356 | Bumping | 99.9% | 4 | 171 |
| GMU 364 | Rimrock | 96.3% | 8 | 335 |
| GMU 510 | Stormking | 32.6% | 89 | 399 |
| GMU 516 | Packwood | 92.9% | 126 | 648 |
| GMU 654 | Mashel | 19.3% | 165 | 1,104 |
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season in GMU 513 in 2026?
By WDFW's 2026 pamphlet, the general deer seasons open to all hunters in GMU 513 are archery: Sept. 1-20 (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) and Nov. 19-22 (late season, any buck, black-tailed deer).
How many deer are taken in GMU 513?
WDFW reports 55 deer taken in GMU 513 in 2025: 55 antlered and 0 antlerless. The most in one year since 1997 was 118, in 1997.
Which special permit deer hunts include GMU 513?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 2 deer permit hunts for GMU 513: 1055 South Rainier (1 permit) and 1540 South Rainier (5 permits). Applications for 2026 closed May 20.
How much public land is in GMU 513?
93.2% of GMU 513, 143,380 of its 153,803 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 513?
Packwood is inside the unit. Just outside: Eatonville (16 miles) and Morton (17 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 513
Beginning on US Hwy (US) 12 at the Silver Creek bridge; N up Silver Creek to Silverbrook Rd; E on Silverdale Rd to US Forest Service (USFS) Rd 47; N on USFS Rd 47 to USFS Rd 85; W and N on USFS Rd 85 to USFS Rd 52; W and N on USFS Rd 52 to the Nisqually River; E up the Nisqually River to the southern boundary of Mount Rainier National Park; E along the south park boundary to the USFS Trail 2000 (Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail); S along the USFS Trail 2000 to US 12; W on US 12 to the Silver Creek bridge and 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 5 GMU 356 GMU 364 GMU 510 GMU 516 GMU 654