Ryderwood GMU 530 deer hunting: harvest, seasons and permits
WDFW's harvest report shows 561 deer taken in GMU 530 Ryderwood in 2025, 5 of them on special permits. General-season hunters numbered 1,815 (WDFW's archery, modern firearm, muzzleloader and multiple-season counts added together), with 10,800 hunter days. GMU 530 is 13.6% public land open to hunting, the largest share DNR state trust land (47,485 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 530Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 5, Southwest Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 352,496 acres (551 square miles) |
| Public land open to hunting | 13.6% (47,831 acres) |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 561 (621 in 2024) |
| General-season hunters, 2025 | 1,815 |
| Modern firearm, 2026 | Oct. 17-Nov. 1, any buck |
| Deer special permit hunts, 2026 | 4 hunts, 34 permits |
| Towns in and near it | Winlock, Napavine, Vader, Pe Ell, Castle Rock and Chehalis |
Also for GMU 530: elk hunting, black bear hunting.
How many deer are taken in GMU 530?
WDFW reports 561 deer taken in GMU 530 in 2025, against 621 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 758, in 1997. WDFW's figures average 494 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 417 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 | 561 | 556 | 5 | 538 | 23 | 1,815 | 10,800 | 31 |
| 2024 | 621 | 614 | 7 | 611 | 10 | 1,812 | 10,778 | 34 |
| 2023 | 562 | 557 | 5 | 538 | 24 | 1,869 | 11,231 | 30 |
| 2022 | 361 | 359 | 2 | 341 | 20 | 1,768 | 10,782 | 20 |
| 2021 | 363 | 357 | 6 | 341 | 22 | 1,811 | 11,975 | 20 |
| 2020 | 439 | 436 | 3 | 417 | 22 | 1,932 | 12,481 | 23 |
| 2019 | 451 | 444 | 7 | 422 | 29 | 1,720 | 10,387 | 26 |
| 2018 | 398 | 389 | 9 | 375 | 23 | 1,696 | 10,554 | 23 |
| 2017 | 348 | 341 | 7 | 344 | 4 | 1,628 | 9,902 | 21 |
| 2016 | 449 | 448 | 1 | 449 | 0 | 1,645 | 9,883 | 27 |
| 2015 | 405 | 403 | 2 | 404 | 1 | 1,789 | 10,632 | 23 |
| 2014 | 405 | 403 | 2 | 403 | 2 | 1,818 | 11,061 | 22 |
| 2013 | 395 | 391 | 4 | 391 | 4 | 1,858 | 11,447 | 21 |
| 2012 | 353 | 348 | 5 | 348 | 5 | 1,862 | 11,561 | 19 |
| 2011 | 299 | 296 | 3 | 296 | 3 | 2,080 | 12,319 | 14 |
| 2010 | 457 | 455 | 2 | 455 | 2 | 2,254 | 12,860 | 20 |
| 2009 | 286 | 284 | 2 | 286 | 0 | 2,295 | 14,328 | 12 |
| 2008 | 377 | 372 | 5 | 377 | 0 | |||
| 2007 | 397 | 397 | not split out | 397 | 0 | 2,423 | 15,508 | 16 |
| 2006 | 444 | 444 | not split out | 444 | 0 | 2,582 | 16,683 | 17 |
| 2005 | 431 | 431 | not split out | 431 | 0 | 2,739 | 16,353 | 16 |
| 2004 | 632 | 632 | not split out | 632 | 0 | 2,865 | 16,724 | 22 |
| 2003 | 490 | 490 | not split out | 490 | 0 | 2,539 | 16,003 | 19 |
| 2002 | 427 | 427 | not split out | 427 | 0 | 2,689 | 17,527 | 16 |
| 2001 | 584 | 584 | not split out | 584 | 0 | 3,347 | 20,154 | 17 |
| 2000 | 470 | 470 | not split out | 470 | 0 | 4,012 | 19,311 | 12 |
| 1999 | 529 | 529 | not split out | 512 | 17 | 5,822 | 40,429 | 9 |
| 1998 | 510 | 510 | not split out | 481 | 29 | 5,057 | 23,368 | 10 |
| 1997 | 758 | 758 | not split out | 751 | 7 | 7,025 | 34,199 | 11 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer, GMU 530, 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 530 in 2025?
The modern firearm general season drew the most deer hunters in GMU 530 in 2025: 1,430, who took 459 (32% success by WDFW's count).
| Weapon, 2025 general season | Hunters | Hunter days | Deer taken | Success (WDFW) | Days per animal (WDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 190 | 1,124 | 46 | 24.2% | 24 |
| Modern firearm | 1,430 | 7,918 | 459 | 32% | 17 |
| Muzzleloader | 32 | 138 | 0 | 0% | |
| Multiple-season tag | 163 | 1,620 | 51 | 31.2% | 32 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer general season, 2025).
What size bucks come out of GMU 530?
WDFW counts antlered deer by the points on one side. In 2025, the most common was 2-point: 235 of 538 antlered deer.
| Year | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 or more | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 127 | 235 | 121 | 41 | 14 | 23 |
| 2024 | 167 | 249 | 116 | 58 | 21 | 10 |
| 2023 | 141 | 237 | 95 | 54 | 11 | 24 |
| 2022 | 80 | 155 | 68 | 31 | 7 | 20 |
| 2021 | 68 | 156 | 73 | 34 | 10 | 22 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer, antler points).
When is deer season in GMU 530 in 2026?
General seasons for all hunters in GMU 530, by weapon: archery: Sept. 1-20 (any deer, black-tailed deer) and Nov. 25-Dec. 15 (late season, any buck, 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 530 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modern firearm | General season | Black-tailed Deer | Oct. 17-Nov. 1 | Any buck | All hunters | Footnoted in WDFW's table (page 23) |
| Modern firearm | Late general season | Black-tailed Deer | Nov. 19-22 | Any buck | All hunters | Footnoted in WDFW's table (page 23) |
| Archery | Early archery season | Black-tailed Deer | Sept. 1-20 | Any deer | All hunters | Footnoted in WDFW's table (page 24) |
| Archery | Late archery season | Black-tailed Deer | Nov. 25-Dec. 15 | Any buck | All hunters | Footnoted in WDFW's table (page 24) |
| Muzzleloader | Early muzzleloader season | Black-tailed Deer | Sept. 26-Oct. 4 | Any buck | All hunters | Footnoted in WDFW's table (page 25) |
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 530?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 4 deer special permit hunts that take in GMU 530, with 34 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1058 | Ryderwood Quality Deer | Modern | Nov. 2-18 | Any Buck | GMU 530 | 4 | 272 / 8 | |
| 1311 | Ryderwood Antlerless Deer | Modern | Oct. 17-Nov. 1 | Antlerless | GMU 530 | 10 | 485 / 6 | 4 hunters, 0 taken |
| 1343 | Ryderwood Antlerless Deer | Muzzleloader | Sept. 26-Oct. 4 | Antlerless | GMU 530 | 10 | 45 / 4 | 4 hunters, 2 taken |
| 1543 | Ryderwood Youth only | Modern | Oct. 17-Nov. 1 | Antlerless | GMU 530 | 10 | 62 / 2 | 3 hunters, 2 taken |
Sources: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, pages 28, 31 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 530?
13.6% of GMU 530 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 47,831 of its 352,496 acres. The largest share is DNR state trust land, 47,485 acres or 13.5% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 47,485 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 530 |
|---|---|---|
| DNR state trust land | 47,485 | 13.5% |
| National wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted) | 3,113 | 0.9% |
| WDFW land | 346 | 0.1% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 169 | under 0.1% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 530, by WDFW's own boundaries: Mount Saint Helens Wildlife Area (249 acres here; units White Island and Abernathy 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 530?
Highways through the unit: SR 4 (about 20 miles inside it), I-5 (about 18 miles inside it), SR 6 (about 16 miles inside it), SR 603 (about 14 miles inside it) and SR 506 (about 12 miles inside it). Towns inside: Winlock, Napavine, Vader, Cathlamet, Puget Island and East Cathlamet. Nearby: Pe Ell (on the line), Castle Rock (on the line), Chehalis (on the line) and Toledo (2 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 530?
GMU 530 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 504 | Stella | 0.3% | 185 | 402 |
| GMU 505 | Mossyrock | 3.4% | 394 | 1,269 |
| GMU 506 | Willapa Hills | 16.6% | 377 | 1,178 |
| GMU 520 | Winston | 13.8% | 545 | 1,691 |
| GMU 550 | Coweeman | 7.2% | 661 | 2,025 |
| GMU 672 | Fall River | 26% | 340 | 1,165 |
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season in GMU 530 in 2026?
By WDFW's 2026 pamphlet, the general deer seasons open to all hunters in GMU 530 are archery: Sept. 1-20 (any deer, black-tailed deer) and Nov. 25-Dec. 15 (late season, any buck, 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 530?
WDFW reports 561 deer taken in GMU 530 in 2025: 538 antlered and 23 antlerless. The most in one year since 1997 was 758, in 1997.
Which special permit deer hunts include GMU 530?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 4 deer permit hunts for GMU 530: 1058 Ryderwood (4 permits), 1311 Ryderwood (10 permits), 1343 Ryderwood (10 permits) and 1543 Ryderwood (10 permits). Applications for 2026 closed May 20.
How much public land is in GMU 530?
13.6% of GMU 530, 47,831 of its 352,496 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 530?
Winlock, Napavine and Vader are inside the unit. Just outside: Pe Ell (on the line), Castle Rock (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.
Washington hunting Washington deer by GMU Region 5 GMU 501 GMU 504 GMU 505 GMU 506 GMU 520 GMU 550 GMU 672