Puyallup GMU 652 deer hunting: harvest, seasons and public land
WDFW's harvest report shows 189 deer taken in GMU 652 Puyallup in 2025. General-season hunters numbered 754 (WDFW's archery, modern firearm, muzzleloader and multiple-season counts added together), with 5,131 hunter days. GMU 652 is 1.1% public land open to hunting, the largest share WDFW land (3,197 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)Military land (restricted)Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 652Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 6, Coastal Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 428,995 acres (670 square miles) |
| Counties | Pierce and King |
| Public land open to hunting | 1.1% (4,538 acres) |
| Deer taken, 2025 | 189 (266 in 2024) |
| General-season hunters, 2025 | 754 |
| Modern firearm, 2026 | Oct. 17-Nov. 1, any buck |
| Towns in and near it | Tacoma, Federal Way, Lakewood, Buckley, Auburn and Wilkeson |
Also for GMU 652: elk hunting, black bear hunting.
How many deer are taken in GMU 652?
WDFW reports 189 deer taken in GMU 652 in 2025, against 266 in 2024. The most in one year since 2000 was 266, in 2024. WDFW's figures average 208 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 196 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 | 189 | 189 | 169 | 20 | 754 | 5,131 | 25 | |
| 2024 | 266 | 265 | 1 | 242 | 24 | 881 | 5,748 | 30 |
| 2023 | 219 | 219 | 0 | 190 | 29 | 826 | 5,538 | 27 |
| 2022 | 160 | 160 | 146 | 14 | 831 | 5,504 | 19 | |
| 2021 | 205 | 205 | 0 | 161 | 44 | 865 | 5,723 | 24 |
| 2020 | 189 | 189 | 0 | 148 | 41 | 965 | 7,049 | 20 |
| 2019 | 180 | 180 | 0 | 140 | 40 | 864 | 6,305 | 21 |
| 2018 | 177 | 177 | 0 | 147 | 30 | 926 | 6,449 | 19 |
| 2017 | 202 | 202 | 0 | 162 | 40 | 1,076 | 7,672 | 19 |
| 2016 | 230 | 230 | 176 | 54 | 999 | 6,661 | 23 | |
| 2015 | 234 | 233 | 1 | 172 | 62 | 1,017 | 6,534 | 23 |
| 2014 | 145 | 145 | 116 | 29 | 862 | 5,385 | 17 | |
| 2013 | 172 | 171 | 1 | 145 | 27 | 911 | 5,699 | 19 |
| 2012 | 146 | 142 | 4 | 127 | 19 | 843 | 5,030 | 17 |
| 2011 | 128 | 123 | 5 | 113 | 15 | 945 | 5,618 | 13 |
| 2010 | 191 | 186 | 5 | 160 | 31 | 919 | 5,444 | 20 |
| 2009 | 164 | 159 | 5 | 127 | 37 | 948 | 5,725 | 17 |
| 2008 | 222 | 214 | 8 | 154 | 68 | |||
| 2007 | 175 | 175 | not split out | 135 | 40 | 991 | 5,569 | 18 |
| 2006 | 164 | 164 | not split out | 132 | 32 | 841 | 4,793 | 20 |
| 2005 | 149 | 149 | not split out | 124 | 25 | 911 | 5,129 | 16 |
| 2004 | 233 | 233 | not split out | 194 | 39 | 1,130 | 6,691 | 21 |
| 2003 | 203 | 203 | not split out | 166 | 37 | 932 | 5,814 | 22 |
| 2002 | 183 | 183 | not split out | 149 | 34 | 979 | 5,988 | 19 |
| 2001 | 215 | 215 | not split out | 170 | 45 | 1,148 | 6,560 | 19 |
| 2000 | 254 | 254 | not split out | 219 | 35 | 1,932 | 10,045 | 13 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer, GMU 652, 2000 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 652 in 2025?
The modern firearm general season drew the most deer hunters in GMU 652 in 2025: 398, who took 120 (30.2% success by WDFW's count).
| Weapon, 2025 general season | Hunters | Hunter days | Deer taken | Success (WDFW) | Days per animal (WDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 231 | 1,800 | 41 | 17.8% | 44 |
| Modern firearm | 398 | 1,733 | 120 | 30.2% | 14 |
| Muzzleloader | 37 | 195 | 11 | 29.8% | 18 |
| Multiple-season tag | 88 | 1,403 | 17 | 19.4% | 83 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer general season, 2025).
What size bucks come out of GMU 652?
WDFW counts antlered deer by the points on one side. In 2025, the most common was 2-point: 53 of 169 antlered deer.
| Year | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 or more | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22 | 53 | 51 | 29 | 14 | 20 |
| 2024 | 17 | 70 | 67 | 45 | 43 | 24 |
| 2023 | 35 | 54 | 44 | 38 | 19 | 29 |
| 2022 | 22 | 48 | 39 | 22 | 15 | 14 |
| 2021 | 33 | 51 | 37 | 28 | 12 | 44 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (deer, antler points).
When is deer season in GMU 652 in 2026?
General seasons for all hunters in GMU 652, 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 deer, 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 652 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 deer | 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.
How much public land is in GMU 652?
1.1% of GMU 652 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 4,538 of its 428,995 acres. The largest share is WDFW land, 3,197 acres or 0.7% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 1,341 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 652 |
|---|---|---|
| Military land (restricted) | 68,989 | 16.1% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 5,496 | 1.3% |
| WDFW land | 3,197 | 0.7% |
| DNR state trust land | 1,341 | 0.3% |
| National wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted) | 303 | 0.1% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 652, by WDFW's own boundaries: South Puget Sound Wildlife Area (47 acres here).
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 652?
Highways through the unit: I-5 (about 54 miles inside it), SR 161 (about 39 miles inside it), SR 509 (about 34 miles inside it), SR 7 (about 31 miles inside it) and SR 512 (about 24 miles inside it). Towns inside: Tacoma, Federal Way, Lakewood, Puyallup, Edgewood and University Place. Nearby: Buckley (on the line), Auburn (on the line), Wilkeson (on the line) and Carbonado (on the line).
Which GMUs border GMU 652?
GMU 652 touches 6 other GMUs. Their public land and WDFW's 2025 deer numbers, for comparison:
| GMU | Name | Public land | Deer taken, 2025 | General hunters, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 454 | Issaquah | 4.6% | 164 | 570 |
| GMU 653 | White River | 52.7% | 112 | 443 |
| GMU 654 | Mashel | 19.3% | 165 | 1,104 |
| GMU 655 | Anderson Island | 0% | 10 | 41 |
| GMU 666 | Deschutes | 1.8% | 276 | 836 |
| GMU 667 | Skookumchuck | 13.8% | 849 | 2,300 |
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season in GMU 652 in 2026?
By WDFW's 2026 pamphlet, the general deer seasons open to all hunters in GMU 652 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 deer, 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 652?
WDFW reports 189 deer taken in GMU 652 in 2025: 169 antlered and 20 antlerless. The most in one year since 2000 was 266, in 2024.
How much public land is in GMU 652?
1.1% of GMU 652, 4,538 of its 428,995 acres, is national forest, BLM, DNR trust, WDFW, Reclamation or national recreation area land; the largest share is WDFW land. Measured by FilledTag from WA DNR's public land maps.
What town is closest to GMU 652?
Tacoma, Federal Way and Lakewood are inside the unit. Just outside: Buckley (on the line), Auburn (on the line) and Wilkeson (on the line).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 652
Beginning at Redondo Junction on the shore of Puget Sound and Redondo Way S; SE on Redondo Way S to State Route (SR) 509; E on SR 509 to Pacific Hwy S (Old Hwy 99); S on Pacific Hwy S to SR 18 at the city of Auburn; E on SR 18 to SR 164; SE on SR 164 to SR 410 (Chinook Pass Hwy) at the town of Enumclaw; E on SR 410 to the second set of power transmission lines near the Mud Mountain Dam Rd; SW on the power transmission lines to the White River; NW along the White River to SR 410; S on SR 410 to SR 165; S on SR 165 to the first intersection with a power transmission line at T19N, R06E, Sec 21; SW on this power transmission line to Orville Rd E at the Puyallup River; S on Orville Rd E to SR 161; S on SR 161 to the Mashel River; down the Mashel River to the Nisqually River (Pierce-Thurston county line); NW along the Nisqually River, along the Pierce-Thurston county line, to the Nisqually Reach in the Puget Sound; NW along the Thurston- Pierce county line in the Nisqually Reach to a point on the Thurston-Pierce county line southeast of Drayton Passage Channel; NE through Drayton Passage and Pitt Passage to Carr Inlet; E and S around McNeil Island to a point southwest of the Tacoma Narrows (including McNeil, Gertrude and Ketron Islands); NE through the Tacoma Narrows to a point on the Pierce-King county line northeast of the main channel of the Tacoma Narrows; E on the Pierce-King county line to the point where the county line turns southeast, northwest of Dash Point; E to Redondo Junction on the eastern shore of the Puget Sound 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 6 GMU 454 GMU 653 GMU 654 GMU 655 GMU 666 GMU 667