Ringold GMU 379 elk hunting: harvest, seasons and public land
WDFW's harvest report shows 22 elk taken in GMU 379 Ringold in 2025. General-season hunters numbered 165 (WDFW's archery, modern firearm, muzzleloader and multiple-season counts added together), with 836 hunter days. GMU 379 is 7.3% public land open to hunting, the largest share Bureau of Reclamation (16,153 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.
BLMDNR state trust landWDFW landNational wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted)Bureau of ReclamationMilitary land (restricted)Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 379Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 3, South Central Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 329,928 acres (516 square miles) |
| Public land open to hunting | 7.3% (23,960 acres) |
| Elk taken, 2025 | 22 (29 in 2024) |
| General-season hunters, 2025 | 165 |
| Modern firearm, 2026 | Oct. 31-Nov. 15, any elk |
| Towns in and near it | Pasco, Basin City, West Pasco, Mesa, Richland and Kennewick |
Also for GMU 379: deer hunting.
How many elk are taken in GMU 379?
WDFW reports 22 elk taken in GMU 379 in 2025, against 29 in 2024. The most in one year since 2006 was 33, in 2018. WDFW's figures average 20 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 14 a year for 2016 to 2020.
| Year | Elk taken, all hunts | General season | Special permit | Antlered | Antlerless | General-season hunters | Hunter days | Elk per 100 general hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22 | 22 | 8 | 14 | 165 | 836 | 13 | |
| 2024 | 29 | 29 | 12 | 17 | 178 | 999 | 16 | |
| 2023 | 11 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 162 | 682 | 7 | |
| 2022 | 27 | 27 | 10 | 17 | 138 | 457 | 20 | |
| 2021 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 75 | 281 | 13 | |
| 2020 | 18 | 18 | 7 | 11 | 97 | 318 | 19 | |
| 2019 | 11 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 68 | 238 | 16 | |
| 2018 | 33 | 33 | 14 | 19 | 74 | 193 | 45 | |
| 2017 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 26 | 33 | |
| 2016 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 37 | 133 | 5 | |
| 2015 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 37 | 10 | |
| 2014 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 16 | 14 | |
| 2013 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 41 | 13 | |
| 2012 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 57 | 5 | |
| 2011 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 31 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 57 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 33 | 65 | 27 |
| 2008 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2007 | 0 | 0 | not split out | 0 | 0 | 20 | 73 | 0 |
| 2006 | 2 | 2 | not split out | 1 | 1 | 17 | 40 | 12 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk, GMU 379, 2006 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. Elk 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 379 in 2025?
The archery general season drew the most elk hunters in GMU 379 in 2025: 71, who took 7 (9.8% success by WDFW's count).
| Weapon, 2025 general season | Hunters | Hunter days | Elk taken | Success (WDFW) | Days per animal (WDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 71 | 313 | 7 | 9.8% | 45 |
| Modern firearm | 52 | 282 | 4 | 7.6% | 71 |
| Muzzleloader | 42 | 241 | 11 | 26.2% | 22 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk general season, 2025).
What size bulls come out of GMU 379?
WDFW counts antlered elk by the points on one side. In 2025, the most common was 6-point or larger: 4 of 8 antlered elk.
| Year | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 points | 6 or more | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 14 |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 17 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 |
| 2022 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 17 |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk, antler points).
When is elk season in GMU 379 in 2026?
General seasons for all hunters in GMU 379, by weapon: archery: Sept. 12-24 (any elk) and Oct. 31-Nov. 15 (late season, any elk); muzzleloader: Oct. 3-9 (any elk) and Oct. 31-Nov. 15 (late season, any elk); modern firearm: Oct. 31-Nov. 15 (any elk).
| Weapon | Season | 2026 dates | Legal elk | Who | WDFW's notes for GMU 379 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modern firearm | General season | Oct. 31-Nov. 15 | Any elk | All hunters | Footnoted in WDFW's table (page 44) |
| Archery | Early archery season | Sept. 12-24 | Any elk | All hunters | Footnoted in WDFW's table (page 45) |
| Archery | Late archery season | Oct. 31-Nov. 15 | Any elk | All hunters | Footnoted in WDFW's table (page 45) |
| Muzzleloader | Early muzzleloader season | Oct. 3-9 | Any elk | All hunters | Footnoted in WDFW's table (page 46) |
| Muzzleloader | Late muzzleloader season | Oct. 31-Nov. 15 | Any elk | All hunters | Footnoted in WDFW's table (page 46) |
Source: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, pages 44, 45 and 46, 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 379?
7.3% of GMU 379 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 23,960 of its 329,928 acres. The largest share is Bureau of Reclamation, 16,153 acres or 4.9% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 5,371 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 379 |
|---|---|---|
| National wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted) | 56,982 | 17.3% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 16,153 | 4.9% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 8,668 | 2.6% |
| DNR state trust land | 5,371 | 1.6% |
| WDFW land | 2,342 | 0.7% |
| Military land (restricted) | 364 | 0.1% |
| BLM | 94 | under 0.1% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 379, by WDFW's own boundaries: Sunnyside-Snake River Wildlife Area (8,730 acres here; units Hope Valley, Mesa Lake, Windmill Ranch and Bailie).
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 379?
Highways through the unit: US 395 (about 26 miles inside it), US 12 (about 14 miles inside it), I-182 (about 14 miles inside it), SR 24 (about 13 miles inside it) and SR 17 (about 7 miles inside it). Towns inside: Pasco, Basin City and West Pasco. Nearby: Mesa (on the line), Richland (on the line), Kennewick (2 miles) and West Richland (6 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 379?
GMU 379 touches 4 other GMUs. Their public land and WDFW's 2025 elk numbers, for comparison:
| GMU | Name | Public land | Elk taken, 2025 | General hunters, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 278 | Wahluke | 20.8% | 2 | 37 |
| GMU 372 | Rattlesnake Hills | 7.1% | 41 | 128 |
| GMU 373 | Horse Heaven | 8.3% | 0 | 25 |
| GMU 381 | Kahlotus | 10% | 27 | 86 |
Questions hunters ask
When is elk season in GMU 379 in 2026?
By WDFW's 2026 pamphlet, the general elk seasons open to all hunters in GMU 379 are archery: Sept. 12-24 (any elk) and Oct. 31-Nov. 15 (late season, any elk); muzzleloader: Oct. 3-9 (any elk) and Oct. 31-Nov. 15 (late season, any elk); modern firearm: Oct. 31-Nov. 15 (any elk).
How many elk are taken in GMU 379?
WDFW reports 22 elk taken in GMU 379 in 2025: 8 antlered and 14 antlerless. The most in one year since 2006 was 33, in 2018.
How much public land is in GMU 379?
7.3% of GMU 379, 23,960 of its 329,928 acres, is national forest, BLM, DNR trust, WDFW, Reclamation or national recreation area land; the largest share is Bureau of Reclamation. Measured by FilledTag from WA DNR's public land maps.
What town is closest to GMU 379?
Pasco, Basin City and West Pasco are inside the unit. Just outside: Mesa (on the line), Richland (on the line) and Kennewick (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.
Washington hunting Washington elk by GMU Region 3 GMU 278 GMU 372 GMU 381