Green River GMU 485 elk hunting: harvest, seasons and permits
WDFW's harvest report shows 4 elk taken in GMU 485 Green River in 2025, 4 of them on special permits. GMU 485 is 53.8% public land open to hunting, the largest share DNR state trust land (41,516 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 landOther public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 485Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 4, North Puget Sound |
|---|---|
| Size | 86,958 acres (136 square miles) |
| Counties | King |
| Public land open to hunting | 53.8% (46,782 acres) |
| Elk taken, 2025 | 4 (3 in 2024) |
| Elk special permit hunts, 2026 | 2 hunts, 6 permits |
| Towns in and near it | Enumclaw, Black Diamond and Maple Valley |
Also for GMU 485: deer hunting.
How many elk are taken in GMU 485?
WDFW reports 4 elk taken in GMU 485 in 2025, against 3 in 2024. The most in one year since 2008 was 13, in 2019. WDFW's figures average 6 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 9 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 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | |||
| 2024 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | |||
| 2023 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 3 | |||
| 2022 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 4 | |||
| 2021 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 7 | |||
| 2020 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 6 | ||||
| 2019 | 13 | 0 | 13 | 5 | 8 | |||
| 2018 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | |||
| 2017 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 4 | |||
| 2016 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 3 | ||||
| 2015 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | ||||
| 2014 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | ||||
| 2013 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | ||||
| 2012 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 100 |
| 2011 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 0 | ||||
| 2010 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 1 | ||||
| 2009 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 |
| 2008 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk, GMU 485, 2008 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.
What size bulls come out of GMU 485?
WDFW counts antlered elk by the points on one side. In 2025, the most common was 5-point: 2 of 4 antlered elk.
| Year | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 points | 6 or more | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk, antler points).
When is elk season in GMU 485 in 2026?
No general elk season is open to all hunters in GMU 485 in 2026.
Source: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, 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 elk hunts include GMU 485?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 2 elk special permit hunts that take in GMU 485, 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 elk | Unit or area | 2026 permits | 2025 applicants / average points (WDFW) | 2025 result: hunters, elk taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Green River Quality Elk | WA, WF, WM | Oct. 17-21 and Nov. 7-11 | Any Bull | GMU 485 | 4 | 969 / 16 | 3 hunters, 3 taken |
| 2423 | Green River Youth only | WF, WM, WA | Oct. 17-21 and Nov. 7-11 | Any Bull | GMU 485 | 2 | 327 / 3 |
Sources: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, pages 47 and 55; WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk 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 485?
53.8% of GMU 485 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 46,782 of its 86,958 acres. The largest share is DNR state trust land, 41,516 acres or 47.7% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 41,516 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 485 |
|---|---|---|
| DNR state trust land | 41,516 | 47.7% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 10,206 | 11.7% |
| National forest | 5,266 | 6.1% |
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 485?
No numbered highway crosses the unit. Nearby: Enumclaw (7 miles), Black Diamond (8 miles), Maple Valley (9 miles) and Buckley (9 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 485?
GMU 485 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 454 | Issaquah | 4.6% | 106 | 509 |
| GMU 466 | Stampede | 58.4% | 11 | 334 |
| GMU 490 | Cedar River | 0% | 0 | |
| GMU 653 | White River | 52.7% | 70 | 142 |
Questions hunters ask
When is elk season in GMU 485 in 2026?
GMU 485 has no general elk season open to all hunters in 2026; WDFW lists 2 special permit hunts that include it.
How many elk are taken in GMU 485?
WDFW reports 4 elk taken in GMU 485 in 2025: 4 antlered and 0 antlerless. The most in one year since 2008 was 13, in 2019.
Which special permit elk hunts include GMU 485?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 2 elk permit hunts for GMU 485: 2027 Green River (4 permits) and 2423 Green River (2 permits). Applications for 2026 closed May 20.
How much public land is in GMU 485?
53.8% of GMU 485, 46,782 of its 86,958 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 485?
No town or Census-listed community is inside it. The nearest towns are Enumclaw (7 miles), Black Diamond (8 miles) and Maple Valley (9 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 485
The area within the posted GMU 485 boundary encompassing the controlled access portion of the Green River Watershed; including the posted southern boundary of the City of Seattle Cedar River Watershed found between the E and W posted GMU 485 boundary lines.
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 elk by GMU Region 4 GMU 454 GMU 466 GMU 653