South Rainier GMU 513 elk hunting: harvest, seasons and permits
WDFW's harvest report shows 27 elk taken in GMU 513 South Rainier in 2025, 1 of them on special permits. General-season hunters numbered 502 (WDFW's archery, modern firearm, muzzleloader and multiple-season counts added together), with 2,657 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) |
| Elk taken, 2025 | 27 (44 in 2024) |
| General-season hunters, 2025 | 502 |
| Modern firearm, 2026 | Nov. 7-18, 3 pt. min. |
| Elk special permit hunts, 2026 | 1 hunt, 3 permits |
| Towns in and near it | Packwood, Eatonville and Morton |
Also for GMU 513: deer hunting, black bear hunting.
How many elk are taken in GMU 513?
WDFW reports 27 elk taken in GMU 513 in 2025, against 44 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 80, in 2009. WDFW's figures average 38 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 49 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 | 27 | 26 | 1 | 26 | 1 | 502 | 2,657 | 5 |
| 2024 | 44 | 43 | 1 | 44 | 0 | 515 | 2,617 | 8 |
| 2023 | 27 | 26 | 1 | 27 | 0 | 497 | 2,605 | 5 |
| 2022 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 0 | 468 | 2,413 | 10 | |
| 2021 | 42 | 41 | 1 | 42 | 0 | 516 | 2,526 | 8 |
| 2020 | 54 | 53 | 1 | 53 | 1 | 538 | 2,847 | 10 |
| 2019 | 49 | 46 | 3 | 49 | 0 | 509 | 2,639 | 9 |
| 2018 | 40 | 38 | 2 | 40 | 0 | 588 | 3,047 | 6 |
| 2017 | 48 | 46 | 2 | 48 | 0 | 628 | 3,158 | 7 |
| 2016 | 56 | 54 | 2 | 55 | 1 | 590 | 2,973 | 9 |
| 2015 | 53 | 52 | 1 | 52 | 1 | 606 | 2,995 | 9 |
| 2014 | 71 | 68 | 3 | 70 | 1 | 560 | 2,676 | 12 |
| 2013 | 51 | 48 | 3 | 51 | 0 | 553 | 2,639 | 9 |
| 2012 | 54 | 53 | 1 | 54 | 0 | 597 | 2,941 | 9 |
| 2011 | 54 | 51 | 3 | 53 | 1 | 592 | 3,047 | 9 |
| 2010 | 54 | 51 | 3 | 54 | 0 | 638 | 3,193 | 8 |
| 2009 | 80 | 77 | 3 | 80 | 0 | 625 | 2,852 | 12 |
| 2008 | 39 | 37 | 2 | 39 | 0 | |||
| 2007 | 40 | 40 | not split out | 40 | 0 | 494 | 2,419 | 8 |
| 2006 | 27 | 27 | not split out | 27 | 0 | 583 | 2,633 | 5 |
| 2005 | 73 | 73 | not split out | 73 | 0 | 533 | 2,444 | 14 |
| 2004 | 48 | 48 | not split out | 48 | 0 | 574 | 2,740 | 8 |
| 2003 | 44 | 44 | not split out | 44 | 0 | 602 | 2,839 | 7 |
| 2002 | 41 | 41 | not split out | 41 | 0 | 695 | 3,264 | 6 |
| 2001 | 39 | 39 | not split out | 39 | 0 | 644 | 2,835 | 6 |
| 2000 | 65 | 65 | not split out | 65 | 0 | 793 | 2,877 | 8 |
| 1999 | 42 | 42 | not split out | 34 | 8 | 893 | 4,668 | 5 |
| 1998 | 47 | 47 | not split out | 30 | 17 | 810 | 3,252 | 6 |
| 1997 | 39 | 39 | not split out | 30 | 9 | 829 | 3,313 | 5 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk, 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. 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 513 in 2025?
The archery general season drew the most elk hunters in GMU 513 in 2025: 204, who took 16 (7.8% success by WDFW's count).
| Weapon, 2025 general season | Hunters | Hunter days | Elk taken | Success (WDFW) | Days per animal (WDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 204 | 1,245 | 16 | 7.8% | 78 |
| Modern firearm | 151 | 744 | 6 | 4% | 124 |
| Muzzleloader | 134 | 586 | 4 | 3% | 147 |
| Multiple-season tag | 13 | 82 | 0 | 0% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk general season, 2025).
What size bulls come out of GMU 513?
WDFW counts antlered elk by the points on one side. In 2025, the most common was 5-point: 12 of 26 antlered elk.
| Year | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 points | 6 or more | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 12 | 7 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 17 | 19 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 25 | 16 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 17 | 16 | 0 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk, antler points).
When is elk season in GMU 513 in 2026?
General seasons for all hunters in GMU 513, by weapon: archery: Sept. 12-24 (3 pt. min.); muzzleloader: Oct. 3-9 (3 pt. min.); modern firearm: Nov. 7-18 (3 pt. min.).
| Weapon | Season | 2026 dates | Legal elk | Who | WDFW's notes for GMU 513 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modern firearm | General season | Nov. 7-18 | 3 pt. min. | All hunters | |
| Archery | Early archery season | Sept. 12-24 | 3 pt. min. | All hunters | |
| Muzzleloader | Early muzzleloader season | Oct. 3-9 | 3 pt. min. | All hunters |
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.
Which special permit elk hunts include GMU 513?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 1 elk special permit hunt that takes in GMU 513, with 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | South Rainier Quality Elk | WF | Sept. 28-Oct. 2 | Any Bull | GMUs 510, 513 | 3 | 208 / 15 | 2 hunters, 0 taken |
Sources: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, page 48; 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 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 elk numbers, for comparison:
| GMU | Name | Public land | Elk taken, 2025 | General hunters, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 356 | Bumping | 99.9% | 40 | 589 |
| GMU 364 | Rimrock | 96.3% | 75 | 939 |
| GMU 510 | Stormking | 32.6% | 12 | 279 |
| GMU 516 | Packwood | 92.9% | 59 | 835 |
| GMU 654 | Mashel | 19.3% | 97 | 810 |
Questions hunters ask
When is elk season in GMU 513 in 2026?
By WDFW's 2026 pamphlet, the general elk seasons open to all hunters in GMU 513 are archery: Sept. 12-24 (3 pt. min.); muzzleloader: Oct. 3-9 (3 pt. min.); modern firearm: Nov. 7-18 (3 pt. min.).
How many elk are taken in GMU 513?
WDFW reports 27 elk taken in GMU 513 in 2025: 26 antlered and 1 antlerless. The most in one year since 1997 was 80, in 2009.
Which special permit elk hunts include GMU 513?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 1 elk permit hunt for GMU 513: 2029 South Rainier (3 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 elk by GMU Region 5 GMU 356 GMU 364 GMU 510 GMU 516 GMU 654