Winston GMU 520 elk hunting: harvest, seasons and permits
WDFW's harvest report shows 65 elk taken in GMU 520 Winston in 2025, 3 of them on special permits. General-season hunters numbered 1,021 (WDFW's archery, modern firearm, muzzleloader and multiple-season counts added together), with 5,582 hunter days. GMU 520 is 13.8% public land open to hunting, the largest share DNR state trust land (20,511 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 landWDFW landOther public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 520Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 5, Southwest Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 191,034 acres (298 square miles) |
| Counties | Cowlitz, Lewis and Skamania |
| Public land open to hunting | 13.8% (26,380 acres) |
| Elk taken, 2025 | 65 (65 in 2024) |
| General-season hunters, 2025 | 1,021 |
| Modern firearm, 2026 | Nov. 7-18, 3 pt. min. |
| Elk special permit hunts, 2026 | 2 hunts, 1 permit where WDFW prints a number |
| Towns in and near it | Toledo, Vader and Castle Rock |
Also for GMU 520: deer hunting, black bear hunting.
How many elk are taken in GMU 520?
WDFW reports 65 elk taken in GMU 520 in 2025, against 65 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 699, in 2012. WDFW's figures average 90 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 164 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 | 65 | 62 | 3 | 63 | 2 | 1,021 | 5,582 | 6 |
| 2024 | 65 | 63 | 2 | 65 | 0 | 1,006 | 5,759 | 6 |
| 2023 | 66 | 63 | 3 | 57 | 9 | 1,202 | 7,007 | 5 |
| 2022 | 110 | 105 | 5 | 99 | 11 | 1,209 | 6,709 | 9 |
| 2021 | 143 | 138 | 5 | 121 | 22 | 1,409 | 8,198 | 10 |
| 2020 | 129 | 124 | 5 | 120 | 9 | 1,520 | 8,675 | 8 |
| 2019 | 150 | 145 | 5 | 131 | 19 | 1,486 | 8,533 | 10 |
| 2018 | 115 | 108 | 7 | 99 | 16 | 1,472 | 8,241 | 7 |
| 2017 | 165 | 160 | 5 | 130 | 35 | 1,709 | 11,143 | 9 |
| 2016 | 263 | 249 | 14 | 191 | 72 | 1,849 | 11,029 | 13 |
| 2015 | 201 | 192 | 9 | 159 | 42 | 2,127 | 12,482 | 9 |
| 2014 | 197 | 169 | 28 | 130 | 67 | 2,229 | 13,599 | 8 |
| 2013 | 437 | 277 | 160 | 207 | 230 | 3,759 | 21,280 | 7 |
| 2012 | 699 | 429 | 270 | 309 | 390 | 4,077 | 23,204 | 11 |
| 2011 | 515 | 266 | 249 | 178 | 337 | 4,315 | 24,071 | 6 |
| 2010 | 525 | 422 | 103 | 228 | 297 | 4,374 | 25,289 | 10 |
| 2009 | 423 | 321 | 102 | 244 | 179 | 4,739 | 28,613 | 7 |
| 2008 | 524 | 427 | 97 | 298 | 226 | |||
| 2007 | 475 | 475 | not split out | 300 | 175 | 4,708 | 28,161 | 10 |
| 2006 | 390 | 390 | not split out | 298 | 92 | 3,891 | 21,562 | 10 |
| 2005 | 440 | 440 | not split out | 349 | 91 | 3,508 | 18,871 | 13 |
| 2004 | 374 | 374 | not split out | 320 | 54 | 3,549 | 19,226 | 11 |
| 2003 | 436 | 436 | not split out | 335 | 101 | 3,046 | 17,604 | 14 |
| 2002 | 261 | 261 | not split out | 205 | 56 | 2,874 | 16,483 | 9 |
| 2001 | 203 | 203 | not split out | 164 | 39 | 2,822 | 16,479 | 7 |
| 2000 | 208 | 208 | not split out | 174 | 34 | 3,769 | 19,828 | 6 |
| 1999 | 283 | 283 | not split out | 209 | 74 | 4,324 | 33,756 | 7 |
| 1998 | 160 | 160 | not split out | 88 | 72 | 3,739 | 19,609 | 4 |
| 1997 | 164 | 164 | not split out | 98 | 66 | 3,070 | 15,920 | 5 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk, GMU 520, 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 520 in 2025?
The modern firearm general season drew the most elk hunters in GMU 520 in 2025: 619, who took 44 (7.2% success by WDFW's count).
| Weapon, 2025 general season | Hunters | Hunter days | Elk taken | Success (WDFW) | Days per animal (WDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 201 | 1,332 | 2 | 1% | 666 |
| Modern firearm | 619 | 3,228 | 44 | 7.2% | 73 |
| Muzzleloader | 171 | 809 | 10 | 5.8% | 81 |
| Multiple-season tag | 30 | 213 | 6 | 20% | 36 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk general season, 2025).
What size bulls come out of GMU 520?
WDFW counts antlered elk by the points on one side. In 2025, the most common was 5-point: 33 of 63 antlered elk.
| Year | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 points | 6 or more | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 33 | 17 | 2 |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 45 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 22 | 27 | 5 | 9 |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 25 | 52 | 12 | 11 |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 30 | 35 | 46 | 22 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk, antler points).
When is elk season in GMU 520 in 2026?
General seasons for all hunters in GMU 520, 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 520 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 520?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 2 elk special permit hunts that take in GMU 520, with 1 permit in all (WDFW prints no number for some). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2031 | Winston Quality Elk | WF | Sept. 28-Oct. 2 | Any Bull | GMU 520 | 1 | 76 / 21 | 1 hunter, 1 taken |
| 2710 | Region 5 Northwest- Hoof Disease Master Hunters only | Any elk tag | Dec. 1-Feb. 28 | Antlerless | GMUs 501, 503, 504, 505, 506, 520, 524, (except Elk Area 5066), 530, 550 | 73 / 3 | 13 hunters, 9 taken |
Sources: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, pages 48 and 58; 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 520?
13.8% of GMU 520 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 26,380 of its 191,034 acres. The largest share is DNR state trust land, 20,511 acres or 10.7% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 20,511 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 520 |
|---|---|---|
| DNR state trust land | 20,511 | 10.7% |
| National forest | 5,567 | 2.9% |
| WDFW land | 260 | 0.1% |
| BLM | 42 | under 0.1% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 41 | under 0.1% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 520, by WDFW's own boundaries: Cowlitz Wildlife Area (1,193 acres here; units Riffe Buffer, Swofford and Mayfield Buffer) and Mount Saint Helens Wildlife Area (249 acres here; units Hoffstadt and Gardner).
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 520?
Highways through the unit: I-5 (about 15 miles inside it), SR 505 (about 12 miles inside it) and SR 504 (about 10 miles inside it). Nearby: Toledo (on the line), Vader (on the line), Castle Rock (3 miles) and Mossyrock (3 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 520?
GMU 520 touches 7 other GMUs. Their public land and WDFW's 2025 elk numbers, for comparison:
| GMU | Name | Public land | Elk taken, 2025 | General hunters, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 503 | Randle | 11.1% | 20 | 399 |
| GMU 505 | Mossyrock | 3.4% | 34 | 446 |
| GMU 516 | Packwood | 92.9% | 59 | 835 |
| GMU 524 | Margaret | 24.8% | 41 | 498 |
| GMU 530 | Ryderwood | 13.6% | 163 | 1,332 |
| GMU 550 | Coweeman | 7.2% | 75 | 1,063 |
| GMU 556 | Toutle | 31.1% | 32 |
Questions hunters ask
When is elk season in GMU 520 in 2026?
By WDFW's 2026 pamphlet, the general elk seasons open to all hunters in GMU 520 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 520?
WDFW reports 65 elk taken in GMU 520 in 2025: 63 antlered and 2 antlerless. The most in one year since 1997 was 699, in 2012.
Which special permit elk hunts include GMU 520?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 2 elk permit hunts for GMU 520: 2031 Winston (1 permit) and 2710 Region 5 Northwest- Hoof Disease ( permits). Applications for 2026 closed May 20.
How much public land is in GMU 520?
13.8% of GMU 520, 26,380 of its 191,034 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 520?
No town or Census-listed community is inside it. The nearest towns are Toledo (on the line), Vader (on the line) and Castle Rock (3 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 520
Beginning at the bridge at intersection of Interstate Hwy (I)-5 and the Cowlitz River; S down the Cowlitz River to the Toutle River; E up the Toutle River to the South Fork Toutle River; SE up South Fork Toutle River to Johnson Creek; NE up Johnson Creek to Weyerhaeuser (Weyco) 4400 line; N along Weyco 4400 line to Weyco 2421 line; N along Weyco 2421 line to Weyco 2400 line; NW along Weyco 2400 line to Alder Creek; NW down Alder Creek to North Fork Toutle River; W down the North Fork Toutle River to the Green River; E up the Green River to US Forest Service (USFS) Rd 2612; E on USFS Rd 2612 to USFS Trail 217; N and W on USFS Trail 217 to Weyco 2600 line; W on Weyco 2600 line to Weyco 2658 line; N on Weyco 2658 line to Rayonier 430 line; N on Rayonier 430 line to Rayonier 400 Mainline; N and E on Rayonier 400 Mainline to Rayonier 100 Mainline; N on Rayonier 100 Mainline to Cowlitz River; W down the Cowlitz River to Riffe Lake; W along the south shore to the Swofford Pond outlet; W along the Swofford Pond outlet to Green Mountain Rd; W on Green Mountain Rd to Perkins Rd; SW on Perkins Rd to Longbell Rd; W on Longbell Rd to Winston Creek Rd; NW on Winston Creek Rd to US Hwy (US) 12; SW on US 12 to the Mayfield Lake bridge at Mayfield Lake; SW down the south shore of Mayfield Lake to the Cowlitz River at Mayfield Dam; SW down the Cowlitz River to I-5 bridge crossing the Cowlitz River 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 503 GMU 505 GMU 516 GMU 524 GMU 530 GMU 550 GMU 556