Battle Ground GMU 564 elk hunting: harvest, seasons and permits
WDFW's harvest report shows 8 elk taken in GMU 564 Battle Ground in 2025. General-season hunters numbered 174 (WDFW's archery, modern firearm, muzzleloader and multiple-season counts added together), with 1,081 hunter days. GMU 564 is 3.3% public land open to hunting, the largest share DNR state trust land (6,757 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 landWDFW landNational wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted)National park or historic site (no hunting)Military land (restricted)Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 564Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 5, Southwest Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 337,874 acres (528 square miles) |
| Public land open to hunting | 3.3% (11,068 acres) |
| Elk taken, 2025 | 8 (9 in 2024) |
| General-season hunters, 2025 | 174 |
| Modern firearm, 2026 | Nov. 7-18, any elk |
| Elk special permit hunts, 2026 | 1 hunt (WDFW prints no permit number) |
| Towns in and near it | Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, Yacolt, Longview and Castle Rock |
Also for GMU 564: deer hunting, black bear hunting.
How many elk are taken in GMU 564?
WDFW reports 8 elk taken in GMU 564 in 2025, against 9 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 121, in 2004. WDFW's figures average 14 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 35 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 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 174 | 1,081 | 5 | |
| 2024 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 218 | 972 | 4 |
| 2023 | 11 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 205 | 881 | 5 | |
| 2022 | 20 | 19 | 1 | 8 | 12 | 220 | 850 | 9 |
| 2021 | 22 | 22 | 17 | 5 | 207 | 817 | 11 | |
| 2020 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 2 | 235 | 1,080 | 9 | |
| 2019 | 24 | 24 | 15 | 9 | 220 | 1,005 | 11 | |
| 2018 | 32 | 32 | 16 | 16 | 287 | 1,381 | 11 | |
| 2017 | 31 | 30 | 1 | 18 | 13 | 431 | 2,180 | 7 |
| 2016 | 64 | 63 | 1 | 32 | 32 | 577 | 2,761 | 11 |
| 2015 | 57 | 56 | 1 | 23 | 34 | 434 | 2,250 | 13 |
| 2014 | 49 | 29 | 25 | 24 | 487 | 2,363 | 6 | |
| 2013 | 64 | 63 | 1 | 25 | 39 | 529 | 2,667 | 12 |
| 2012 | 84 | 83 | 1 | 43 | 41 | 568 | 3,070 | 15 |
| 2011 | 89 | 87 | 2 | 40 | 49 | 598 | 2,998 | 15 |
| 2010 | 99 | 99 | 37 | 62 | 664 | 3,312 | 15 | |
| 2009 | 113 | 111 | 2 | 34 | 79 | 790 | 4,067 | 14 |
| 2008 | 97 | 92 | 5 | 44 | 53 | |||
| 2007 | 120 | 120 | not split out | 44 | 76 | 729 | 3,715 | 16 |
| 2006 | 109 | 109 | not split out | 42 | 67 | 735 | 3,617 | 15 |
| 2005 | 104 | 104 | not split out | 37 | 67 | 718 | 3,625 | 14 |
| 2004 | 121 | 121 | not split out | 57 | 64 | 796 | 4,091 | 15 |
| 2003 | 107 | 107 | not split out | 46 | 61 | 693 | 3,795 | 15 |
| 2002 | 66 | 66 | not split out | 34 | 32 | 609 | 3,078 | 11 |
| 2001 | 98 | 98 | not split out | 43 | 55 | 692 | 3,260 | 14 |
| 2000 | 88 | 88 | not split out | 25 | 63 | 619 | 2,238 | 14 |
| 1999 | 3 | 3 | not split out | 3 | 0 | 183 | 799 | 2 |
| 1998 | 14 | 14 | not split out | 11 | 3 | 263 | 795 | 5 |
| 1997 | 2 | 2 | not split out | 0 | 2 | 199 | 513 | 1 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk, GMU 564, 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 564 in 2025?
The modern firearm general season drew the most elk hunters in GMU 564 in 2025: 81, who took 4 (5% success by WDFW's count).
| Weapon, 2025 general season | Hunters | Hunter days | Elk taken | Success (WDFW) | Days per animal (WDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 43 | 303 | 0 | 0% | |
| Modern firearm | 81 | 552 | 4 | 5% | 138 |
| Muzzleloader | 48 | 224 | 4 | 8.4% | 56 |
| Multiple-season tag | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk general season, 2025).
What size bulls come out of GMU 564?
WDFW counts antlered elk by the points on one side. In 2025, the most common was 1-point (spike): 4 of 8 antlered elk.
| Year | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 points | 6 or more | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 2023 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 12 |
| 2021 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 5 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk, antler points).
When is elk season in GMU 564 in 2026?
General seasons for all hunters in GMU 564, by weapon: archery: Sept. 12-24 (any elk) and Nov. 25-Dec. 15 (late season, any elk); muzzleloader: Oct. 3-9 (any elk) and Nov. 25-Dec. 15 (late season, any elk); modern firearm: Nov. 7-18 (any elk).
| Weapon | Season | 2026 dates | Legal elk | Who | WDFW's notes for GMU 564 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modern firearm | General season | Nov. 7-18 | 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 | Nov. 25-Dec. 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 | Nov. 25-Dec. 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.
Which special permit elk hunts include GMU 564?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 1 elk special permit hunt that takes in GMU 564, with 0 permits 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2711 | Region 5 Southeast- Hoof Disease Master Hunters only | Any elk tag | Dec. 1-Feb. 28 | Antlerless | GMUs 382, 388, 554, 560, 564, 568, 572, 574, 578 | 46 / 3 | 7 hunters, 4 taken |
Sources: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, page 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 564?
3.3% of GMU 564 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 11,068 of its 337,874 acres. The largest share is DNR state trust land, 6,757 acres or 2% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 6,757 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 564 |
|---|---|---|
| DNR state trust land | 6,757 | 2% |
| National wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted) | 6,246 | 1.8% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 4,268 | 1.3% |
| WDFW land | 3,245 | 1% |
| National forest | 1,066 | 0.3% |
| Military land (restricted) | 77 | under 0.1% |
| National park or historic site (no hunting) | 65 | under 0.1% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 564, by WDFW's own boundaries: Shillapoo Wildlife Area (2,424 acres here; units Vancouver Lake, Shillapoo South and Shillapoo North) and Mount Saint Helens Wildlife Area (302 acres here; units Duck Lake (Clark County), Two Forks, Cedar Creek and Nelson).
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 564?
Highways through the unit: I-5 (about 87 miles inside it), SR 14 (about 39 miles inside it), SR 500 (about 31 miles inside it), SR 503 (about 31 miles inside it) and I-205 (about 22 miles inside it). Towns inside: Vancouver, Camas, Battle Ground, Kelso, Ridgefield and Washougal. Nearby: Yacolt (on the line), Longview (2 miles), Castle Rock (5 miles) and North Bonneville (11 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 564?
GMU 564 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 504 | Stella | 0.3% | 11 | 238 |
| GMU 550 | Coweeman | 7.2% | 75 | 1,063 |
| GMU 554 | Yale | 22.4% | 9 | 72 |
| GMU 568 | Washougal | 49.5% | 41 | 582 |
Questions hunters ask
When is elk season in GMU 564 in 2026?
By WDFW's 2026 pamphlet, the general elk seasons open to all hunters in GMU 564 are archery: Sept. 12-24 (any elk) and Nov. 25-Dec. 15 (late season, any elk); muzzleloader: Oct. 3-9 (any elk) and Nov. 25-Dec. 15 (late season, any elk); modern firearm: Nov. 7-18 (any elk).
How many elk are taken in GMU 564?
WDFW reports 8 elk taken in GMU 564 in 2025: 8 antlered and 0 antlerless. The most in one year since 1997 was 121, in 2004.
Which special permit elk hunts include GMU 564?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 1 elk permit hunt for GMU 564: 2711 Region 5 Southeast- Hoof Disease ( permits). Applications for 2026 closed May 20.
How much public land is in GMU 564?
3.3% of GMU 564, 11,068 of its 337,874 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 564?
Vancouver, Camas and Battle Ground are inside the unit. Just outside: Yacolt (on the line), Longview (2 miles) and Castle Rock (5 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 5 GMU 504 GMU 550 GMU 554 GMU 568