Wind River GMU 574 elk hunting: harvest, seasons and permits
WDFW's harvest report shows 19 elk taken in GMU 574 Wind River in 2025. General-season hunters numbered 322 (WDFW's archery, modern firearm, muzzleloader and multiple-season counts added together), with 1,493 hunter days. GMU 574 is 73.3% public land open to hunting, the largest share national forest (100,778 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 landNational wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted)Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 574Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 5, Southwest Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 178,394 acres (279 square miles) |
| Counties | Skamania and Klickitat |
| Public land open to hunting | 73.3% (130,736 acres) |
| Elk taken, 2025 | 19 (20 in 2024) |
| General-season hunters, 2025 | 322 |
| Modern firearm, 2026 | Nov. 7-18, 3 pt. min. |
| Elk special permit hunts, 2026 | 4 hunts, 15 permits where WDFW prints a number |
| Towns in and near it | White Salmon, Bingen and Stevenson |
Also for GMU 574: deer hunting, black bear hunting.
How many elk are taken in GMU 574?
WDFW reports 19 elk taken in GMU 574 in 2025, against 20 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 200, in 2005. WDFW's figures average 20 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 28 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 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 322 | 1,493 | 6 | |
| 2024 | 20 | 17 | 3 | 15 | 5 | 349 | 1,546 | 5 |
| 2023 | 18 | 16 | 2 | 16 | 2 | 306 | 1,401 | 5 |
| 2022 | 27 | 25 | 2 | 23 | 4 | 416 | 1,916 | 6 |
| 2021 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 13 | 4 | 431 | 2,092 | 3 |
| 2020 | 21 | 18 | 3 | 15 | 6 | 428 | 1,994 | 4 |
| 2019 | 22 | 15 | 7 | 13 | 9 | 417 | 1,932 | 4 |
| 2018 | 33 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 20 | 512 | 2,695 | 3 |
| 2017 | 34 | 23 | 11 | 23 | 11 | 586 | 3,029 | 4 |
| 2016 | 30 | 18 | 12 | 17 | 13 | 616 | 3,276 | 3 |
| 2015 | 39 | 26 | 13 | 25 | 14 | 668 | 3,348 | 4 |
| 2014 | 55 | 38 | 17 | 34 | 21 | 679 | 3,386 | 6 |
| 2013 | 44 | 25 | 19 | 23 | 21 | 616 | 3,049 | 4 |
| 2012 | 59 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 32 | 540 | 2,664 | 6 |
| 2011 | 50 | 28 | 22 | 27 | 23 | 719 | 3,475 | 4 |
| 2010 | 28 | 17 | 11 | 17 | 11 | 715 | 3,755 | 2 |
| 2009 | 89 | 89 | 34 | 55 | 1,340 | 6,416 | 7 | |
| 2008 | 44 | 44 | 18 | 26 | ||||
| 2007 | 89 | 89 | not split out | 26 | 63 | 1,226 | 5,944 | 7 |
| 2006 | 102 | 102 | not split out | 38 | 64 | 1,280 | 5,962 | 8 |
| 2005 | 200 | 200 | not split out | 56 | 144 | 1,286 | 5,642 | 16 |
| 2004 | 83 | 83 | not split out | 45 | 38 | 1,318 | 6,047 | 6 |
| 2003 | 107 | 107 | not split out | 55 | 52 | 1,190 | 5,702 | 9 |
| 2002 | 91 | 91 | not split out | 54 | 37 | 1,217 | 6,251 | 7 |
| 2001 | 102 | 102 | not split out | 38 | 64 | 1,215 | 5,613 | 8 |
| 2000 | 106 | 106 | not split out | 43 | 63 | 1,761 | 7,679 | 6 |
| 1999 | 108 | 108 | not split out | 65 | 43 | 2,070 | 13,090 | 5 |
| 1998 | 171 | 171 | not split out | 73 | 98 | 1,806 | 6,766 | 9 |
| 1997 | 26 | 26 | not split out | 13 | 13 | 734 | 2,353 | 4 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk, GMU 574, 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 574 in 2025?
The modern firearm general season drew the most elk hunters in GMU 574 in 2025: 176, who took 10 (5.6% success by WDFW's count).
| Weapon, 2025 general season | Hunters | Hunter days | Elk taken | Success (WDFW) | Days per animal (WDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 45 | 194 | 2 | 4.4% | 97 |
| Modern firearm | 176 | 784 | 10 | 5.6% | 78 |
| Muzzleloader | 98 | 500 | 7 | 7.2% | 71 |
| Multiple-season tag | 3 | 15 | 0 | 0% |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk general season, 2025).
What size bulls come out of GMU 574?
WDFW counts antlered elk by the points on one side. In 2025, the most common was 5-point: 13 of 19 antlered elk.
| Year | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 points | 6 or more | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 4 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 5 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 13 | 0 | 4 |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 4 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk, antler points).
When is elk season in GMU 574 in 2026?
General seasons for all hunters in GMU 574, by weapon: archery: Sept. 12-24 (3 pt. min. or antlerless); muzzleloader: Oct. 3-9 (3 pt. min.) and Nov. 25-30 (late season, 3 pt. min.); modern firearm: Nov. 7-18 (3 pt. min.).
| Weapon | Season | 2026 dates | Legal elk | Who | WDFW's notes for GMU 574 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modern firearm | General season | Nov. 7-18 | 3 pt. min. | All hunters | |
| Archery | Early archery season | Sept. 12-24 | 3 pt. min. or antlerless | All hunters | |
| Muzzleloader | Early muzzleloader season | Oct. 3-9 | 3 pt. min. | All hunters | |
| Muzzleloader | Late muzzleloader season | Nov. 25-30 | 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 574?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 4 elk special permit hunts that take in GMU 574, with 15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2235 | Wind River Antlerless Elk | WF | Nov. 7-18 | Antlerless | GMU 574 | 5 | 418 / 10 | |
| 2292 | Wind River Antlerless Elk | WM | Nov. 25-Dec. 8 | Antlerless | GMU 574 | 5 | 222 / 6 | |
| 2426 | Wind River Youth only | WF | Nov. 7-18 | Antlerless | GMU 574 | 5 | 66 / 3 | |
| 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, pages 52, 53, 55 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 574?
73.3% of GMU 574 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 130,736 of its 178,394 acres. The largest share is national forest, 100,778 acres or 56.5% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 29,958 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 574 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 100,778 | 56.5% |
| DNR state trust land | 29,958 | 16.8% |
| National wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted) | 536 | 0.3% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 10 | 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 574?
Highways through the unit: SR 14 (about 14 miles inside it) and SR 141 (about 7 miles inside it). Nearby: White Salmon (2 miles), Bingen (3 miles), Stevenson (5 miles) and North Bonneville (10 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 574?
GMU 574 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 560 | Lewis River | 90.2% | 73 | 2,135 |
| GMU 568 | Washougal | 49.5% | 41 | 582 |
| GMU 572 | Siouxon | 91.4% | 22 | 825 |
| GMU 578 | West Klickitat | 27.6% | 47 | 543 |
Questions hunters ask
When is elk season in GMU 574 in 2026?
By WDFW's 2026 pamphlet, the general elk seasons open to all hunters in GMU 574 are archery: Sept. 12-24 (3 pt. min. or antlerless); muzzleloader: Oct. 3-9 (3 pt. min.) and Nov. 25-30 (late season, 3 pt. min.); modern firearm: Nov. 7-18 (3 pt. min.).
How many elk are taken in GMU 574?
WDFW reports 19 elk taken in GMU 574 in 2025: 19 antlered and 0 antlerless. The most in one year since 1997 was 200, in 2005.
Which special permit elk hunts include GMU 574?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 4 elk permit hunts for GMU 574: 2235 Wind River (5 permits), 2292 Wind River (5 permits), 2426 Wind River (5 permits) and 2711 Region 5 Southeast- Hoof Disease ( permits). Applications for 2026 closed May 20.
How much public land is in GMU 574?
73.3% of GMU 574, 130,736 of its 178,394 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 574?
No town or Census-listed community is inside it. The nearest towns are White Salmon (2 miles), Bingen (3 miles) and Stevenson (5 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 574
Beginning at the town of Trout Lake; S on State Route (SR) 141 to the SR 141 bridge over the White Salmon River Bridge at Husum; S on the White Salmon River to the Columbia River; W down the Columbia River to the mouth of Wind River (including all islands in the Columbia River that are both north of the Washington state line and between the White Salmon River and Wind River); NW up the Wind River to the Hemlock Rd bridge; E on Hemlock Rd to Wind River Rd; N on Wind River Rd to US Forest Service (USFS) Rd 6517 (Warren Gap Rd); E on USFS Rd 6517 to USFS Rd 65 (Panther Creek Rd); N on USFS Rd 65 to USFS Rd 60; NE on USFS Rd 60 to USFS Rd 24 (also called Carson- Gular Rd); E on USFS Rd 24 to SR 141; NE on SR 141 to the town of Trout Lake and the 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 560 GMU 568 GMU 572 GMU 578