White River GMU 653 elk hunting: harvest, seasons and permits
WDFW's harvest report shows 70 elk taken in GMU 653 White River in 2025, 32 of them on special permits. General-season hunters numbered 142 (WDFW's archery, modern firearm, muzzleloader and multiple-season counts added together), with 803 hunter days. GMU 653 is 52.7% public land open to hunting, the largest share national forest (130,215 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 park or historic site (no hunting)Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 653Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 6, Coastal Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 248,222 acres (388 square miles) |
| Counties | King and Pierce |
| Public land open to hunting | 52.7% (130,922 acres) |
| Elk taken, 2025 | 70 (79 in 2024) |
| General-season hunters, 2025 | 142 |
| Elk special permit hunts, 2026 | 8 hunts, 123 permits |
| Towns in and near it | Buckley, Wilkeson, Carbonado, South Prairie, Enumclaw and Orting |
Also for GMU 653: deer hunting, black bear hunting.
How many elk are taken in GMU 653?
WDFW reports 70 elk taken in GMU 653 in 2025, against 79 in 2024. The most in one year since 2000 was 79, in 2024. WDFW's figures average 67 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 34 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 | 70 | 38 | 32 | 49 | 21 | 142 | 803 | 27 |
| 2024 | 79 | 47 | 32 | 52 | 27 | 135 | 802 | 35 |
| 2023 | 63 | 31 | 32 | 44 | 19 | 128 | 724 | 24 |
| 2022 | 58 | 29 | 29 | 45 | 13 | 116 | 558 | 25 |
| 2021 | 63 | 32 | 31 | 48 | 15 | 123 | 638 | 26 |
| 2020 | 63 | 40 | 23 | 50 | 13 | 137 | 608 | 29 |
| 2019 | 47 | 17 | 30 | 40 | 7 | 90 | 384 | 19 |
| 2018 | 29 | 0 | 29 | 29 | 0 | |||
| 2017 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 0 | |||
| 2016 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 1 | ||||
| 2015 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 0 | ||||
| 2014 | 13 | 0 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2013 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 0 | ||||
| 2012 | 14 | 1 | 13 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 100 | |
| 2011 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 0 | ||||
| 2010 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 0 | ||||
| 2009 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 0 | ||||
| 2008 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 0 | ||||
| 2007 | 0 | 0 | not split out | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 2006 | 0 | 0 | not split out | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0 |
| 2005 | 23 | 23 | not split out | 23 | 0 | 606 | 2,822 | 4 |
| 2004 | 18 | 18 | not split out | 18 | 0 | 614 | 2,870 | 3 |
| 2003 | 13 | 13 | not split out | 13 | 0 | 583 | 2,861 | 2 |
| 2002 | 19 | 19 | not split out | 19 | 0 | 726 | 3,541 | 3 |
| 2001 | 21 | 21 | not split out | 21 | 0 | 850 | 4,113 | 2 |
| 2000 | 27 | 27 | not split out | 27 | 0 | 793 | 3,491 | 3 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk, GMU 653, 2000 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 653 in 2025?
The muzzleloader general season drew the most elk hunters in GMU 653 in 2025: 57, who took 17 (29.8% success by WDFW's count).
| Weapon, 2025 general season | Hunters | Hunter days | Elk taken | Success (WDFW) | Days per animal (WDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 34 | 160 | 14 | 41.2% | 11 |
| Modern firearm | 46 | 259 | 5 | 10.8% | 52 |
| Muzzleloader | 57 | 359 | 17 | 29.8% | 21 |
| Multiple-season tag | 5 | 25 | 2 | 40% | 13 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk general season, 2025).
What size bulls come out of GMU 653?
WDFW counts antlered elk by the points on one side. In 2025, the most common was 5-point: 20 of 49 antlered elk.
| Year | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 points | 6 or more | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 20 | 20 | 21 |
| 2024 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 17 | 20 | 27 |
| 2023 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 15 | 21 | 19 |
| 2022 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 21 | 13 |
| 2021 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 14 | 23 | 15 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk, antler points).
When is elk season in GMU 653 in 2026?
No general elk season is open to all hunters in GMU 653 in 2026.
| Weapon | Season | 2026 dates | Legal elk | Who | WDFW's notes for GMU 653 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Early archery season | Sept. 12-24 | Any elk | All hunters | Only in Elk Area 6014 |
| Archery | Late archery season | Nov. 25-Dec. 15 | Any elk | All hunters | Only in Elk Area 6014 |
| Muzzleloader | Early muzzleloader season | Oct. 3-9 | 3 pt. min. or antlerless | All hunters | Only in Elk Area 6014 |
| Muzzleloader | Late muzzleloader season | Nov. 25-Dec. 15 | Any elk | All hunters | Only in Elk Area 6014 |
Source: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, pages 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 653?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 8 elk special permit hunts that take in GMU 653, with 123 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2045 | White River Quality Elk | WF | Sept. 26-30 | Any Bull | GMU 653 | 2 | 721 / 19 | 2 hunters, 2 taken |
| 2068 | White River Quality Elk | WA | Sept. 12-24 and Dec. 1-15 | Any Bull | GMU 653 | 25 | 713 / 11 | 5 hunters, 3 taken |
| 2094 | White River Quality Elk | WM | Sept. 13-19 | Any Bull | GMU 653 | 2 | 801 / 18 | 1 hunter, 1 taken |
| 2239 | Puyallup Antlerless Elk | WF | Jan. 1-20, 2027 | Antlerless | Elk Area 6014 | 10 | 245 / 10 | |
| 2240 | Puyallup Antlerless Elk | WF | Jan. 21-Feb. 10, 2027 | Antlerless | Elk Area 6014 | 10 | 211 / 7 | |
| 2241 | Puyallup Antlerless Elk | WF | Feb. 11-28, 2027 | Antlerless | Elk Area 6014 | 10 | 192 / 6 | |
| 2819 | White River Bull Elk | WF | Oct. 12-Nov. 6 | Any Bull | GMU 653 | 54 | 1,166 / 12 | |
| 2841 | White River Bull Elk | WM | Sept. 27-Oct. 10 | Any Bull | GMU 653 | 10 | 980 / 14 |
Sources: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, pages 48, 49, 50 and 52; 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 653?
52.7% of GMU 653 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 130,922 of its 248,222 acres. The largest share is national forest, 130,215 acres or 52.5% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 707 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 653 |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 130,215 | 52.5% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 5,044 | 2% |
| DNR state trust land | 707 | 0.3% |
| National park or historic site (no hunting) | 221 | 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 653?
Highways through the unit: SR 410 (about 29 miles inside it) and SR 165 (about 12 miles inside it). Towns inside: Buckley, Wilkeson, Carbonado and Greenwater. Nearby: South Prairie (2 miles), Enumclaw (2 miles), Orting (6 miles) and Bonney Lake (6 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 653?
GMU 653 touches 6 other GMUs. Their public land and WDFW's 2025 elk numbers, for comparison:
| GMU | Name | Public land | Elk taken, 2025 | General hunters, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 346 | Little Naches | 93.7% | 143 | 1,275 |
| GMU 454 | Issaquah | 4.6% | 106 | 509 |
| GMU 466 | Stampede | 58.4% | 11 | 334 |
| GMU 485 | Green River | 53.8% | 4 | |
| GMU 652 | Puyallup | 1.1% | 222 | 889 |
| GMU 654 | Mashel | 19.3% | 97 | 810 |
Questions hunters ask
When is elk season in GMU 653 in 2026?
GMU 653 has no general elk season open to all hunters in 2026; WDFW lists 8 special permit hunts that include it.
How many elk are taken in GMU 653?
WDFW reports 70 elk taken in GMU 653 in 2025: 49 antlered and 21 antlerless. The most in one year since 2000 was 79, in 2024.
Which special permit elk hunts include GMU 653?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 8 elk permit hunts for GMU 653: 2045 White River (2 permits), 2068 White River (25 permits), 2094 White River (2 permits), 2239 Puyallup (10 permits), 2240 Puyallup (10 permits) and 2241 Puyallup (10 permits), and more in the table above. Applications for 2026 closed May 20.
How much public land is in GMU 653?
52.7% of GMU 653, 130,922 of its 248,222 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 653?
Buckley, Wilkeson and Carbonado are inside the unit. Just outside: South Prairie (2 miles), Enumclaw (2 miles) and Orting (6 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 653
Beginning at the lookout station at US Forest Service (USFS) Rd 7110 (Grass Mountain mainline) and the posted GMU 485 boundary encompassing the controlled access portion of the Green River Watershed; E on the posted GMU 485 boundary encompassing the controlled access portion of the Green River Watershed to USFS Rd 7032; E along USFS Rd 7032 to USFS Rd 7030; SE along USFS Rd 7030 to USFS Rd 7036; SE along USFS Rd 7036 to USFS Rd 7038; SE on USFS Rd 7038 to USFS Trail 2000 (Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail) at its closest point to USFS Rd 7038 near Windy Gap north of Pyramid Peak; S on the USFS Trail 2000 to Pierce-Yakima county Line (Cascades Crest) in T17N, R10E, Sec 35; S on the county line to the Mt. Rainier National Park boundary in T17 R, R10E, Sec 35; S on the park boundary to Chinook Pass; N and W on the Mt. Rainier National Park boundary to the Carbon River; NW down the Carbon River to the power transmission line at T19N, R06E, Sec 21; NE along the power transmission line to SR 165; NE on SR 165 to SR 410; NE on SR 410 to the White River; SE along the White River to the power transmission lines on the north side of the White River near Mud Mountain Dam Rd; NE on the power transmission lines to State Route (SR) 410; E on SR 410 to USFS Rd 7110; N on USFS Rd 7110 to the posted GMU 485 boundary encompassing the controlled access portion of the Green River Watershed 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 6 GMU 346 GMU 454 GMU 466 GMU 485 GMU 652 GMU 654