North River GMU 658 elk hunting: harvest, seasons and permits
WDFW's harvest report shows 38 elk taken in GMU 658 North River in 2025, 10 of them on special permits. General-season hunters numbered 575 (WDFW's archery, modern firearm, muzzleloader and multiple-season counts added together), with 3,492 hunter days. GMU 658 is 5.1% public land open to hunting, the largest share DNR state trust land (5,067 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.
DNR state trust landWDFW landNational wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted)Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies)GMU 658Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 6, Coastal Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 163,605 acres (256 square miles) |
| Counties | Grays Harbor and Pacific |
| Public land open to hunting | 5.1% (8,401 acres) |
| Elk taken, 2025 | 38 (56 in 2024) |
| General-season hunters, 2025 | 575 |
| Modern firearm, 2026 | Nov. 7-18, 3 pt. min. |
| Elk special permit hunts, 2026 | 3 hunts, 13 permits where WDFW prints a number |
| Towns in and near it | Westport, South Bend, Cosmopolis, Aberdeen, Raymond and Hoquiam |
Also for GMU 658: deer hunting, black bear hunting.
How many elk are taken in GMU 658?
WDFW reports 38 elk taken in GMU 658 in 2025, against 56 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 139, in 2015. WDFW's figures average 70 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 111 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 | 38 | 28 | 10 | 28 | 10 | 575 | 3,492 | 5 |
| 2024 | 56 | 43 | 13 | 43 | 13 | 614 | 3,554 | 7 |
| 2023 | 64 | 52 | 12 | 52 | 12 | 605 | 3,852 | 9 |
| 2022 | 91 | 79 | 12 | 79 | 12 | 672 | 3,836 | 12 |
| 2021 | 101 | 91 | 10 | 91 | 10 | 700 | 3,836 | 13 |
| 2020 | 109 | 105 | 4 | 105 | 4 | 786 | 4,279 | 13 |
| 2019 | 113 | 109 | 4 | 109 | 4 | 707 | 3,912 | 15 |
| 2018 | 116 | 103 | 13 | 103 | 13 | 634 | 3,807 | 16 |
| 2017 | 111 | 98 | 13 | 98 | 13 | 605 | 3,384 | 16 |
| 2016 | 104 | 89 | 15 | 90 | 14 | 625 | 3,731 | 14 |
| 2015 | 139 | 127 | 12 | 128 | 11 | 683 | 3,812 | 19 |
| 2014 | 119 | 100 | 19 | 100 | 19 | 703 | 3,912 | 14 |
| 2013 | 111 | 98 | 13 | 98 | 13 | 862 | 4,547 | 11 |
| 2012 | 103 | 81 | 22 | 81 | 22 | 796 | 4,008 | 10 |
| 2011 | 127 | 116 | 11 | 116 | 11 | 823 | 4,376 | 14 |
| 2010 | 103 | 82 | 21 | 81 | 22 | 896 | 5,125 | 9 |
| 2009 | 100 | 78 | 22 | 80 | 20 | 953 | 5,348 | 8 |
| 2008 | 99 | 72 | 27 | 72 | 27 | |||
| 2007 | 101 | 101 | not split out | 101 | 0 | 783 | 3,793 | 13 |
| 2006 | 67 | 67 | not split out | 67 | 0 | 762 | 3,930 | 9 |
| 2005 | 74 | 74 | not split out | 74 | 0 | 610 | 3,114 | 12 |
| 2004 | 55 | 55 | not split out | 55 | 0 | 629 | 3,265 | 9 |
| 2003 | 70 | 70 | not split out | 69 | 1 | 610 | 2,997 | 11 |
| 2002 | 67 | 67 | not split out | 65 | 2 | 465 | 2,306 | 14 |
| 2001 | 49 | 49 | not split out | 49 | 0 | 514 | 2,525 | 10 |
| 2000 | 50 | 50 | not split out | 50 | 0 | 484 | 2,147 | 10 |
| 1999 | 32 | 32 | not split out | 32 | 0 | 546 | 2,995 | 6 |
| 1998 | 11 | 11 | not split out | 11 | 0 | 339 | 1,250 | 3 |
| 1997 | 16 | 16 | not split out | 16 | 0 | 332 | 813 | 5 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk, GMU 658, 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 658 in 2025?
The modern firearm general season drew the most elk hunters in GMU 658 in 2025: 286, who took 11 (3.8% success by WDFW's count).
| Weapon, 2025 general season | Hunters | Hunter days | Elk taken | Success (WDFW) | Days per animal (WDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 103 | 671 | 7 | 6.8% | 96 |
| Modern firearm | 286 | 1,588 | 11 | 3.8% | 144 |
| Muzzleloader | 173 | 1,120 | 8 | 4.6% | 140 |
| Multiple-season tag | 13 | 113 | 2 | 15.4% | 57 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk general season, 2025).
What size bulls come out of GMU 658?
WDFW counts antlered elk by the points on one side. In 2025, the most common was 5-point: 16 of 28 antlered elk.
| Year | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 points | 6 or more | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 16 | 0 | 10 |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 25 | 14 | 0 | 13 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 26 | 18 | 5 | 12 |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 42 | 32 | 0 | 12 |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 55 | 24 | 4 | 10 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk, antler points).
When is elk season in GMU 658 in 2026?
General seasons for all hunters in GMU 658, by weapon: archery: Sept. 12-24 (3 pt. min.); muzzleloader: Nov. 25-Dec. 15 (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 658 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Late muzzleloader season | Nov. 25-Dec. 15 | 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 658?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 3 elk special permit hunts that take in GMU 658, with 13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2296 | North River Antlerless Elk | WM | Nov. 25-Dec. 15 | Antlerless | GMU 658 | 10 | 406 / 8 | |
| 2434 | North River Youth only | WF | Nov. 7-18 | Antlerless | GMU 658 | 3 | 76 / 2 | |
| 2712 | Region 6 Willapa Hills- Hoof Disease Master Hunters only | Any elk tag | Dec. 1-Feb. 28 | Antlerless | GMUs 658, 660, 663, 672, 673, 681 | 69 / 3 |
Sources: WDFW 2026 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Regulations, pages 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 658?
5.1% of GMU 658 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 8,401 of its 163,605 acres. The largest share is DNR state trust land, 5,067 acres or 3.1% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 5,067 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 658 |
|---|---|---|
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 11,638 | 7.1% |
| DNR state trust land | 5,067 | 3.1% |
| WDFW land | 3,334 | 2% |
| National wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted) | 2 | under 0.1% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 658, by WDFW's own boundaries: Johns River Wildlife Area (5,995 acres here; units North Willapa Bay, Elk River, Johns River and South Grays Harbor).
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 658?
Highways through the unit: SR 105 (about 52 miles inside it) and US 101 (about 7 miles inside it). Towns inside: Westport, South Bend, Cosmopolis, Grayland, Ocosta and Cohassett Beach. Nearby: Aberdeen (on the line), Raymond (on the line), Hoquiam (3 miles) and Ocean Shores (4 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 658?
GMU 658 touches 3 other GMUs. Their public land and WDFW's 2025 elk numbers, for comparison:
| GMU | Name | Public land | Elk taken, 2025 | General hunters, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GMU 660 | Minot Peak | 15.8% | 63 | 662 |
| GMU 672 | Fall River | 26% | 67 | 896 |
| GMU 673 | Williams Creek | 24.4% | 172 | 1,460 |
Questions hunters ask
When is elk season in GMU 658 in 2026?
By WDFW's 2026 pamphlet, the general elk seasons open to all hunters in GMU 658 are archery: Sept. 12-24 (3 pt. min.); muzzleloader: Nov. 25-Dec. 15 (late season, 3 pt. min.); modern firearm: Nov. 7-18 (3 pt. min.).
How many elk are taken in GMU 658?
WDFW reports 38 elk taken in GMU 658 in 2025: 28 antlered and 10 antlerless. The most in one year since 1997 was 139, in 2015.
Which special permit elk hunts include GMU 658?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 3 elk permit hunts for GMU 658: 2296 North River (10 permits), 2434 North River (3 permits) and 2712 Region 6 Willapa Hills- Hoof Disease ( permits). Applications for 2026 closed May 20.
How much public land is in GMU 658?
5.1% of GMU 658, 8,401 of its 163,605 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 658?
Westport, South Bend and Cosmopolis are inside the unit. Just outside: Aberdeen (on the line), Raymond (on the line) and Hoquiam (3 miles).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 658
Beginning at the Pacific Ocean and the south shore of Grays Harbor at the Westport Jetty; E along the south shore of Grays Harbor to the mouth of the Chehalis River at the town of Aberdeen; E up the Chehalis River to the US Hwy (US) 101 bridge; S on US 101 to the Willapa River at the town of Raymond; W down the Willapa River to Willapa Bay; W along the north shore of Willapa Bay to the Pacific Ocean; N along the Pacific Coast to the south shore of Grays Harbor at the Westport Jetty 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.
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