Capitol Peak GMU 663 elk hunting: harvest, seasons and permits
WDFW's harvest report shows 8 elk taken in GMU 663 Capitol Peak in 2025. General-season hunters numbered 174 (WDFW's archery, modern firearm, muzzleloader and multiple-season counts added together), with 891 hunter days. GMU 663 is 68.5% public land open to hunting, the largest share DNR state trust land (92,003 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 663Neighboring GMUsLake or riverHighway
| WDFW region | Region 6, Coastal Washington |
|---|---|
| Size | 134,524 acres (210 square miles) |
| Counties | Grays Harbor and Thurston |
| Public land open to hunting | 68.5% (92,214 acres) |
| Elk taken, 2025 | 8 (15 in 2024) |
| General-season hunters, 2025 | 174 |
| Modern firearm, 2026 | Nov. 7-18, 3 pt. min. or antlerless |
| Elk special permit hunts, 2026 | 1 hunt (WDFW prints no permit number) |
| Towns in and near it | Malone, Porter, Oakville, McCleary and Elma |
Also for GMU 663: deer hunting, black bear hunting.
How many elk are taken in GMU 663?
WDFW reports 8 elk taken in GMU 663 in 2025, against 15 in 2024. The most in one year since 1997 was 20, in 2019. WDFW's figures average 10 a year for 2021 to 2025, against 9 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 | 4 | 4 | 174 | 891 | 5 | |
| 2024 | 15 | 14 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 141 | 667 | 10 |
| 2023 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 149 | 633 | 3 | |
| 2022 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 155 | 571 | 7 | |
| 2021 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 136 | 481 | 8 |
| 2020 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 157 | 789 | 3 | |
| 2019 | 20 | 18 | 2 | 13 | 7 | 195 | 789 | 9 |
| 2018 | 11 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 152 | 712 | 7 | |
| 2017 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 95 | 390 | 5 | |
| 2016 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 79 | 337 | 8 | |
| 2015 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 85 | 406 | 1 | |
| 2014 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 89 | 342 | 3 | |
| 2013 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 77 | 310 | 3 | |
| 2012 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 95 | 452 | 7 |
| 2011 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 91 | 394 | 1 | |
| 2010 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 115 | 443 | 4 | |
| 2009 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 147 | 606 | 1 | |
| 2008 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 2007 | 4 | 4 | not split out | 3 | 1 | 141 | 626 | 3 |
| 2006 | 6 | 6 | not split out | 6 | 0 | 173 | 820 | 3 |
| 2005 | 13 | 13 | not split out | 6 | 7 | 194 | 850 | 7 |
| 2004 | 14 | 14 | not split out | 10 | 4 | 213 | 943 | 7 |
| 2003 | 17 | 17 | not split out | 7 | 10 | 265 | 1,217 | 6 |
| 2002 | 16 | 16 | not split out | 9 | 7 | 189 | 1,061 | 8 |
| 2001 | 9 | 9 | not split out | 5 | 4 | 190 | 821 | 5 |
| 2000 | 6 | 6 | not split out | 6 | 0 | 220 | 567 | 3 |
| 1999 | 3 | 3 | not split out | 3 | 0 | 90 | 417 | 3 |
| 1998 | 2 | 2 | not split out | 0 | 2 | 104 | 514 | 2 |
| 1997 | 2 | 2 | not split out | 0 | 2 | 54 | 109 | 4 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk, GMU 663, 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 663 in 2025?
The modern firearm general season drew the most elk hunters in GMU 663 in 2025: 111, who took 0 (0% success by WDFW's count).
| Weapon, 2025 general season | Hunters | Hunter days | Elk taken | Success (WDFW) | Days per animal (WDFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 36 | 192 | 2 | 5.6% | 96 |
| Modern firearm | 111 | 543 | 0 | 0% | |
| Muzzleloader | 19 | 74 | 4 | 21% | 19 |
| Multiple-season tag | 8 | 82 | 2 | 25% | 41 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk general season, 2025).
What size bulls come out of GMU 663?
WDFW counts antlered elk by the points on one side. In 2025, the most common was 3-point: 2 of 4 antlered elk.
| Year | 1 point | 2 points | 3 points | 4 points | 5 points | 6 or more | Antlerless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 5 |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 2 |
Source: WDFW Game Harvest Reports (elk, antler points).
When is elk season in GMU 663 in 2026?
General seasons for all hunters in GMU 663, by weapon: archery: Sept. 12-24 (3 pt. min. or antlerless) and Nov. 25-Dec. 15 (late season, 3 pt. min. or antlerless); muzzleloader: Oct. 3-9 (3 pt. min. or antlerless); modern firearm: Nov. 7-18 (3 pt. min. or antlerless).
| Weapon | Season | 2026 dates | Legal elk | Who | WDFW's notes for GMU 663 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modern firearm | General season | Nov. 7-18 | 3 pt. min. or antlerless | All hunters | |
| Archery | Early archery season | Sept. 12-24 | 3 pt. min. or antlerless | All hunters | |
| Archery | Late archery season | Nov. 25-Dec. 15 | 3 pt. min. or antlerless | All hunters | |
| Muzzleloader | Early muzzleloader season | Oct. 3-9 | 3 pt. min. or antlerless | 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 663?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 1 elk special permit hunt that takes in GMU 663, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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, 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 663?
68.5% of GMU 663 is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 92,214 of its 134,524 acres. The largest share is DNR state trust land, 92,003 acres or 68.4% of the unit. DNR trust land covers 92,003 acres; a Discover Pass is needed to hunt it.
| Manager | Acres | Share of GMU 663 |
|---|---|---|
| DNR state trust land | 92,003 | 68.4% |
| Other public (parks, county, city, other agencies) | 1,192 | 0.9% |
| National wildlife refuge (refuge rules; not counted) | 737 | 0.5% |
| WDFW land | 211 | 0.2% |
WDFW wildlife area land in GMU 663, by WDFW's own boundaries: Scatter Creek Wildlife Area (313 acres here; units Black River, Mima Creek and Glacial Heritage).
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 663?
Highways through the unit: SR 8 (about 21 miles inside it), US 12 (about 5 miles inside it) and US 101 (about 3 miles inside it). Towns inside: Malone and Porter. Nearby: Oakville (on the line), McCleary (on the line), Elma (on the line) and Tumwater (4 miles).
Which GMUs border GMU 663?
GMU 663 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 501 | Lincoln | 21.8% | 4 | 270 |
| GMU 651 | Satsop | 2.8% | 11 | 200 |
| GMU 660 | Minot Peak | 15.8% | 63 | 662 |
| GMU 666 | Deschutes | 1.8% | 35 | 328 |
Questions hunters ask
When is elk season in GMU 663 in 2026?
By WDFW's 2026 pamphlet, the general elk seasons open to all hunters in GMU 663 are archery: Sept. 12-24 (3 pt. min. or antlerless) and Nov. 25-Dec. 15 (late season, 3 pt. min. or antlerless); muzzleloader: Oct. 3-9 (3 pt. min. or antlerless); modern firearm: Nov. 7-18 (3 pt. min. or antlerless).
How many elk are taken in GMU 663?
WDFW reports 8 elk taken in GMU 663 in 2025: 4 antlered and 4 antlerless. The most in one year since 1997 was 20, in 2019.
Which special permit elk hunts include GMU 663?
WDFW's 2026 pamphlet lists 1 elk permit hunt for GMU 663: 2712 Region 6 Willapa Hills- Hoof Disease ( permits). Applications for 2026 closed May 20.
How much public land is in GMU 663?
68.5% of GMU 663, 92,214 of its 134,524 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 663?
Malone and Porter are inside the unit. Just outside: Oakville (on the line), McCleary (on the line) and Elma (on the line).
WDFW's boundary description of GMU 663
Beginning at US Hwy (US) 12 and State Route (SR) 8 at the town of Elma; E on SR 8 to US 101; E on US 101 to Delphi Rd SW; S on Delphi Road SW to 110th Ave SW; E on 110th Ave SW to Littlerock Rd; S on Littlerock Rd to US 12; NW on US 12 to SR 8 at the town of Elma 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 501 GMU 651 GMU 660 GMU 666