Oregon Expert Analysis

Overview
Who Is Oregon For?
Black Bears & Mountain Lions For All

Overview

The past year, there has been increased pressure on the nonresident hunter to find consistent hunting grounds of really ANY quality, not just the top states. Thanks to the elimination of Colorado’s nonresident OTC archery elk system, an Idaho queue that leaves a hunter discouraged to get a simple general Gem State tag and the endless point creep across the West, Oregon has started popping up on people’s radars as a state to add to the hunting mix. Especially if you have the proverbial hunting capital to invest in hunting, a state like Oregon can be alluring.

The crest of the Cascades essentially divides the State into two categories; over-the-counter for Roosevelt’s and blacktails on the west side, and mostly draw hunts for Rocky Mountain elk and mule deer on the east side.

Granted, there are minor exceptions with a few draw tags on the west, and a few over-the-counter archery elk hunts in the southeast. It’s very much a tale of two different states depending on what you are looking for out of Oregon.

Who Is Oregon For?
If you are looking for another opportunity state to add to your rotation of western big game hunting, Oregon may be the ticket for filling holes created by other changes in the West. Roosevelt’s elk and blacktail deer on the west side remain a good candidate for over-the-counter opportunities for residents and nonresidents alike. Last year was one of the best blacktail seasons most Oregon hunters can remember and the outlook remains good. The later season dates for blacktails have pushed the general season into early rut activity, adding even more chances for a big old grey ghost to come into the timber cut you are glassing.

Elk are doing well in western Oregon with widespread burns providing great calving habitat - the same burns that allow your average western hunter to glass long distances in places that five to ten years ago were impossible to see through the timber canopy. Couple that with a hunting public that is more accustomed to old timber stomping tactics and you have a recipe for a good Roosevelt’s hunt if you sit back and use your optics to do the walking. The challenge remains to have consistent open hunting for those who hunt timber company-owned access areas as fire danger often shuts down access when there otherwise are millions of acres to hunt.

Eastern Oregon’s elk populations have remained steady, with some areas affected by significant predation and wildfires that scorched the good elk hunting grounds more than others. The northeast corner in particular is showing less calf production on the average compared to drier units in the State. The eastern, over-the-counter archery elk hunting opportunity can be good for someone with a lead on elk herds and a penchant for chasing desert or dry-country elk, but it should be cautioned as an opportunity for someone whose bread and butter is calling in bulls in the timber. The “Big 3” remain the best trophy elk hunting opportunities and take a gob of points to hunt, though some bull quality is improving in other mid to low-tier hunts. Since the wide swath of over-the-counter east side tags have been removed, you have seen some rifle tags get easier to draw as people have to put down archery tags as first choice to draw them now.

Mule deer hunters who want an opportunity to hunt, or those who want the biggest of big and will pay for an outfit to do it, both have options in Oregon with the east side deer hunts. The middle-ground of mule deer hunting (aka quality hunts for mid-point levels with quality bucks) are few and far between. Oregon is in the same boat as many western states with a deer herd that overall shows continued declines, but there are a few bright spots if you dig for it and know those hunts take work.

Going into 2025, there are no major changes to report, however, this year ODFW is unveiling their new mule deer hunting units and tag numbers. The preliminary maps show 22 draft herd ranges created from 1,454 mule deer collared in eastern Oregon. What the State does with those herd ranges in comparison to the current unit structure is yet to be presented.

Lastly, folks looking for a random chance at bighorn sheep or mountain goats should seriously consider applying for a tag in Oregon. The trophy quality and experience of the hunt for either of these species is very good in the Beaver State.

Black Bears & Mountain Lions For All
The Beaver State encourages nonresidents to put large carnivore tags in their pockets with very cheap nonresident black bear and mountain lion tags available OTC with extremely generous seasons, even year-round for cougars. That said, spot-and-stalk, calling or ambush hunting is the only way to legally take either species in Oregon. The use of dogs and baiting are not allowed on these predatory species and therefore the harvest success is very low compared to states that allow more efficient forms of hunting.

However, bears are susceptible to glassing in the fall as they gorge themselves before winter, and cougars can pop up in your optics on any ungulate hunt, so it’s worth having those tags in your account.

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Mule Deer
Wildfires and Winter Outlook
Premium Hunts
Looking Forward to 2026
Central Oregon
Northeast Oregon
Southeast Oregon

Blue-Chip
139M and R2 | Metolius Unit
164 | Lookout Mtn Unit
165R2 | Beulah Unit Late Bow
168A and R2 | Trout Cr Mtns
169A | Steens Mtn Unit
170R2: Hart Mtn Bow Hunts (R1 & R2)
174A and R1 | N Warner

Green-Chip
Keating (163)
Klamath Falls Late (132M)
Malheur River (165), Silvies (172) and Beulah (165) Archery and Rifle Hunts
Owyhee (167)
Murderers Creek (146 and 146R)
Snake River (146 and 146R)
Keno Late (131R1)

Whitetail Deer

Blacktail Deer

Mule Deer
Oregon has long been a red-headed stepchild to the core of western hunting states when it comes to mule deer, often not even on the radar of those who hunt states like Colorado and Wyoming regularly. However, the tides seem to be changing as those states become tougher to draw and options for regular mule deer hunting are limited.

A handful of Oregon hunters each year turn up world-class bucks on hunts you would not expect. Maybe it’s because there are not many deer, so the bucks that are on the ground have a lot of groceries to get big. Maybe it’s a factor of limited archery and deer hunting over the last four seasons. Whatever the case, there are a few big bucks turning up in the Beaver State, despite populations being at 44% of their management objectives and rifle hunts with more buck hunters than there are estimated bucks in the unit. Long story short, you should not expect to see many deer on an Oregon hunt, and will see quite a few hunters on the opportunity hunts, but the chance of something special exists.

Private land hunters often have a much better experience when hunting Oregon’s easy-to-draw units. Though that’s the case in most places, Oregon in particular shows that more conservative management on private lands increases the odds of finding a mature buck without having side-by-sides of other hunters buzzing around all day.

Public land hunters may want to consider archery or muzzleloader opportunities if having a secluded hunt and deer acting like deer is important to you. Archery tags are significantly lower than rifle tags in many places, but muzzleloader hunts usually offer the fewest numbers of hunters of all three seasons, unless it’s a super limited, top-tier hunt. The archery deer season starts August 31st this year, meaning hunters have a week or more before bucks shed velvet. Oregon’s muzzleloader hunts start on October 18th and go for 9 days, giving a decent chance for a winter storm, migrations to start and bucks to begin sniffing around does by the end of it.

It’s worth noting, Oregon’s 5% nonresident allocation means it takes 20 tags for there to be a nonresident tag. That one tag alternates between an outfitter and the public draw, meaning some years there will not be a tag available no matter the points you have.

Wildfires & Winter Outlook
Nearly 2 million acres of ground burned in Oregon in 2024, surpassing the previous record set in 2020. Now, Oregon has a significant snowpack in the mountains statewide and has seen good precipitation across all ranges. North to south, Oregon’s snowpack is well over 100%, exceeding 190% in the Harney Basin. Luckily, many of these winter ranges have remained clear of significant snow accumulation down low and winter survival should be good.

Will these millions of acres of burned ground come back strong or will they be bad for deer? That largely depends on the elevation and terrain the fire burned. If it was a timber fire at higher elevations, one can assume the growth that will come from this snow pack will be great for antler growth and fawning this spring. The Boneyard Fire in the Heppner Unit is a good example of this. If it’s a high desert fire that torches sagebrush communities, it will likely be replaced with more cheatgrass. The expectations of that fire being “good” for mule deer are much lower. The Owyhee Unit had such a fire last year and unless it is managed aggressively for invasive annual grasses, it’s not looking good for that burn scar.

On the bright side, going into spring with strong snowpack totals means less of a chance things dry out too fast and spark early wildfires. No matter the year, Oregon seems to always have issues with fires altering mule deer hunts, but as long as the precipitation does not shut off going into spring and summer, things are looking more promising than last year for a possible tag holder.

Looking Forward to 2026
Last year we discussed the new mule deer management plan and what its adoption may mean for Oregon hunters. Now, it’s 2025 and ODFW pushed the major mule deer hunting changes out another season. Currently in progress, expect the 22 new mule deer herd ranges to have an impact on 2026 hunting regulations, but there will not be any major unit or tag changes this year.

An Oregon hunter may consider the big changes coming next year as an opportunity to burn preference points and start fresh with the new system. There will be an elimination of the bottom-tier buck ratio management of 12 bucks per 100 does, and a more “holistic” approach to looking at harvest statistics to set mule deer hunting seasons going forward. That may mean significantly less hunting opportunity in some places, depending on how much ODFW wants to rock the boat with the new mule deer management plan.

In my opinion, you will find some hunts changed significantly, while others will hardly look any different. Making a gamble on the outcome of this year's proposals will depend on the herd unit and where it lies in their priorities inside the new mule deer management plan. It’s worth spending time in the new mule deer management plan to understand where your favorite areas lie in the scheme of things.

Premium Hunts
If you're buying the $172 hunting license in Oregon and not tossing your name in for a Premium Hunt, you're missing out. These hunts run from August 1st to November 30th, giving tag holders the chance to use a rifle to hunt the best times to find one of Oregon’s rare giants. August scouting can be a game-changer for those with time or solid intel, helping them turn up big velvet bucks in their summer patterns. And if that doesn’t pan out, November brings the rut—prime time to catch a buck cruising and nosing does. It’s a killer opportunity and the best part is that everyone who enters has an equal shot at drawing a tag.

Central Oregon
The Central Oregon deer herds are a mixed bag of results, as most continue to follow the trend of declining deer numbers, but a couple unique areas are seeing growth. Those units along the crest of the Cascades (Metolius and Upper Deschutes) are doing better than 5-10 years ago with more good bucks showing up in the late-season Metolius archery hunt lately.

The other Central Oregon (units 31-45) deer can be good hunting if you have private land access where there are pivots or river bottoms that can support more deer. But for public land hunters, they are very tough units with low deer densities on the usual National Forest and Bureau of Land Management lands. That’s not to say you cannot find a needle in a haystack and be rewarded with a dandy here; however, you should really dig into the type of terrain and current status of mule deer in that specific unit before hunting these areas.

Northeast Oregon
The northeast corner of Oregon, from the John Day area to the Snake River (units 46-62), holds plenty of country to hunt bucks. The challenge is finding low-pressure pockets and catching mature deer out in the open during the toughest time of year to locate them. This terrain is steep and hunters with horses or a willingness to backpack in can be rewarded, whether by getting up into the high country or dropping deep into the big canyons. Any area where the timber canopy has opened up from wildfire or private timber cuts with public access is worth a hard look.

According to the latest data from ODFW, some units in this cluster have thrown pretty high buck ratios, well over the target ratio objectives, and have seen some minor growth in overall deer numbers. Granted, those are from lows that make the best of mule deer hunters cringe, but it’s something.

If you're after better odds at a Premium tag or considering hiring an outfitter to turn up a special buck, this region could be worth the effort, all things considered. Keep in mind, these areas are usually a tough physical hunt with low deer numbers compared to other mountain deer hunts in the West.

Southeast Oregon
The biggest stretch of classic mule deer country in Oregon runs from Keating to Warner (units 63-77). The southeastern high desert is classic big-buck terrain with huge open rimrock country mixed with big sagebrush, a few pockets of aspens and juniper and lightly timbered mountains. Because of the open country, hunter success is usually solid. Muzzleloader hunts in these units offer a much better experience after the rifle seasons end, and while there are certainly fewer bucks to chase after those rifle seasons occur, the unit experience can be very good.

Overall, units like Silvies, Beulah, Owyhee, and Lookout Mountain have also had steady buck numbers compared to overall deer numbers and give you a solid shot at tagging a buck. If you're a public land hunter just looking for a mature, sage-dwelling buck, this part of the state is where I'd start.

Blue-Chip
I have talked a lot with high-point holders in Oregon and unfortunately, most of them thought their points would buy them a consistent opportunity at a quality of buck that’s simply not guaranteed anymore. For instance, a hunter recently told me, “I don’t want to just shoot a mature buck in Oregon, I want something special for my 20 years of applying.”, to which I replied, “Then you may want to wait to see if something with Oregon management and mule deer changes. And you may be waiting a long time.”

Setting realistic expectations is key for a Blue-Chip potential unit. You need to factor in the season you’re hunting and how many points you have. Low-point units can sometimes produce the same caliber of bucks as high-point hunts and plenty of hunters on top-tier hunts find themselves sorting through dozens of young bucks despite the hype that builds after waiting two decades. That said, every once in a while, a giant shows up in an unexpected spot—you just have to be out there to find it.

When looking at these Blue-Chip potential hunts and units, don’t expect the same experience as a top-tier hunt in Utah, Arizona or Colorado. Instead, plan to grind and stay consistent in your efforts on the hunt you go with. If you do that, you may be rewarded with something special.

139M and R2 | Metolius Unit
The fires from 8-20 years ago reshaped this landscape in a big way. While hunters here are dealing with a mix of true mule deer and benchlegs (blacktail-mule deer crossovers), the area has been turning out more impressive bucks than it did a decade ago. These deer tend to have solid mass and dark-red antlers, though tine length usually isn’t great; but for Oregon, that’s about as good as it gets.

For middle and upper point holders looking to hunt with a muzzleloader or rifle, this area is worth considering. Just be ready for tough glassing conditions in thick manzanita brush and ponderosa stands. As for the late-archery hunt, it’s still one of the best chances at a big buck in the State. However, demand for that hunt is through the roof and both residents and nonresidents are looking at a 20+ year wait just to have a shot at drawing the tag.

164 | Lookout Mountain Unit
With around 50% more tags than just four years ago, the top age class may be tempering in this unit. Compared to other Oregon hunts, the percentage of 4-points taken is still around 50% and success rates average over 67% for the last five years running. There were some large fires in the unit last year, though they were largely on private lands. That might shake things up and could be a mix of good and bad for deer going forward.

When you look at the landscape of Oregon deer hunting, this unit still has Blue-Chip trophy potential, though. Outfitters kill big bucks on private lands in the Lookout Mountain Unit because of selective management of the deer herd on those places. The public land hunter should consider playing the private-public boundaries or finding more secluded backcountry to find mature bucks here. Knowing a good one here is possible gives a hunter confidence to stick to the game plan when early October rifle hunting is hot and dry and buck movement is minimal. The early-archery hunt may just be a person’s best chance to find one of the mature deer that make this hunt appealing, and it does not take any points to draw.

165R2 | Beulah Unit Late Bow
Buck numbers are looking good in Beulah, prompting ODFW to increase rifle tags by another 100 hunters in 2025, making it a busy rifle season for this unit. However, between private land sanctuaries, big mountains and a consistent string of warm and dry rifle seasons, bucks make it through every year. That means the late-archery tag is still one of the best opportunities to see the big old grey ghosts that live in eastern Oregon. The Durkee and Cow Valley fires burned a lot of the eastern part of this unit, and being low country, probably won’t help the winter range much, but they are not normally an area that public hunters focus their efforts on and should not impact hunting directly next year.

168A and R2 | Trout Creek Mountains
This little mountain range in southern Oregon is more an extension of good mule deer country from Nevada than anything else. Bucks here are getting old thanks to really conservative management that includes a very limited rifle season that took 19 resident preference points and more than 25 nonresident preference points to draw. On the earlier side of things, the only other hunting opportunity is a traditional bow season. Success rates are essentially negligible on that hunt. Managers are working out why the deer here remain stable to improving while just across the highway the Pueblo Mountains are having precipitous declines in deer. So, if you cannot draw this one, I would not look across the highway and expect similar hunting in the easier-to-draw portions of this part of Oregon.

169A | Steens Mountain Unit
The eyes of hunters looking for a classic eastern Oregon mule deer hunt for a big old dry country buck have stayed on the Steens as for nonresidents, she took another point to draw in 2024 than the year previous. It is an iconic mountain that’s fun to run around on for a week of hunting, and the chance of a truly big deer still exists. It is a grind of a hunt, physically and mentally, but for most folks considering dumping their points in the mid-teens, it's one of the better things going for Oregon hunters. Plus, the “cool country” factor makes it all the better if you get out there and do not find what you are looking for.

170R2 | Hart Mountain Bow Hunts (R1 & R2)
Unfortunately the Warner Creek fire of 2024 burned 65,000 acres of some of the best mule deer habitat on Hart Mountain. Just when we felt like it was gaining some momentum with good buck numbers, it got dealt a blow with that fire. Being a hot, dry desert environment, it’s going to take a while for this area to come back. That said, this part of Oregon is sitting with over 150% snow pack on the mountain, which means it has water to start regrowth in the burn. Ecologically, the aspen stands here should rebound quickly and even have fresh shoots for deer to munch on in 2025. The mountain mahogany and sage brush in the area takes a lot longer to regrow, which will concentrate deer on those regenerating aspens.

What’s this mean for hunters? First, there are still good bucks that did not get caught in the fire that will be available in 2025. That is why it remains on the Blue-Chip potential list. However, if you are sitting just outside the point levels needed to draw here, it may be time to look at other options if you do not want to be the guinea pig to see how deer respond to the landscape change caused by the fire.

174A and R1 | N Warner
The North Warner hunts have come down a bit off their hype from five or so years ago and tag numbers have come down enough that the hunts alternate between a tag for outfitters and a tag for nonresidents, so due diligence in the drawing odds are needed to know if you have a chance at pulling this tag. When they do offer nonresident tags, they usually go for mid-20 points, while residents need around 16 to draw nowadays. The total number of applicants has come down, especially for archery season, so maybe if you time it right, you can grab a good hunt for only a handful of points in that season. Regardless, it’s cool rimrock country with brushy habitat that is prime for growing big bucks. Whether or not you have the patience to dig around and find a good one is up to you on this hunt.

Green-Chip

Keating (163)
Nothing crazy new has happened in Keating for it to be a newcomer to this list, but it’s got all of the fundamentals for someone who wants a good mountain mule deer hunt. The peaks here reach over 9,000 feet (which is dang high for Oregon) and there are good high country basins to backpack or horsepack into for deer hunting. Folks who like hunting the low country will find good sagebrush and rolling hills around 3,500 feet in elevation, and there are burns to glass in-between. It’s got moderate amounts of hunting pressure compared to other Oregon units and good buck ratios, and really good success rates. It might be what you are looking for in a mid-point hunt.

Klamath Falls Late (132M)
The mule deer hunting around Klamath Falls can be very fun, especially for an Oregon hunt. Granted most of these deer do not get giant, even at old age. The November rut dates on this muzzleloader hunt make it a good time to see 4-points running around. You can hunt on BLM hillsides above private or you can pound the timber on National Forest on this hunt – it’s up to you. The hunt has gained traction with Oregon applicants (especially residents) and may keep seeing some point creep, but it can be a good time if you draw the tag.

Malheur River (165), Silvies (172) & Beulah (165) Archery & Rifle Hunts
These three hunts are all managed similarly, have timber country, sagebrush and juniper hills and tend to hold more mule deer than most hunts in Oregon. As a result, these units have quite a few hunters running around and are relatively easy to draw. All but Silvies got increases in tag numbers in 2025 as well, because buck numbers are over objective. If you can find some private lands, work hard to get away from hunter pressure or think creatively about these hunts to get away from pressure, you can find a nice mature Oregon mule deer.

Owyhee (167)
Expect more changes to come to this unit with the new management plan being implemented in 2026. For the time being, Owyhee has remained status quo as a solid Oregon hunt, but a hard hunt during rifle season. A premium tag holder took a giant from here in 2024, showing they are possible out in this country. ODFW’s winter monitoring has shown some growth in the deer herd. Moving forward, this herd will be managed based on different metrics than what the biologists are seeing from the air since so many of these deer come into the unit from Idaho. If you like hunting this unit, it may be a good year to take advantage of a tag before anything changes.

Murderers Creek (146 and 146R)
The big Canyon Creek Complex burn that made this area come back nicely since 2013 is maturing now, making it tough to turn up and hunt the deer that live in the thick brush that has grown up. It also got enough popularity as being the place to hunt deer that it gets quite busy. That said, there is a new proverbial sheriff in town with the Rail Ridge fire burning a good portion of the western half of the unit. This fire burned elevations that were 1000-2000 feet lower than the Canyon Creek Complex, taking out a lot more juniper and sage-type country than timber. It could be good for deer or it could be rough, depending on how moisture lays out in growing seasons, but it did open up new glassable country. Maybe it’s something you roll the dice on to try something new in Murderers Creek in 2025.

Snake River (146 and 146R)
We are coming on three years since the majority of this unit burned, which should be making for really good deer habitat for does and fawns. For a hunter looking for a mature buck, you may not be in the coming peak of mature bucks who have used the burn to get big yet, but this unit is one you can hunt every few years if you want to get to know deer pockets in this big canyon country and come back regularly.

Keno Late (131R1)
Keno’s deer population is doing better relative to objective than most every deer unit in the State. It’s hunted pretty hard, which makes finding mature bucks tough. Plus, it’s got a lot of deer with benchleg qualities, being on the east slope of the Cascades. That said, for just a couple of points for the late-archery hunt you can be seeing deer regularly and having a good time looking for one to chase.

Whitetail Deer
ODFW are finally looking at increasing whitetail-specific opportunities where it's possible in Oregon. There will be three new muzzleloader hunts on private land only in 2025 to choose from in the 100-series drawings: Chesnimus, Snake River and Imnaha. There are places on private land in the Wallowa Valley where hundreds of whitetail can be seen, and there is a lot of interest from hunters to increase opportunities to get after them, but CWD sampling will be required in these three hunts.

The far east edge of Oregon is only 100 miles from the far west edge of Montana where CWD has really put a hurting on their whitetail populations. With Idaho detecting CWD relatively close by, Oregon is trying to be proactive to detect the disease in whitetails in this part of the State.

These three new hunts are in addition to the Grande Ronde, Baker County and Grant County whitetail hunts that are in the regulations. Private land access is highly encouraged as better densities are along private land river bottoms and ag fields.

A handful of whitetail-only tags are available in the 600-series pool, and they can be used for a buck as well. These hunts are limited to short-range weapons, but they offer a chance to pursue a buck without burning the preference points typically needed for mule deer. It seems like the era of adding more of these may be waning since ODFW continues to add whitetail opportunities to the 100-series licenses, but if you have the points here it can be a fun way to do something a little different in Oregon.

Columbia whitetails can only be hunted in the North Bank Habitat Unit and Umpqua areas, each presenting its own challenges. In the Umpqua hunts, securing private land access or hiring an outfitter is almost necessary for success, though these tags require fewer points to draw. Meanwhile, North Bank Habitat hunts demand significantly more points, but both the rifle and muzzleloader seasons tend to have solid success rates without needing private land access. ODFW did open up more of Unit 23 to Colombia whitetail hunting this year, hopefully in anticipation of more opportunities to hunt this unique subspecies in the future.

If you’re looking to chase this rare kin to the eastern whitetail, best of luck!

Blacktail Deer
A lot of die-hard blacktail hunters would agree 2024 was a standout year for harvesting quality blacktail bucks. Harvest success overall on blacktail deer increased notably to an average 37% harvest rate. That is VERY good for blacktail hunting.

Pursuing blacktail deer is widely accessible with both rifle and archery seasons available OTC for residents and nonresidents. Blacktails' legendary ability to stay hidden seems to be keeping their numbers steady, even with the later general-rifle season dates. Based on the trail camera research in western Oregon, there are a lot of bucks that get old and probably never get seen. It’s a good time to pursue these elusive, timber-dwelling deer.

The debate over where mule deer end and blacktails begin could go on forever, but generally, blacktail management starts at the crest of the Cascades. The main exception is the White River and Hood late hunts (141A and 141C), which are widely regarded as some of the best opportunities for a blacktail-like deer, despite being on the eastern slope.

For those looking for easier-to-draw hunts, the W High Cascade rifle hunt (Sept. 13-21) in the high country is a solid option. Keep in mind migration data that shows some of these deer migrating to the east side from the W High Cascade rifle hunt, and it may be in the crosshairs for a change in 2026.

Another quality draw hunt is the early-archery hunt (Aug. 1-15) in the Rogue-Siskiyou Units. The early Rogue-Siskiyou hunt jumped to take 9 points to draw as a nonresident, but with 35% for an archery tag, it’s a good opportunity to hunt bucks in their summer habits in the velvet. Southern Oregon continues to be the hotspot for high-quality bucks, though gaining access to private land can significantly improve the overall hunting experience.

When it comes to controlled hunts, they don’t offer much of an advantage in trophy potential or access the farther west you go. The general-archery season covers both early and late dates right in the middle of the rut, giving bowhunters a great window to locate these “gray ghosts” in the rainforest. Late-muzzleloader hunts are available in the Trask and McKenzie units, but the Applegate and Indigo late-muzzleloader tags stand out as some of the better opportunities. Additionally, two late-rifle hunts in the Wilson and Dixon units are worth considering—though with fewer than 20 tags apiece, they’re highly limited and best suited for hunters familiar with those areas.
If you’ve ever wanted a blacktail for the wall, now is a great time to make it happen.

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Deer Table updated March 13, 2025.

2025 OR Deer Table

Rocky Mountain Elk Overview
Premium Hunts
Why Apply In Oregon?
What To Expect

Blue-Chip
Mt. Emily (254Y1 or 245R1)
Weneha (256R1 or 256Y1)
Walla Walla (255R1 or 255Y1)

Green-Chip
Ochocos (237X, 237Y, 237R)
Sled Springs (257X, 257R1)
Catherine Creek & The Eagle Caps (260M, 253R1, 253R2, 253X)
High Desert (278M, 278A1, 278A1)
Grizzly (238B1, 238B2, 238X, 238Y)
Snake River (259Y, 259R)
Chesnimus (258R, 258X, 258Y)
Roosevelts’ Elk

Oregon elk hunting is settling into a time of consistency after the dust has settled from removing a lot of OTC elk units and shifting season dates around the past few years. Now that there are more hunts to choose from, and many people are forced to burn points to archery hunt their favorite units every year, point creep has settled down and mid to low-tier hunts are finally at a more predictable place in the draws.

Folks largely know what to expect when looking at Rocky Mountain elk hunts in Oregon. Some pockets away from roads or on private lands have a good age-class structure and can be a great hunt for the points it takes to draw. Then, there are other public land units where it’s darn tough to find a 6-point bull, and harvest rates are very low, but at least you can have a chance at filling the freezer if you are a top-10% hunter.

Light to no control on predation (wolves, black bears and lions) and a mix of crummy habitat conditions with 2 million freshly burned acres in Oregon are impacting herd productivity in places. Especially in the northeast corner, herds are seeing real suppression of calf recruitment and consequently will face minor tag cuts in 2025. However, there’s a good chance a little tag cut here and there will help bull age class in the next few years, but take more points to pull as a result. With every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, and in Oregon, finding out how to make those play in your favor is the name of the game.

Premium Hunts
For just a couple of dollars, you can put your name in the hat for a premium tag. It gives the holder from August 1st until November 30th of every year to hunt for the bull of your dreams with a rifle. That means you could find a big, old velvet bull in summer scouting to take home, chase bugling “forest horses” with a rifle in September or wait until the snow flies and lone bulls spend some time in the open to fill your tag. If you already buy the license, figure it into your application plans. The odds are long, but they do not count against your tag limits for the year, do not take points and someone wins them every single year.

Why Apply In Oregon?
Let’s look at the current western hunting landscape. Idaho elk tags are tough to get in the first-come, first-serve system. Wyoming general tags take a half-decade to get. Colorado over-the-counter is gone for archery season. Montana is taking two to three preference points to guarantee the general tag. That leaves few options for those who like to simply get out and have a chance at a nice bull in the West. That means Oregon is gaining relevancy for those who want consistent elk hunting opportunities while waiting to draw elsewhere.
Drawing without any preference points usually means big backcountry hunts or thick pine country that make it tough to locate elk consistently. If you have 1-3 preference points, however, you unlock the bulk of the eastern Oregon elk hunts, minus a few outliers.

If you have more than a handful of preference points, however, options get slim and the hunt quality truly does not improve a whole lot until you are in the upper-teens or 20-plus point ranges. Even then, the Big 3 units of Walla Walla, Weneha and Mt. Emily are likely a little out of reach until you are close to maximum preference points.

It’s worth noting: Oregon’s 5% nonresident allocation means it takes 20 tags for there to be a nonresident tag. That one tag alternates between an outfitter and the public draw, meaning some years there will not be a tag available no matter the points you have.

What To Expect
The Beaver State runs their elk herds on a thin bull ratio that oftentimes can be less than 10 per 100 cows. That means it takes looking over a lot of elk to find a mature one on the opportunity hunts. It generally takes some other factor, like extremely rugged terrain or private lands to get age on bulls. That said, those opportunity hunts can still provide a good hunter with a chance to fill the freezer if you are like me and like eating elk steak to get you through the winter.

There have always been shifting season dates in Oregon, but to help you map out your hunts after a few years of changes, here is the structure for the 2025 season:

Archery season runs from August 31st until September 28th this year, cutting off a few days of the magical month of September, but is still longer than it used to be.

The handful of muzzleloader tags available in Oregon are from October 18th until October 26th this year. Those dates mean you can find a few bulls with cows in Oregon trying to catch a second estrus on those season dates.
The first rifle season starts October 29th and ends November 2nd, 2025. The first any-weapon season is generally preferred by hunters because snow does not make it as hard to get to bulls, and you get the first crack at them with a rifle.

The second rifle season starts November 8th and ends November 16th. It is the best season if you like hunting bulls in their secluded habitats and want the best chance of catching a nice snowstorm to improve hunting conditions.
There are a few odd seasons for traditional archery and late-archery hunts on the west side of the State. If you like to shoot a stick bow or want something off-the-wall to fill your schedule, check those out.

Blue-Chip
They are not a premium limited entry hunt in Utah or a once-in-a-lifetime draw in New Mexico, but if you have the points built up, the Big 3 units in Oregon have the chance to produce world-class bulls. Most folks are surprised they are not around every tree for the amount of points it takes to get one of the Big 3, and that is largely because easy-to-access bulls will not get to monstrous sizes even with limited tags. However, if you want a good experience looking over lots of bulls, these three units offer the best chance to do so with regularity in Oregon.

Keep in mind there are cow and spike hunters on most of the Big 3 hunts. DO NOT PUT A SPIKE TAG AS YOUR 1ST CHOICE IN YOUR APPLICATION. A friend of mine did that and lost 14 preference points just a year ago. Talk about depressing.

The spike and cow hunters in these units will mean you can expect company, kind of like a Utah limited-entry tag. All three of these units have increases for spike hunters afield at the same time as bull hunters, but that does not mean there will be much competition for the big bulls you will be after if you have the tag. Do not forget, if you see cows in the late-bull seasons, you are very likely in the wrong spot and in too mellow of terrain.

Mt. Emily (254Y1 or 245R1)
Mt. Emily is the most roaded of the three units, but oftentimes those roads are on top of the ridges and you are hunting down to the elk a couple of thousand feet below you if you find a good one in the spotting scope. A mixture of thick timber and open slopes makes it a great unit for glassing, though. Expect a lot of 300-330” bulls in this unit, with the best bulls taking private land access or a willingness to dive into a nasty hole to dig up.

Weneha (256R1 or 256Y1)
For hunters who like to backpack or horseback into big bull country, the Weneha has more country to do it in than any other Oregon unit. On average, it’s got bigger bulls as a result, but the tradeoff of getting to them keeps some folks leery, especially if you have put in the nearly 30 years of applying to get to the top-of-the-point heap. The big burns in the northeast of this unit are great for glassing, but it does not take burns to make the canyon country glassable –especially in the late rifle hunts when bulls go to their steep hidey holes.

Walla Walla (255R1 or 255Y1)
The Walla Walla unit is usually considered a blending of the Mt. Emily and Weneha hunt, though it is the only one without a federally designated wilderness area to dive into. It's still hard to find many flat spots in this unit, and it is somewhat glassable in areas. There is only one recent fire here, and it was relatively small, especially for 2024. It has more thick timber than the other two units, though, and would be better for someone who likes to mix it up in the timber with elk. The age class is as good as you can expect, though, because it is tougher to pick apart the hillsides for bulls. Looking over enough to find a uniquely grand bull can be a chore.

Green-Chip

Ochocos (237X, 237Y, 237R)
Minor tag cuts are coming for the Ochoco unit in 2025 on the back of lower bull ratios than managers are looking for. The majority of the eastern portion of the unit burned in 2024, including the Black Canyon Wilderness Area. This can be a catch-22. Bulls will be back in the burn next year with regrowth coming after good moisture this winter. However, if your favorite places to hunt in the Ochoco Unit are on the west side, it is easy to expect more people who usually hunt the east side to shift their camps to the unburned portion of this area. There should be good numbers of bulls, as always, and if you don’t like getting sooted up, I wouldn’t consider it in 2025 for the amount of points it takes.

Sled Springs (257X, 257R1)
Sled Springs can always produce a big bull being the little brother of the Big 3 units. The amount of points it takes is consummate with the proximity to the Weneha unit, however, and it continues to creep up in the number of points it takes to draw. Big, gnarly canyons, good timber country and travel management areas make this unit a good blending of access and places bulls can get old. If you are behind the curve on the Big 3 but want to hunt this year, it’s a solid option. This unit is exempt from the 200R youth archery tag.

Catherine Creek & The Eagle Caps (260M, 253R1, 253R2, 253X)
The Eagle Caps and Catherine Creek are lucky to have such wild, deep backcountry mountains. Bulls can get old here and if you are willing to put in the work, it can surprise you with a big bull. The ruggedness of these mountains keeps a lot of folks from putting in, as the few roaded areas get congested fast and often the elk move up the mountain when hunters hit the field. It's probably going to continue creeping in points for the archery tag but it’s still a good value for someone wanting a big one or a big backcountry hunt.

High Desert (278M, 278A1, 278A1)
The High Desert continued to surprise folks in 2024 with a few dandies coming out of the vast desert country this tag includes. Elk numbers are very pocketed and take local information to get onto them. Then, once you are on a herd you have to remain diligent to follow their long, daily-travel routes. However, it can be a great hunt for someone who loves spending time behind their optics to pick out a big sagebrush bull to chase.

Grizzly (238B1, 238B2, 238X, 238Y)
Elk in this area tend to retreat onto private land once hunting pressure kicks in, but if you can secure access through an outfitter or private property, it’s a solid unit for elk. Public land hunters often gravitate toward the relatively small Mill Creek Wilderness due to its close proximity to central Oregon towns. That said, there are still opportunities to find elk on public land if you can work around the pressure. With the right access or enough time to put in the effort, this can be a rewarding hunt with a shot at a better-than-average bull.

Snake River (259Y and 259R)
Based on experiences with hunters who had the tag last year, people felt a dip in hunt quality. It may be attributed to the redistribution of elk with the giant 2022 fire that burned most of the unit, or maybe it has something to do with elk being run around by the predators who call this unit home. Regardless, it still has some incredibly striking, rugged country on the edge of Hells Canyon and good harvest success compared to other options in Oregon. It’s built for the hunter with livestock since nearly every bull has to get packed a long way back uphill to the truck. Could a big bull surprise a guy by coming out of here? Yes. Have things been forever altered by the big fire here? Only more time will tell.

Chesnimus (258R, 258X, 258Y)
A unit with mellower spots than the Snake River or Eagle Caps but still a good hunt is the Chesnimus unit. It’s got the Zumwalt Prairie in the unit which largely serves as a sanctuary for a lot of elk here and can help prop up the bull age class in the mellower terrain. That combined with the gnarly canyons in the eastern portion of the unit make it a solid option for turning up a mature bull elk. There are quite a few hunters on the few roaded parts of the unit, however, and if you are physically limited it can be a bit of a goat rope to get away from folks here. This unit is exempt from the 200R youth archery tag.

Roosevelt’s Elk
Roosevelt’s elk hunting in Oregon primarily takes place west of the Cascade crest, with general season tags available over-the-counter for both rifle and archery hunters. These thick, temperate rainforests make for an incredibly challenging hunt, especially for those unfamiliar with how these elk move and behave. However, a few controlled hunts, like the late-season opportunities in the Powers and Tioga units during November, December and January, offer better odds of success. Hunters with access to private or agricultural land should also look into the General Season Antlerless Elk Damage Tag, which extends from August 1 to March 31 in some areas, though it ends earlier (November 30) in the eastern portion of the state.

Unlike some other elk populations, Roosevelt’s herds in Oregon remain remarkably stable year after year in terms of numbers, bull quality and harvest success. Unfortunately, that stability is still about 80% of the management objective, and hunting success remains extremely low in the thick forests of western Oregon.

The biggest wildcard, however, is wildfire risk. When conditions get too dry, many private timberlands, both those offering free access and those requiring paid permits, shut down to public entry. This can leave hunters scrambling for alternatives, so it’s crucial to have a backup plan in place if another severe fire season rolls around.

For trophy bulls, Clatsop, Columbia and Tillamook counties stand out as Oregon’s top producers, consistently ranking among the best Boone and Crockett areas for Roosevelt’s elk. These regions also provide OTC archery opportunities during the rut. However, locating productive drainages where you can reliably get into bugling bulls in September is no easy task. Once you do, it’s the kind of hard-earned knowledge you’ll want to keep to yourself.

If you’re new to hunting Roosevelt’s elk, take the time to explore the various season structures and weapon options to see what fits best for you. And if you're just looking to dive in, an OTC tag is always an option; just be ready for a tough but rewarding hunt in the thick, unforgiving rainforest. Fortunately, for hunters with little to no preference points, there are still plenty of ways to get out and chase these legendary bulls.

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Elk Table updated March 13, 2025

2025 OR Elk Table

Premium Hunts
Top-Tier Pronghorn Country
Other Notable Units
Pronghorn in Thick Cover

There are not a ton of folks clamoring for a pronghorn hunt in Oregon, but the good hunt experience alone may keep a person applying for $8 per year while racking up points or trying to snag a tag for one of the random-draw species.
For perspective on Oregon’s pronghorn hunting, Wyoming’s Sublette pronghorn herd near Pinedale ALONE has more animals in the herd than the entire Beaver State, and that is after a winter that walloped the population two years ago. The silver lining remains that Oregon’s conservative management of their pronghorn means there is very good trophy quality in each hunt that is on the books. Plus, with fewer than 200 tags given for every hunt, crowding is almost non-existent if you do get the chance to chase speedgoats in Oregon.
Oregon’s pronghorn herd has stagnated around 17,000 animals for the last year. While there was a nice increase into the early 2010s, pronghorn in Oregon have largely declined or remained flat in the areas ODFW does count for them. Locals would tell you a few areas are seeing increases in buck quality and pronghorn numbers outside of the ODFW annual counts, but they largely do not offer much for pronghorn hunting opportunities. Plus, if one was to make a prediction on pronghorn numbers going forward, the precipitation southern and eastern Oregon has gained this winter should mean a very good fawn crop for 2025.

Keep in mind, there are hunts that take a lot of points to draw that still have limited public land. Unless you know of landowners to offer access, be sure to do some research before dropping a bunch of points on something like a Murderers Creek or Columbia Plateau hunt. At 3% of the total tag allocation, nonresidents have a tough row to hoe for any pronghorn hunting in Oregon, unless you are open to a few of the archery hunts.

Premium Hunts
If you’re aiming for one of Oregon’s toughest pronghorn tags, it’s worth spending the $8 entry fee for a Premium Hunt. These special tags allow you to hunt any pronghorn in the unit from August 1st through November 30th. The draw odds aren’t in your favor, but since many of these units rarely offer nonresident tags, and never any random ones, it’s a shot worth taking.

Top-Tier Pronghorn Country
For hunters who have built up a good stack of preference points and want to cash them in for a high-quality hunt, units in and around Harney County are the most consistent producers of Boone and Crockett pronghorn. The best bets include Whitehorse (Unit 68), Steens Mountain (Unit 69), Hart Mountain (within Unit 70) and Juniper (Unit 71). They all are known for top-end trophy potential and good public access (or even 100% public access) to pronghorn bucks.

A step-down, but still excellent options include Wagontire (Unit 73), Silvies (Unit 72) and Fort Rock-Silver Lake (Unit 76). These can sometimes have you waiting for pronghorn to leave alfalfa fields and hay meadows to get on BLM lands. However, a little door knocking can sometimes get you on private to access the pronghorn that are there.

All of the above units offer decent success rates, excellent pronghorn genetics, and pronghorn on public lands at some point. Unlike other areas where private land access can be a roadblock, these regions feature classic sagebrush flats with plenty of room to glass and hunt. Bring a good spotting scope and take advantage of the cooler morning hours before heat waves distort visibility, as pronghorn densities here aren’t as high as in states like Wyoming where you can drive all day and see them with the naked-eye from your truck.

Other Notable Units
Oregon has plenty of pronghorn hunting opportunities, but if a unit is easier to draw, it often comes with tougher access conditions. Water sources and agricultural lands tend to hold the highest pronghorn concentrations, and those areas are usually private. Murderers Creek (Unit 46) is a prime example, offering top-tier antelope potential but requiring careful navigation of land access. Central Oregon units like Maury (Unit 36) and Northside-Ritter (Unit 47) face similar challenges.

For residents, Baker County's Pine Creek-Keating (Units 61 and 62) have produced quality bucks in the past and remains a solid choice. Lookout Mountain (Unit 64) and Sumpter (Unit 51) are also worth considering. No matter where you apply, land access should be your top priority, otherwise, you may spend most of your season watching the wrong side of a fence line, waiting for a pronghorn to cross.

Pronghorn in Thick Cover
While most people associate pronghorn with wide-open spaces, some Oregon hunts take place in dense juniper and ponderosa country, where spotting these speedsters is a bigger challenge. The Gerber Reservoir and East Interstate hunts are good examples of this. These tags tend to be easier to draw, but just finding a goat to chase and closing in on a pronghorn will require more patience and effort. The Gerber Reservoir hunt is the better hunt of the two if you would like to simply try your hand at a tough pronghorn hunt in 2025.

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Table Recently updated March 6, 2025

2025 OR Pronghorn Table

Changes
River Float Hunts
Timbered Terrain Hunts – Aldrich & McLelland
High Desert Country Hunts
Other California Bighorn Sheep Units
Bear Creek Hunt – The Nonresident Opportunity
Snake River Hunts – Where the Giants Roam
The Rotational Wenaha Hunt
Nonresidents – Pay Attention

Oregon and bighorn sheep go together like peas and carrots right now. If you are someone who wants a big ram at some point in their life, then throwing your name in the ring for a random Oregon bighorn sheep tag is a good way to increase your chances. Although the demand is so high that drawing a tag is tough, it’s encouraging to see another round of tag increases again in 2025 for California bighorn sheep in Oregon. The 11% increase in bighorn sheep tags is primarily in the John Day River and Deschutes River herds. Rocky Mountain bighorns are not having the same boon as their cousins, especially with the die off that occurred in the Lookout Mountain herd a few years ago, but that does not mean the other hunts are not still good.

Currently, Oregon is in the midst of a research project with the University of Idaho where they are catching and monitoring 40 ewe bighorn sheep in the John Day River herd. This herd is doing very well, and researchers are looking to take a proactive approach to find out why that is. Whether it’s habitat, disease resistance or otherwise, it will be interesting to find out why this herd is so healthy and how to help other herds get that way as well.

Changes
New in 2025, all ewe sheep tag holders are expected to complete an online orientation course. This course is intended to help reduce young-ram harvest, and help people understand more about their sheep hunt before they go afield. These ewe hunts are NOT once-in-a-lifetime, but they still incur the same $1,513.50 price tag as a ram hunt for nonresidents, and are $142 for residents.
The Deschutes River has two more ram tags and five more ewe tags going into the 2025 season. John Day River hunts saw the same increase with two more ram tags and five more ewe tags. There were reductions of one license made to the Warner and Steens Mountains California bighorn sheep hunts going into 2025 due to lower ram numbers than ODFW would like. The Weneha rotational Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep hunt has returned to the docket for the 2025 season, as well. It is a one-in-three-year hunt opportunity that is shared between Washington, Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

River Float Hunts
For hunters lucky enough to draw a tag, the Deschutes and John Day River hunts are the bee’s knees in bighorn sheep hunting right now. It’s a hot hunt, but a fun time with the chance at a trophy ram or taking home bighorn sheep meat from a ewe. These hunts now feature an increased number of permits, meaning you may encounter more hunters navigating the river alongside you than you would expect out of a once-in-a-lifetime hunt. While sheep numbers remain strong and growing, managers are worried the narrow corridor of habitat is vulnerable to overgrazing and if a major virus sweeps through the herd, it would seriously depress the best thing Oregon has going for sheep hunting. Since boats are the primary method of access, expect a crowded stretch of river in the first few days of the season. Planning ahead can help you avoid the rush and maximize your chances.

Timbered Terrain Hunts – Aldrich & McLelland
For those considering the Aldrich or McLelland hunts in east-central Oregon, be prepared for a more challenging glassing experience. Unlike open-country hunts, these sheep often weave in and out of timber, making them harder to locate, especially in the McLelland Unit. Plus, the Aldrich Unit just had a major wildlife burn in the heart of the sheep habitat, which should be good for lamb production and good for glassing. It's one of those kinds of burns that also increases escapement from predators, and if I were a betting man, Aldrich may improve in the coming years. Both hunts provide the opportunity to harvest impressive rams, many exceeding 160 inches. With no changes to tag allocations this year, these populations remain stable and well-managed.

High Desert Country Hunts
The south-central Oregon bighorn hunts take place in classic rimrock terrain—hot, dry and rugged. While getting to the sheep varies in difficulty, these hunts are generally less physically demanding than the steep canyons of the river units. Steens Mountain stands out as the premier high-desert location, offering breathtaking landscapes and a higher elevation hunt that can have more comfortable temperatures, particularly for residents with second-season tags. Most rams taken here fall in the mid-160s range, with top-end trophies reaching the low to mid-170s. Unfortunately, ram numbers are a bit down so there are only two tags in the Steens instead of the three of 2024.

Other California Bighorn Sheep Units
The North Catlow Rim, East Beaty’s Butte/Alvord Peaks and Warner Units have historically been known for smaller rams. Warner had a tag reduction this year because it was showing a minor decline in hunt quality, but the others are steady and good hunts. While these units still offer some of the best drawing odds for residents, keep in mind that “better odds” in Oregon sheep hunting still means extremely low chances.

For 2025, Oregon will offer four Rocky Mountain bighorn hunts with a total of six tags. Every one of these units is capable of producing Boone & Crockett-class rams, but the level of challenge varies significantly.

Bear Creek Hunt – The Nonresident Opportunity
The Bear Creek hunt, located within the Minam Unit, is the only Rocky Mountain bighorn tag available to nonresidents. This is a true wilderness hunt where backpacking or using pack animals is a necessity to access prime sheep country. While there are always respectable rams taken, the upper range for trophies here tends to top out in the 170s.

Snake River Hunts – Where the Giants Roam
For resident hunters, auction winners, and raffle tag holders, the Snake River Units consistently produce the largest bighorn sheep in Oregon. These are brutally difficult hunts requiring either a grueling ascent from the canyon floor or a demanding descent from the rim into Hells Canyon. If you’re set on harvesting a true giant or nothing at all, these are the hunts to apply for.

The Rotational Wenaha Hunt
The Wenaha hunt, which rotates availability, provides another solid option for Rocky Mountain bighorn hunters. While not as extreme as the Snake River units, it still requires serious effort and can yield trophy-class rams.

Nonresidents – Pay Attention
If you’re a nonresident, the only option worth applying for in the standard draw is Bear Creek. Avoid applying for any other Rocky Mountain bighorn hunt, as those tags are reserved for residents.

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2025 OR Sheep Table

NEW Central Cascades Hunt

S. Wallowa Mt

Hurricane Creek & South Snake River Hunts

Strawberry Mountain

North Wenaha

Copper Creek

The big white cliff-dwelling fluff balls that we call Rocky Mountain goats are doing well in Oregon. Their tiny alpine islands and specific rock-laden habitat needs mean their populations will never be as prolific as other species, and hunting is very limited for them. That said, any Oregon mountain goat tag is a gem to have in your pocket as the Beaver State continues to produce high-quality animals year-to-year in each of the hunts.

New in 2025, each Rocky Mountain goat hunter will need to complete a required online training before going hunting for goats. This training will help hunters identify a billy from a nanny and give additional information on how to hunt mountain goats. The prevailing conversation around mountain goat hunting is simply that if hunters could more easily identify nannies from billies, there could be significantly more hunting opportunities. In my estimation, any part hunters can play in keeping harvest on billies only is a good thing for future tag numbers.

Though anyone who has spent time around Three-Fingered Jack or Mount Jefferson in the Cascades knows there are mountain goats around, the population has finally reached a point where a hunting season is warranted. It will alternate each year with the Confederate Tribes of the Warm Springs, but there will be a single resident random tag this year. The entirety of the hunt is in the Mount Jefferson Wilderness Area, and while some of the goats are not in an incredibly hard area to hike to, it is still a backpacking or horseback-type of hunt.

Nonresidents have two tags to throw their name in the hat for again in 2025; one in the Elkhorn Mountains and one in the S Snake River unit. The Elkhorns tag is a classic backcountry mountain-type hunt where goats live at the top. The S Snake River hunt can be a little easier to glass up goats from the roads at the top of the ridge, but it is the top of Hells Canyon and some goats will be a long way down, meaning you have to pack your trophy a long way uphill.

Mountain goat tags in Oregon are issued on a completely random basis, so while the chance of drawing is slim, it’s still a chance. Two dozen people will end up chasing goats in 2025. One of them might as well be you.

NEW Central Cascades Hunt
The latest addition to the Rocky Mountain goat lineup in Oregon, this is the first time a mountain goat hunt has been available since the late 1800s when the mountain goats in the area were extirpated. The mountain goats were reintroduced in 2010 from the Elkhorns population and have thrived in their new home. While 15 years is not enough time for them to maximize the use of their habitat, the number of goats here has reached a sustainable level and with any luck, Oregon hunters will see increased chances to hunt these rock dwellers in the future.

Elkhorn Hunts
In the heart of the big mountain goat hunting, folks can approach the mountains from Anthony Lakes Ski Resort, come up from the south end near Sumpter or use a few motorcycle trails throughout the high country in the Elkhorn Mountains. Nonresidents should look to the Elkhorns second-season tag for an opportunity to hunt. For residents, the later season (hunt 950A3) has October 1-31 dates. If a haired-up mountain goat is what you are looking for, this is the hunt for you.

S. Wallowa Mt
The South Wallowa Mountain hunt has continued to produce old billies, some of them breaking Boone and Crockett status. It’s a hard hunt physically, but the mountain goats are doing very well here. As a result, ODFW added a tag to the unit in 2025. There still is no nonresident opportunity here, but if you like the prospect of hunting a mountain goat deep in the Eagle Cap Wilderness, it’s an incredible chance to do so.

Hurricane Creek & South Snake River Hunts
The South Snake River No. 1 hunt is one of the two nonresident hunts. The odds were better than the Elkhorn hunt last year, but still quite low with 1 tag for 731 applicants. Spotting goats in this rugged terrain isn’t the challenge. It’s navigating steep 2,000 foot ascents and descents, making a clean shot and hauling your goat out, where the real work begins. For resident hunters, two late-season tags are available, offering a chance at a goat with a thick coat. Like all of Oregon’s goat hunts, this one rewards those willing to put in effort with exceptional trophy potential.

Strawberry Mountain
For resident hunters seeking easier access, Strawberry Mountain may be the best option. With glassing opportunities right off the main road and a nearby camping area, this hunt offers a convenient yet rewarding experience for residents lucky enough to draw one of the two available tags. While the overall sample size of harvested goats here is small, resulting in slightly lower average Boone & Crockett scores, local biologists believe the biggest billies are still out there, just not getting taken each season. This hunt is an ideal choice for older hunters or those who prefer less grueling terrain compared to Oregon’s steeper, more demanding goat country.

North Wenaha
The North Wenaha herd is smaller than others in the State and while it’s not known for producing the largest billies, there’s only one tag issued per year, making it difficult to fully gauge the trophy potential. That said, this area offers a solid chance at a quality goat and comes with the added bonus of prime elk country, so expect to see some impressive bulls while you’re glassing for goats.

Copper Creek
Now known as Copper Creek, this hunt remains a solid representation of Oregon’s mountain goat habitat within the broader Minam Unit. While its draw odds are no longer among the best, it still presents a slightly better chance than most other resident options. For those seeking a well-rounded goat hunt in classic terrain, this unit remains a strong choice.

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