New for 2020

State Information

Oregon snow water equivalent as of April 29, 2020. Source: NRCS

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Source: US Drought Monitor

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The Oregon Draw System

Oregon's 2020 Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep Breakdown

Oregon's 2020 Mountain Goat Breakdown

Oregon's 2020 Bighorn Sheep and Mountain Goat Application Strategy

As the COVID-19 virus continues to spread, the in-person option for applications may become increasingly difficult. For 2020, it would be best to plan on online or phone applications. See all current COVID-19 state impacts on hunting here.

Note: The application deadline in Oregon for all species is May 15, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. PST and all applications must be submitted online or at a license sales agent.

Bighorn Sheep

Mountain Goat

To view more important information, including a state overview of Oregon’s rules/regulations, the draw system, draw odds and license fee, go to the Oregon state profile. It also includes an interactive map where you can research unit boundaries and data on a unit by unit basis.

Note: There is no point system for bighorn sheep or mountain goats in Oregon. Every applicant is on an equal playing field for the available permits

Important Dates and Information

*Tag fees only required if you are successful in the draw.

Drought and Snowpack in Oregon

2020

In 2020, Oregon is once again having a pretty average snowpack and moisture year. The central portion of the state is slightly below the 2019 totals with most areas at nearly 80% of annual precipitation. The northeast portion of the state is at 120% of annual precipitation and the rest of the state is hovering just below 100% of annual precipitation.

Oregon snow water equivalent as of April 29, 2020. Source: NRCS

Source: US Drought Monitor

Oregon’s draw system for bighorn sheep and mountain goat is different from their system for deer, elk and antelope. While those are based on a modified preference point system, for bighorn sheep and mountain goat there is no point system at all. The draw for these two once-in-a-lifetime species is completely random and every applicant is on the same playing field for the available permits.

When you apply, you will be able to list up to five different selections on your application, but every applicant's first choice is considered before moving to any applicant's second choice. What this means is that there is almost no chance of drawing a tag on a second choice as all of the tags will be allocated before anyone’s second choice is considered. Choose your first choice carefully as it really is the only one that matters.

Nonresidents who apply for other species (deer, elk, antelope) and have purchased the $172 hunting license should absolutely apply for bighorn sheep and mountain goat. The $8 application fee is a minimal fee to pay for the chance at a really good tag. If you only apply for bighorn sheep and mountain goat, you should realize that you are paying $188 for a couple of raffle tickets.

If you have kids, we would strongly suggest that they apply for youth bighorn sheep and mountain goat tags. The juvenile hunting license is only $10. For $26, your kids would have a chance to draw for both species.

Oregon offers both California and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep herds. In 2020, they will offer only California bighorn sheep tags to nonresidents in three separate units: the John Day second hunt, the E. Beaty’s Butte/Alvord Peaks second hunt and the S Central first hunt. The Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep tag that was available to nonresidents was canceled due to disease issues within the Lookout Mt herd.

Overall, populations for California bighorn sheep are down with a statewide population of approximately 3,110. Populations of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep are also down with disease and predation being an issue in some units. The two tables below outline populations for each herd and ram:ratios.

B&c Entry Trends for Oregon Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep

Units listed below may not have a current hunt for this species. Units in this table are considered if any part of the unit is found within any part of the county. Data provided below courtesy of Boone and Crockett Club.

Malheur, Wasco and Gilliam counties hold California bighorns.

B&C classifies California bighorn sheep as Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. So the B&C table is the same as the one above in the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep section.

Managing Expectations for Rocky Mountain and California Bighorn Sheep

As indicated in the tables above, the best draw odds for residents were in Unit 60 with .67%. There are no nonresident Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep tags available in 2020. The other options for residents would be the new hunt in Unit 59 S Snake River and the N Snake River with .10% odds.

California bighorn sheep hunts for residents all had odds of less than 1%. The best odds were for Unit 43 W Deschutes Rv No. 3 with .85%. Use the standalone draw odds pages and the trophy potential to explore options worth applying for.

Nonresidents have three hunts they can apply for and the new hunt in Unit 43 John Day Rv No. 3 will have two nonresident tags in 2020. Odds are expected to be less than 1%. The best odds were in Unit 75 S Central No. 1 with .34% in 2019. There will be a tag in that unit once again in 2020.

Find your resident Rocky bighorn controlled hunt draw odds here

Find your nonresident Rocky bighorn controlled hunt draw odds here

In 2020, there will be a total of 28 mountain goat tags; two of those will be available to nonresidents. The two units/hunts that will have a nonresident tag each will be Unit 51 Elkhorn No. 2 and Unit 59 Hat Point No. 1. For residents, there are a couple new hunts in Unit 60 Copper Cr and Unit 53 S Wallows Mt.

Only four of the herds were counted in 2019; the bulk of the herds were counted in 2018. The table below outlines the most recent counts for each herd.

B&c Entry Trends for Oregon Mountain Goat

While Oregon may not be home to the biggest mountain goats in the West, it does offer many great hunts that can occasionally produce record book animals. Below is a list of the top record book producing counties found in the state.

Units listed below may not have a current hunt for this species. Units in this table are considered if any part of the unit is found within any part of the county. Data provided below courtesy of Boone and Crockett Club.

Managing Expectations for Mountain Goats

Residents

There are 14 different hunt selections for resident hunters. They are spread out with different season dates across nine different hunt areas. Two of these hunt areas also have a nonresident permit available in Unit 50-51 Elkhorn No. 2 and Unit 59 Hat Point No. 1. The following table outlines every resident mountain goat hunt for 2020 and the odds.

Nonresidents

There are two nonresident tags available; one in each of the following two units: Unit 51 Elkhorn No. 2 and Unit 59 Hat Point No. 1. The draw odds for those in 2019 were .11% and .14%.

Find your resident mountain goat controlled hunt draw odds here

Find your nonresident mountain goat controlled hunt draw odds here