New for 2020

State Information

Oregon current snowpack as of April 22, 2020. Source: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

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Oregon drought status as of April 14, 2020. Source: US Drought Monitor

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Oregon drought status as of April 30, 2019. Source: US Drought Monitor

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The Oregon Draw System

Oregon's 2020 Elk Breakdown

Oregon's 2020 Antelope Breakdown

Oregon's 2020 Elk and Antelope 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 at 11:59 p.m. PST and all applications must be submitted online or at a license sales agent.

Antlerless Draw Odds

Remember that GOHUNT has Draw Odds for all female species.

Cow Rocky Mountain Elk Draw Odds

Find your resident Rocky Mtn. cow elk draw odds here

Find your nonresident Rocky Mtn. cow elk draw odds here

Cow Roosevelt Elk Draw Odds

Find your resident cow Roosevelt elk draw odds here

Find your nonresident cow Roosevelt elk draw odds here

Doe Antelope Draw Odds

Find your resident doe antelope draw odds here

Find your nonresident doe antelope draw odds here

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: Like other preference point states, there is point creep in the more popular units of the state. What this means is if you see a unit that was drawn last year at five points, it's likely that it will require six points this year as there are more applicants than permits. Be aware of that as you evaluate the draw odds. It helps to review the detailed draw odds pages where you can see five years worth of draw data to help evaluate the likelihood of point creep.

Important Dates and Information

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

Drought and Snowpack in Oregon

2020

Oregon current snowpack as of April 22, 2020. Source: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

Oregon drought status as of April 14, 2020. Source: US Drought Monitor

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% plus annual and the rest of the state is hovering just below 100% of annual precipitation. Overall, it’s not necessarily a drought, but we would not anticipate records being broken in antler or horn growth either. Overall, this will likely be an average year of moisture and antler growth.

2019

Oregon drought status as of April 30, 2019. Source: US Drought Monitor

Understanding the Draw

The elk and antelope draw system is quite simple. First and foremost, nonresidents are allocated a maximum of 3% of the antelope tags and a maximum of 5% of the controlled elk tags. The devil is in the details though and, prior to the main draw, the guides and outfitters program is allocated 2.5% of these tags. That does not leave a whole lot of tags for nonresidents in the main draw pool. In most cases, for good hunts, the only nonresident tag drawn will be from the maximum point holder pool because there are so few points.

Oregon is a modified preference point state for antelope and elk, meaning that 75% of the tags are allocated to the applicants with the most points. The other 25% are randomly allocated with no weight given to the number of points you have. Every applicant is on the same playing field for the random tags. If there are three tags or less for a particular hunt, those will be given to highest point holders.

Applicants can enter five hunt choices. Every applicant's first choice is considered prior to any applicant's second choice is considered, and so on. You will only lose your points if you draw your first choice. There is no waiting period for reapplying for elk and antelope if you drew a tag last year.

Oregon will allow group applications for elk and antelope of any size. A group application will have their points averaged and will round up to the next whole number if the average is .51 and down to the whole number if the average is .50. For example, if your group point average is 2.51, your application will go into the draw with three points. If your group application is selected and there are not enough tags remaining, no member of the group will receive a tag.

If you are successful in the draw for a controlled hunt, you have up until the day before to purchase your tag. After you have purchased your tag, there are no refunds for permits. If you draw your first choice, your preference points will be purged so make sure you actually want the permit you apply for.

Oregon's Premium Hunts

In addition to the regular controlled hunt drawing Oregon offers a separate draw for hunts that they call “Premium Hunts.” This is a completely separate hunt drawing that allows tag holders to hunt extended season dates with any weapon. These hunts are 100% randomly drawn each year and there are no preference or bonus points attached to the application. There is no resident or nonresident quota. The season dates for the lucky tag holders are Aug. 1 to Nov. 30 each year. Standard application fees exist and the applicant can apply for five different choices on their application. They are only allowed to apply once per species (hunt code).

Oregon offers both Rocky Mountain and Roosevelt elk hunting opportunities. Roosevelt elk occur throughout the Cascade and Coastal ranges. The central and eastern portions of that state hold plenty of Rocky Mountain elk hunting opportunities, too, and the Rocky Mountain elk populations are generally healthy throughout the state. Roosevelt populations are steady to slightly declining. In the table below, you can see the most current population and bull:cow ratios.

B&c Entry Trends for Oregon Rocky Mountain Elk

While Oregon may not be home to the biggest elk 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.

Hit List Units for Rocky Mountain Elk in Oregon

Oregon offers very little to the nonresident Rocky Mountain elk applicant who is just getting started in the point game. The best hunts in the state offer very few permits and the point creep is so significant that you may never catch up. Be aware of that as you review the hit list and associated odds.

On the flip side, Oregon might be the most underrated over-the-counter (OTC) elk hunting state in the West. The state offers really good OTC hunting for both species and we will cover the better opportunities for those hunts below and in an opportunity section.

*Roosevelt elk hunt areas

Managing Points and Expectations

I Have 0 Elk Preference Points. What Can I Expect?

Residents

Rocky Mountain elk

Residents just starting to apply this year have some options for both archery and muzzleloader bull elk hunting. For bowhunters, you have six hunts that had 100% odds with no points, three of which are valid for spike bull only. The other three options (Unit 36, 39 and 74) all have historically low harvest success ranging from 0% to 3% typically for 36 and 39. Unit 74 did have 7% harvest in 2019, but that is a very tough hunt with a small elk population occurring in a complex mix of private and public. If you are not hung up on trophy potential, the spike only hunts are worth considering in three of the state’s best units.

Rifle hunters with no points have many more options. A quick search within the INSIDER research platform yields eight units that have harvest success of 20% or greater that also have 100% odds with no points. Of those units, three also were composed of 50% or greater public land. Some units/hunts worth exploring are Units 54, 60, 59, 51, and 65.

Applicants interesting in hunting Roosevelt bulls might research Unit 10, 24, 25 and 26. Of those, Unit 10 and 25 had controlled rifle success greater than 20%. The other areas had success at or greater than 10%. Before applying for these, make sure you do a review of the land ownership and find possible places to hunt.

Nonresidents

When considering getting started with an elk application in Oregon, it’s worth looking at the odds and doing some research into the potential Oregon has to offer. Unfortunately, applicants have very little chance to draw because of the limited number of permits allocated to nonresident hunters. A handful of points will open up a lot of doors, but the reality is that the best hunts are mostly beyond you at this point.

When you review the odds, you will see that once you are past about five points, you are heading into no man’s land and your point total will not be increasing the number of hunts you can draw for a very long time — if ever. It would be best to swing for the fence with the premium hunt choice while targeting a much more realistic goal that you could hunt on a more regular basis than blindly applying for a hunt that is likely to continue to creep indefinitely.

There are some options if you just want to give Oregon elk hunting a try. Applicants looking at Rocky Mountain elk hunting opportunities with no points might research Unit 48, 60 and 65. All three had rifle hunts that were drawn with no points and harvest success rates approaching or greater than 20%. Unit 60 encompasses the famed Eagle Cap Wilderness; however, be prepared if you plan on taking on this remote terrain.

Applicants considering Roosevelt elk might consider rifle hunts in Unit 10 and 24. Once again, having a place to hunt and knowing when public access may exist is critical. Both hunts had greater than 20% harvest success.

Note: Even if you do not have any points, don’t forget that Oregon offers really good general season OTC tags. It may be worth building some points and cutting your teeth on OTC hunts for a few years.

Find your resident Rocky Mtn. elk controlled hunt draw odds with 0 points here

Find your nonresident Rocky Mtn. elk controlled hunt draw odds with 0 points here

What Can I Expect with 5 to 6 Elk Preference Points?

Residents

Rocky Mountain elk

There are only five controlled archery hunts that you are not guaranteed to draw. Of those, a couple are close and worth considering, which are Unit 57 - Sled Springs and 52 - Starkey. If you find yourself with six points, it might be worth chasing one of those hunts a couple of years until you draw. Otherwise, you will be giving up a few points only to draw a lesser hunt.

Once again, muzzleloader hunters have options, but you will be giving up some points to hunt a unit like 35/77 or 60. The best opinion for muzzleloader hunters is Unit 48, but that will require 10 plus points.

Rifle hunters have many options. Some of the more intriguing are in 37 - Ochoco and 59, although those might take another year or two worth of points. Unit 49, 52, 57, 58, 61 and 65 all have rifle hunts that can be drawn. Some of those will require you to give up a few points, but if you want to go hunting this fall, those are all within reach.

All controlled archery and muzzleloader hunts can be drawn with three to four points. Every rifle hunt can be drawn with the exception of Unit 23, which required 12 points to be guaranteed a tag last year. Some of the better options would be 15/18 and 26.

Nonresidents

Rocky Mountain elk

Nonresident bowhunters have many options, but will be giving up several points to draw them. The best option is likely Unit 58, which required four points last year. All of the other hunts that could have been drawn were drawn with two points. Unit 52 had 100% odds with seven points. If you have five or six points, it might be worth waiting for it.

The best muzzleloader hunts for this point range are 34/38/39/77 and 60. Both of those hunts were drawn with three points last year. Rifle hunters should consider Unit 36, 37, 38, 41, 46, 48, 49, 52, 57 and 61.

Roosevelt elk

If you are interested in burning your points on a Roosevelt elk hunt, there are only a few hunts you cannot draw. Those are the archery hunt in Unit 26 and the rifle hunt in Unit 23 and 26. Some of the better options for your points are rifle hunts in 15/18 and the two hunts in 25.

Find your resident Rocky Mtn. elk controlled hunt draw odds with 6 points here

Find your nonresident Rocky Mtn. elk controlled hunt draw odds with 6 points here

What Can I Expect with 10 plus Elk Preference Points?

Residents

Rocky Mountain elk

Every archery hunt could be drawn except for the big three: 54, 55 and 56. Those required 17, 16 and 21 points to draw in 2019. If you have 10 points and decide you do not want to continue to play the point game, Unit 57 was drawn with seven points.

All muzzleloader hunts were available with 10 points, including Unit 48, which is one of the best plays at the 10 point level. Rifle hunters might consider Unit 38, which has two hunts that required seven points. Unit 52 (Starkey Experimental Forest) required 13 points. Unit 54 required 19 points. Unit 55 has two rifle seasons that required 13 and 17 points. Unit 56 took 19 points.

Nonresidents

Rocky Mountain elk

Archery elk hunters considering Unit 54, 56 and 57 would be interested that those took 21, 23 and 13 points. If you have 10 points, it might be worth chasing Unit 57 archery.

Rifle hunters should consider Unit 37, which was drawn with 10 points. Unit 52 (Starkey Experimental Forest) required 17 points. Rifle hunts in 54, 55 and 56 had hunts that took 23, 18 and 24 points. One of the better options is Unit 59, which had a late rifle hunt that required 14 points.

Find your resident Rocky Mtn. elk controlled hunt draw odds with 10 points here

Find your nonresident Rocky Mtn. elk controlled hunt draw odds with 10 points here

B&c Entry Trends for Oregon Roosevelt Elk

Oregon ranks #1 for the most Roosevelt elk B&C entries in the West. 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.

Oregon has done a really good job in managing their antelope herds. In the early 2000s, populations were as low as 5,000. However, populations seemed to have peaked around 2016 at approximately 22,337 and the current statewide population is estimated at 18,744.

Oregon offers good trophy potential across the state and the reality is that a good moisture year could result in several 80”+ bucks. There are units that have historically had better trophy potential; however, a big buck could pop up in any unit.

If there is some bad news for antelope hunting in Oregon, it’s that up to only 3% of the tags can be drawn by nonresidents and good tags will take 15 to 25 years to draw. If you are a nonresident who is buying the nonrefundable hunting license to apply for other species, it’s a good idea to also apply for antelope for the minimal application fee. With that, let’s dive into the populations and GOHUNT hit list.

B&c Entry Trends for Oregon Antelope

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.

Hit List Units for Antelope in Oregon

Managing Points and Expectations

I Have 0 Antelope Preference Points. What Can I Expect?

Residents

There are two archery antelope hunts that had 100% odds with no points: Unit 75 and 76/77. There are five other archery hunts that have double digit random odds with Unit 32/33/75/77 having 33% odds with no points. Applicants can consider applying for the top trophy units and hope to get lucky in the draw or explore the hunts listed above.

Muzzleloader and rifle hunters have no guarantee to draw. The muzzleloader hunt on 32/33/75/77 had random odds of 6.3%. Unit 76/77 also had 8.7% random odds. No rifle hunt had random odds greater than 3% with no points.

Nonresidents

Unit 77 archery had 100% with no points. No other archery hunt had odds greater than 3% with no points. There were no hunts that offered a random chance to nonresident muzzleloader hunters. Only six of the total rifle hunts offered a random chance at a tag. Unit 47/48 rifle had the best random odds at 1.1%.

Find your resident antelope controlled hunt draw odds with 0 points here

Find your nonresident antelope controlled hunt draw odds with 0 points here

What Can I Expect with 5 to 6 Antelope Preference Points?

Residents

The best archery option at this point range is in Unit 35, which was guaranteed with five points. Archery hunts in 36 and 64 could also have been drawn with three to four points.

Muzzleloader hunters should consider 32/33/75/77 and 76/77 — both of which were drawn at six and five points. Rifle hunters still have a very hard time trying to draw a tag. The best odds are in Unit 66 and are 2.8%.

Nonresidents

Five archery antelope hunts could be drawn, including Unit 35, 36 and 64, which are the best options for bowhunters in that range.

No muzzleloader hunts were available. Rifle hunters can consider applying for one of the six units that had a random tag available to nonresidents. Those are Unit 38, 43/44/45/48, 47/48, 51, 63 and 64. None of those had odds greater than 1.1%.

Find your resident antelope controlled hunt draw odds with 6 points here

Find your nonresident antelope controlled hunt draw odds with 6 points here

What Can I Expect with 10 plus Antelope Preference Points?

Residents

There are a few quality archery hunts available: Unit 70 West Beatys with nine points and Unit 73 with 10 points. Unit 74 also had 75% odds with 10 points.

Every muzzleloader hunt is available — the two most intriguing being Unit 70 and 73. Both hunts required nine to 10 points to draw last year. Rifle hunters finally have some options. Unit 45 was drawn with eight points. Unit 46 had 100% odds with 10 points; Unit 43/44/45/48 had 80% odds also at the 10 point level. At the 12 to 15 point level, there are several more rifle hunts available, including Unit 35, 36, 37, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 72 and 75. If you have your mind set on the best hunts in the state, review the tables above and the detailed draw odds page to see what your chances might be and how long the wait could possibly be.

Nonresidents

With 10 points, the two best archery hunts available are in Unit 70 and 73. Both offer good hunts if you do not want to continue to chase the best of the best.

Muzzleloader hunters might consider Unit 35, which was available at 11 points. Unit 76/77 was also drawn at nine points. The other muzzleloader hunts were drawn at the 12 to 15 point levels. Rifle hunters had several options with 11 points, including hunts in 38, 43/44/48, 45, and 76/77. There are a few more options available in the 12 to 15 point level. Review the draw odds to see your best bets. The best hunts in the state will require 20 to 24 points.

Find your resident antelope controlled hunt draw odds with 10 points here

Find your nonresident antelope controlled hunt draw odds with 10 points here

299 - elk point saver

499 - antelope point saver