Quick Tips
- Bring a shotgun for grouse hunting
- Buy a bear tag
- Keep food and game meat out of bears' reach
- Get to know some farmers to get access to good land for deer hunting
- Carry a GPS unit with a land ownership memory card
| species | general Size | trophy potential |
|---|---|---|
| Columbian Blacktail Deer | 120"-140" | 150"+ |
| Roosevelt Elk | 250"-280" | 290"+ |
On The Ground
This unit stretches from three wilderness areas in the Cascade Mountains west to farmlands and the Willamette River bottoms north of Eugene. It holds Roosevelt elk and Columbia blacktail deer.
This unit offers roadless areas where hunters can find solitude, but most game is outside wilderness boundaries, where browse and grass grow in recently logged areas and next to farmland.
Terrain
The western part of this unit is composed of farms, woodlots, river bottoms, residential areas and pastures on both sides of Interstate 5. Land rises to the east with many creeks and some rivers separating hills, mountains and ridges, some of them with steep slopes. Most of this part of the unit is between 1,000 and 3,000 feet in elevation. Farther east are the big Cascade Mountains, which feature lots of steep terrain that is almost entirely covered with trees. Most of this area is between 2,500 and 6,000 feet above sea level. Waldo Lake in the southeastern corner is the largest body of water in the unit. There are several medium sized lakes such as Lookout Point Lake, Fall Creek Lake and Cougar Reservoir and many small lakes, especially in the Cascades. Most of the unit is in Linn and Lane counties. Part of the eastern edge is in Deschutes County.
Roughly 2,645 square miles
60% public land
Elevations from 200-5,300 feet
Vegetation
This unit has three distinct regions. The western third is composed mostly of meadows, pastures and farms with woodlots and forested draws and hills. The central part is mostly private logging property with lots of brushy clearcuts surrounded by dense woods. Some clearcuts are full of young trees, others are open and grassy. The eastern third is part of the Willamette National Forest and is mostly dense forest. The main trees are Douglas fir, mountain hemlock and Pacific silver fir. Most of the forest is underlain by a dense, brushy understory.
Access
About half of this unit is in the Willamette National Forest. The eastern part is designated wilderness. Most of the 54,278-acre Mount Washington Wilderness is in the unit as well as most of the Three Sisters Wilderness, which covers more than 281,000 acres. The 36,572-acre Waldo Lake Wilderness is in the southeastern corner. Hunters must hike or ride horses in wilderness areas. Non Wilderness parts of the National Forest are well-served by roads that are open to all motor vehicles.
Some private timber land is open to public hunting. Some private lands are restricted during archery seasons due to fire danger and timbering activities. For information on lands owned by Weyerhaeuser, call 541-741-5403. The Booth Kelly Mainline is a fee area. For information on access to Cascade Timber Consulting lands, call 541-367-2111, extension 669.
There are five additional cooperative travel management areas in this unit. Check current game regulations for details. Some of the best hunting is on and near private farmland. Work to get access to prime ground to improve your chances of taking mature bulls and bucks. Find more details here.
Camping and Lodging
At least 15 campgrounds are in the unit, including several on the east side of Waldo Lake. Hunters also may camp along some roads. Consult the Forest Service’s vehicle use maps for details. Plan to camp in an RV park or private campground or stay in a motel. Many motels are situated in Eugene and Springfield in the southwest corner and in Lebanon near the northwest corner.
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