Quick Tips
- Bring a shotgun for chukar and grouse hunting
- World-class smallmouth bass fishing in John Day River
- See ancient pictographs on rock walls six miles north of Dayville
| species | general Size | trophy potential |
|---|---|---|
| Mule Deer | 140"-160" | 170"+ |
| Whitetail Deer | 90"-100" | 110"+ |
| Elk | 270"-300" | 310"+ |
| Antelope | 60"-65" | 70"+ |
On The Ground
A good unit for deer and elk hunting, Northside is east of the John Day River south of Kimberly and north of the river between Dayville and Prairie City. Hunters take a small number of antelope every year.
Hunters take mostly five and six-point bulls, and occasionally bigger. Bucks are heavily pressured on public and many private tracts.
Terrain
Bounded on the west by the John Day River south of Kimberly, this unit stretches east to Bates, which is surrounded by the Malheur National Forest. Most of the southern boundary also is the John Day River east of Prairie City. Terrain varies from flat crop fields along the John Day River, some of them less than 2,000 feet above sea level, to desert basins and flats to low desert mountains to forested mountains that are mostly in the 4,000-7,500’ range in elevation. Some steep terrain lies along the John Day River and in some of the mountains.
Roughly 1,116 square miles
41% public land
Elevations from 2,300-7,600 feet
Vegetation
Ground higher than 4,000 feet on north slopes and 4,500 feet on south slopes are mostly forested with many meadows of various sizes. The main trees are quaking aspen, Douglas fir, larch, ponderosa pines and other conifers with juniper in the lower range. Some steep breaks and dry desert basins are almost treeless, virtually barren of vegetation in some places and covered with low shrubs and wild grasses in others. Grassy meadows and grass hay or alfalfa fields are on flat ground along parts of some creeks and the John Day River, such as near Dayville, John Day, and Prairie City.
Access
The eastern half of the unit is mostly public land in the Malheur National Forest and is served by a network of forest roads. The western half is a mixture of BLM, state, National Forest and private land. Most public land can be reached on public roads open to all vehicles. John Day Fossil Beds National Monument are closed to hunting. Camp Creek Travel Management Area provides access for walk-in hunters. Horses, mountain bikes and ATVs are prohibited on the Arch Rock Trail in the Blue Mountains.
Camping and Lodging
Many hunters camp along roads and trails on public land. A few campgrounds are available on Forest Service property, including Magone Lake Campground and Lower Camp Creek Campground in the Blue Mountains. Lodging is available in some of the towns along the southern border and includes Fish House Inn & RV Park in Dayville, and Dreamer Lodge in John Day.
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