Oregon mule deer hunt boundaries changing in 2026

[DawnPatrol]

Just saw this from ODFW:

Eastern Oregon Deer Hunts | Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife

Starting in 2026, deer hunts in Eastern Oregon will be organized by Deer Hunt Areas instead of traditional Wildlife Management Units (WMUs). This transition is based on new research showing that deer move across multiple WMUs throughout the year, making old systems less effective for population...

myodfw.com

Sorry if it’s old news; didn’t see a post in it already.

Looks like they will be aligning hunt boundaries/tag allocations with actual deer herds, which makes sense. Although there is basically no legal doe harvest in E OR, so hard to imagine this will have that much impact on overall mule deer population health.

Article trys to downplay it, but there will obviously be some changes to, and uncertain about, how long it takes to draw tags in certain areas.

Cue complaining about ODFW, predators, and the good ole days of mule deer hunting in OR…oh wait, this is Rokslide not Ifish.

 

[robby denning]

Just saw this from ODFW:

Eastern Oregon Deer Hunts | Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife

Starting in 2026, deer hunts in Eastern Oregon will be organized by Deer Hunt Areas instead of traditional Wildlife Management Units (WMUs). This transition is based on new research showing that deer move across multiple WMUs throughout the year, making old systems less effective for population...

myodfw.com

Sorry if it’s old news; didn’t see a post in it already.

Looks like they will be aligning hunt boundaries/tag allocations with actual deer herds, which makes sense. Although there is basically no legal doe harvest in E OR, so hard to imagine this will have that much impact on overall mule deer population health.

Article trys to downplay it, but there will obviously be some changes to, and uncertain about, how long it takes to draw tags in certain areas.

Cue complaining about ODFW, predators, and the good ole days of mule deer hunting in OR…oh wait, this is Rokslide not Ifish.

subscribed!

thanks

 

[IdahoBeav]

Looks like they will be aligning hunt boundaries/tag allocations with actual deer herds, which makes sense. Although there is basically no legal doe harvest in E OR, so hard to imagine this will have that much impact on overall mule deer population health.

It might help with point creep, though. You're pretty much wasting time and money collecting over 6 buck deer points, but this might make some 4-6 point areas into being attainable with 2-3 points. I imagine there will be a lot of people dumping points this year.

 

[CC11]

No new news yet on how exaclty the break out will be with tag allotment. I'm torn on how I feel about it. I think there will be certain spots that will get hammered, leaving others virtually untouched, but that's going to depend on who has the tags. I'm hoping that they're using this as a way to set better tag numbers and instead of directly trying to manage small individual units they'll be able to manage the areas in the which the deer live and migrate too. Holding out hope to see a breakout similiar to Wyoming where the essentially have hunt areas with smaller units broke out in them, but keep the tag breakout to how it is now where you still have to draw a unit specific tag.

 

[Jaden Bales]

I interviewed the mule deer coordinator with ODFW the other day. It was super interesting and I think there's some cool stuff coming down the pike. A good change for a state who's hunters (and deer) probably need it.

 

[IdahoBeav]

I've got a podcast coming out on this on Sunday that I did with the mule deer coordinator with ODFW. If folks are interested, I can share the link to it.

Yes, please do. That sounds interesting. Thanks

 

[BRTreedogs]

I’m unsure what to think about how this will affect drawing tags. It could also increase point creep.

It could lead to reduced tags in certain areas and more in others.

Who knows, there basically zero info besides the fact they are re aligning units.

And it could lead to more crowding in black tail areas.
Which will lead to more crowding complaints
And even more otc going away

 

[blacktail434]

A buddy sent me this the other day. Interesting for sure. Will be curious to see how it ends up playing out with tag allocations and how they end up being allocated. My first take was OR needs to do something and they see it as any chage = good change?

@Jaden Bales, I'd definitely would be interested in the link. Thanks

 

[Jaden Bales]

A buddy sent me this the other day. Interesting for sure. Will be curious to see how it ends up playing out with tag allocations and how they end up being allocated. My first take was OR needs to do something and they see it as any chage = good change?

@Jaden Bales, I'd definitely would be interested in the link. Thanks

I think using migration data to make hunt areas and not just sociopolitical boundaries makes a ton of sense. Wildlife managers across the West use hunter harvest data to understand what's happening to mule deer herds, but if where they gather the harvest data doesn't match the herd's winter range, it's not good data. So I think you could see needed changes to tag numbers in places - just depends on the herd and old unit to new unit.

Anytime there are large changes in states, I think it breeds opportunity, though there will certainly be growing pains too. I have a decade of points I'm getting ready to use in Oregon and the chances are very good I use them in an area that takes 5 or so thanks to this restructuring because I'm not going to want to cut it close in the turbulence of draw odds that's going to come.

 

[blacktail434]

I think using migration data to make hunt areas and not just sociopolitical boundaries makes a ton of sense. Wildlife managers across the West use hunter harvest data to understand what's happening to mule deer herds, but if where they gather the harvest data doesn't match the herd's winter range, it's not good data. So I think you could see needed changes to tag numbers in places - just depends on the herd and old unit to new unit.

Anytime there are large changes in states, I think it breeds opportunity, though there will certainly be growing pains too. I have a decade of points I'm getting ready to use in Oregon and the chances are very good I use them in an area that takes 5 or so thanks to this restructuring because I'm not going to want to cut it close in the turbulence of draw odds that's going to come.

Agreed, and I hope we see those changes. But as @BRTreedogs said, we basically have zero addtional info other than they're moving some lines on a map to match herds summering/wintering pattern now that we have that info. Hoping your podcast may shine some addtional light...

I too am sitting on more points than I'm willing to admit for OR deer and will likely wait to see how this plays out. It could make creep worse for the few tags (that might be) worth waiting more than a few years to draw and further crowd the wetside of the state.

 

[Oregon]

In my brain, this will help me. My unit since 1990 has gone from a 0-1 pt draw to a 5pt draw. It’s combining with 2-3 point units. In theory, my tag may become a 3-4 point unit now.
I have an awesome talent. Until something happens, I don’t fret, worry etc. like this tariff thing. I’m waiting for change (good or bad) before I put much thought into it.

 

[blacktail434]

In my brain, this will help me. My unit since 1990 has gone from a 0-1 pt draw to a 5pt draw. It’s combining with 2-3 point units. In theory, my tag may become a 3-4 point unit now.
I have an awesome talent. Until something happens, I don’t fret, worry etc. like this tariff thing. I’m waiting for change (good or bad) before I put much thought into it.

In theory, if the tag and applicants/applicant numbers remain unchanged for those areas once combined.

 

[Oregon]

In theory, if the tag and applicants/applicant numbers remain unchanged for those areas once combined.

That is the theory. That’s as far as I’ve thought into it.
I would also like to listen to that podcast mentioned above.

I absolutely love my mule deer area, the winter kill of 2016-17 cut our tags in half. I’m probably the only person in Oregon that doesn’t complain about deer numbers, too many people or road hunters. I actively hunt down buddies with enough points to draw it just as an excuse for me to go over for 2 weeks. Found me a 75 year old this year. He also owns a side by side! Huge win. Won’t have to beat my truck up.

 

[BRTreedogs]

In my brain, this will help me. My unit since 1990 has gone from a 0-1 pt draw to a 5pt draw. It’s combining with 2-3 point units. In theory, my tag may become a 3-4 point unit now.
I have an awesome talent. Until something happens, I don’t fret, worry etc. like this tariff thing. I’m waiting for change (good or bad) before I put much thought into it.

How do you come to this conclusion?

Are the units that are combining with yours lower point draw units?

But so you are thinking all 3 units current tag allocation will be combined & average?


I’d believe they would lower tag number because of concern for the unit that supports the least harvest.

Then if hunter reporting shows all the hunters end up hunting in mostly one area they will lower tag numbers more.

 

[Oregon]

How do you come to this conclusion?

Are the units that are combining with yours lower point draw units?

But so you are thinking all 3 units current tag allocation will be combined & average?


I’d believe they would lower tag number because of concern for the unit that supports the least harvest.

Then if hunter reporting shows all the hunters end up hunting in mostly one area they will lower tag numbers more.

That’s a perfect example of why I don’t spend much time thinking of stuff until it rolls out and shakes out.

 

[BRTreedogs]

That’s a perfect example of why I don’t spend much time thinking of stuff until it rolls out and shakes out.

Lol
How did you come to your earlier conclusion?
Just pure optimism?

 

[Baddog]

Hard to decide until we see the tag numbers. However I’m kinda excited to have a bigger area to scout and hopefully find the one I’m after, sometimes the current units can feel a little small. But also be a learning curve on how people disperse over the new areas.

 

[Oregon]

Lol
How did you come to your earlier conclusion?
Just pure optimism?

Yep. Nothing but that.

 

[Jaden Bales]

RE: Uncertainty with tag numbers – I think there's a way guys can make inferences as to what will happen to tag numbers going forward. For instance, there's a part of the state where they classify a bunch of non-Oregon deer on the winter range, and that zone may see a noticeable decrease in tags.

How much of a decrease? That's probably where @Oregon 's pure optimism comes in.

 

[nphunter]

In my brain, this will help me. My unit since 1990 has gone from a 0-1 pt draw to a 5pt draw. It’s combining with 2-3 point units. In theory, my tag may become a 3-4 point unit now.
I have an awesome talent. Until something happens, I don’t fret, worry etc. like this tariff thing. I’m waiting for change (good or bad) before I put much thought into it.

If you’re talking about Keating I think it’s going to go up significantly with the new structure. They cannot combine it with most of Catherine Creek and Pine Creek and add those tags or the majority with a tag will end up in Keating. The only way to keep that from happening is to essentially offer a similar amount of tag for all 3 units that the highest point unit has. This will mean 3 times the people applying for less tags and it will make units that are currently taking 5 years into 15yr units.

I hope I’m wrong because my wife and boys hunt some of those units but cannot see any other way to combine units without decimating the deer herds. They are going to have to significantly cut the total tags in those combined areas compared to current tags.