Recreation Report
Northeast Area
Recreation Report
NE BIG GAME HUNTING
December 4, 2025
Currently open
Bear, cougar (Check current harvest numbers), coyote, elk (Check regulations for specific dates and units)
Announcements, resources
Big game harvest statistics - You'll find links to population, harvest and point summary reports that can help you decide what hunts to apply for next season.
Please report elk with hoof disease - If you see elk showing signs of elk hoof disease, including lame or limping elk or elk with damaged, injured, missing or deformed hooves, please report it using this online form.
Coyote and wolf ID - Coyote hunters need to take extra care to identify their target as wolves can look like coyotes, especially wolf pups in the mid-summer and fall. Test your ID skills. Please report any wolf sightings or wolf sign to ODFW using the online reporting system.
District updates
BAKER DISTRICT (Sumpter, Keating, Pine Creek, Lookout Mt.)
ELK: Elk herds in Baker County came out of the winter in good shape. Bull ratios are at or near management objective and calf ratios were good in all units. With rifle elk hunting taking place hunters are reminded to check the regulations for the area they intend to hunt. Elk populations in the Keating, Pine Creek and Lookout Mountain units continue to grow and offer good opportunities for hunters.
For the best chance at tagging an elk, get as far away from roads as possible, perhaps by hunting in one of the cooperative Travel Management Areas. Recent snow in the higher elevations should make locating elk a little easier. Hunters should be prepared for varying conditions. Hunters should concentrate their efforts in areas that provide a good mix of forage near security cover.
BEAR and COUGAR: Bear and cougar hunting should be good this year. Fall bear hunters have the best success in the Keating and Pine Creek Units on the Wallowa Whitman National Forest. Bears are scattered widely on the forest concentrating on gathering as many calories as they can before winter.
Find cougars just about anywhere; remember to carry a tag. Hunters should target areas with high concentrations of deer and elk. Setting up on a fresh kill or using distress calls can all be productive techniques.
Coyote: Numbers are good throughout the district. Try calling in early morning and late afternoon. Remember to ask for permission before hunting private property.
GRANT DISTRICT (Murderers Creek, Northside, Desolation)
Black bear: Season runs through December 31. Bears can be found around berry producing areas in the late summer and early fall. Berry production was exceptional this year. Look for elderberry, current, and choke cherry in riparian areas. As the weather gets cooler and apples and pears will ripen and attract bears. Old orchards may be a good place to look.
Cougar: Cougar are well-distributed in our forested areas. Calling with distress calls or cougar vocalizations can be effective. However, locating a fresh, naturally made kill has the best chance of success.
Coyote: Numbers are good in most of the district. Coyotes may respond to distress calls. Try calling in the early morning and late evening.
Deer: Deer population continues to decline throughout the district. Weather conditions last summer and over winter lead to low adult survival and well as low fawn recruitment. Areas that have had recent wildfires are still producing deer better that areas that have not.
Elk: Weather conditions last year, dry summer and harsher winter, led to lower calf recruitment and a slight population decline. Elk populations are still at or above management objectives, but there could be few small bulls available for harvest this year.
HEPPNER DISTRICT (Heppner, Fossil, East Biggs, Southern Columbia Basin)
Black bear: Season runs through December 31. Bears are scattered throughout the Heppner and Fossil units.
Cougar: Cougar are well-distributed in our forested areas. Calling with distress calls or cougar vocalizations can be effective. However, locating a fresh, naturally made kill has the best chance of success.
Coyote: The population is healthy with good numbers of coyotes available for those who wish to pursue them. Watch wind directions to help prevent giving away your location. Calling with game distress calls can be very successful.
UMATILLA DISTRICT (Walla Walla, Mt. Emily, Ukiah, eastern portion of Heppner, northern Columbia Basin)
If you have questions about where to go hunting in Umatilla County, please call the Pendleton office at (541) 276 2344.
Deer: Dry spring and summer conditions have limited forage and water in some areas. Deer hunters can increase their odds of success by locating areas, with good forage and bedding cover. Cooler weather and rain should help to initiate fall green-up.
District wide, mule deer populations are below management objective (MO), but buck ratios are above MO. Whitetails numbers are slowly rebuilding in some of the lower elevations in the Ukiah unit, as well as Mt. Emily and Walla Walla units.
Hunt 649B (late whitetail archery/ muzzleloader) is ongoing. Private timber lands in the Meacham TMA and along Highway 204 are the main access points for this hunt if you don't have access to other private lands.
Elk: There are some ongoing cow hunts in Umatilla County. The general season antlerless elk damage tag runs until the end of the month and is open on some private lands in the Ukiah and Walla Walla WMU's. These hunts may be challenging due to a lack of winter weather that would typically cause elk to migrate and increase harvest. Hunt 249D will continue through December 14. Hopefully we get some winter weather to move some elk around for these hunts.
Black bear: Season runs through December 31. Hunters are having success glassing open hillsides in early mornings and late afternoons. Bears will be focused on cooler areas such as timbered drainages and riparian areas. Look for concentrations of berries and other fruits that will attract bears throughout the summer.
Cougar: Well-distributed in forested areas of the Walla Walla, Mt. Emily, and Ukiah units. Hunters will have best success by finding a fresh naturally made kill and hunting near it, or by using predator calls. Some success has come from following tracks until the cougar is located.
Coyote: Numerous throughout the county and hunters should have good success calling. Remember to ask permission before hunting on private lands.
Columbia Basin Wildlife Areas (Willow Cr WA, Coyote Springs WA, Irrigon WA, Power City WA)
Big game hunting is permitted except at Coyote Springs WA. Use of rifles and handguns are prohibited at all times except Willow Cr WA. Please review the regulations for shot and weapon restrictions. Please be mindful of our neighbors and respect the safety zones.
The wildlife area is open.
UNION COUNTY (Starkey, Catherine Creek, East Mt. Emily, southern portion of Wenaha, southwest portion of Sled Springs)
Deer: There are no longer any deer hunts in our district for the rest of the year.
Elk: We have a few late season elk hunts going on and hunters should focus along migration corridors and winter range. Elk will be moving to their winter range as snow starts accumulating.
Black bear: Season runs through December 31. Hunters should focus their efforts on lower elevations closer to water and berries/fruits. In the fall bears are not going to be out in the wide-open slopes as much as the spring, so focus on north facing timbered slopes that offer cooler temperatures during the day. Remember if you harvest a bear to check it in within 10 business days of harvest. Call your local ODFW office to schedule an appointment.
Cougars: Common in Union County. Focus on game rich areas with long ridgelines or saddles that cats typically travel. Setting up downwind of a deer or elk killed by a cougar and calling can be productive. Finding fresh snow has been a little difficult this year with the mild winter we have had, but that just means travelling around in the mountains may be easier. If we do get fresh snow, cutting fresh tracks and pursuing can be effective.
Coyote: Numbers are high throughout the district. Try calling in early morning and late afternoon. Remember to ask for permission before hunting on private property.
All lands north and east of Foothill Road are open to hunting weekends, Wednesdays and all federal holidays. Please refer to Big Game and Game Bird regulations for season dates and additional regulations.
Hunting equipment is limited to short range (shotgun, archery or muzzleloader) equipment only. Rifles and handguns are prohibited at all times.
The Glass Hill portion of the wildlife area is open seven days a week April 1 through Jan. 31. Please refer to the ODFW big game and game bird regulations for season dates.
The wildlife Area is closed from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. In addition, there is no camping in the wildlife area. Violators will be asked to leave and or will be issued citations.
Please call the Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area with any questions (541) 963-4954.
WALLOWA COUNTY (Wenaha, Sled Springs, Chesnimnus, Snake River, Minam, Imnaha)
Conditions: Temperatures will remain cool this week with expected rain and possible snow in the high country by the weekend. Manulife properties in NE Oregon are open for camping. For more information on recreation on Manulife lands call (541) 962-2184. TMAs are in effect in the Imnaha and Chesnimnus units.
Deer: White-tailed deer numbers are stable or increasing in all units. We did detect EHD this fall in the white-tailed deer population which might affect some hunters in the valley. Deer will be more active in the early mornings and evenings as temperatures cool down. Hunters should focus on areas with good forage and springs or wallows.
Elk: Populations remain similar to previous years and hunters should have good opportunities. We recommend looking for ‘benches' in steep terrain and thick bedding cover. Additionally, hunters that can get away from the roads will have better chances of finding elk. First season hunters saw good success across all units. With cooling temperatures and more snow forecasted for the high country, second season hunters can expect elk to begin moving down to lower elevations.
Black bear: Season runs through December 31. Hunters will find them on the edges of clearings and clear-cuts near berry crops. Concentrations of hawthorn and elderberry are especially promising spots.
Cougar: Populations are moderate throughout Wallowa County. Most lions are taken incidentally to other hunting. However, calling with fawn bleat, or locating a cougar kill and waiting for a cat to return are often successful techniques. Please remember to check in your harvest at your local district office to help with population estimates.
Coyote: Good numbers of coyotes can be found throughout Wallowa County. Calling coyotes with rabbit distress type calls has been effective for hunters. It is important to choose areas with abundant coyote signs and little human activity.