Where "The Draw" Begins
| UP-FRONT FEES | |
| Hunting License (Adult) | $172.00 |
| Hunting License (Youth 9-17 Years Old) | $10.00 |
| Application Fee (per Species) | $8.00 |
| POST DRAW FEES (IF SUCCESSFUL) | |
| Bighorn Sheep | $1,513.50 |
| Mountain Goat | $1,513.50 |
| Elk (Controlled or General) | $588.00 |
| Deer (Controlled or General) | $443.50 |
| Antelope | $395.50 |
| Black Bear | $16.50 |
| Cougar | $16.50 |
| UP-FRONT FEES | |
| Hunting License (Adult) | $34.50 |
| Hunting License (Youth 9-17 Years Old) | $10.00 |
| Application Fee (per Species) | $8.00 |
| POST DRAW FEES (IF SUCCESSFUL) | |
| Bighorn Sheep | $142.00 |
| Mountain Goat | $142.00 |
| Elk (Controlled or General) | $49.00 |
| Deer (Controlled or General) | $28.50 |
| Antelope | $51.50 |
| Black Bear | $16.50 |
| Cougar | $16.50 |
| OREGON DEER SEASON DATES | |
| Western Oregon Archery | Aug 30 – Sep 28, 2025 (varies by unit) |
| Eastern Oregon Archery | Aug 30 – Sep 28, 2025 |
| Western Oregon Any Legal Weapon | Oct 4 – Nov 7, 2025 (varies by unit) |
| Eastern Oregon Any Legal Weapon | Oct 4 – Oct 15, 2025 (vary by unit) |
| Youth Deer Hunt | Sep 27 – Sep 28, 2025 (statewide, controlled) |
| Late Archery (Western Units) | Nov 15 – Dec 7 / Nov 22 - Dec 14, 2025 |
| Muzzleloader | Oct – Nov 2025 (varies by unit) |
| OREGON ELK SEASON DATES | |
| Archery (Western/Eastern) | Aug 30 – Sep 28, 2025 |
| West Cascade Any Legal Weapon | Nov 8 – Nov 14, 2025 |
| Rocky Mountain (Eastern Oregon) Any Legal Weapon | Nov 8 – Nov 16, 2025 |
| Coast Bull Elk — 1st Season (Any Weapon) | Nov 15 – Nov 18, 2025 |
| Coast Bull Elk — 2nd Season (Any Weapon) | Nov 22 – Nov 28, 2025 |
| OREGON ANTELOPE (PRONGHORN) SEASON DATES | |
| Archery | Aug - Sep, 2025 (varies by unit) |
| Muzzleloader/Rifle | Aug – Sep, 2025 (varies by unit) |
| OREGON BEAR SEASON DATES | |
| Spring Bear | Apr 1 – May 31, 2025 |
| Fall Bear | Aug 1 – Dec 31, 2025 |
| OREGON SHEEP SEASON DATES | |
| Rocky Bighorn Sheep | Aug – Nov 2025 (varies by unit) |
| California Bighorn Sheep | Sep 22 – Oct 17, 2025 |
| OREGON MOUNTAIN GOAT SEASON DATES | |
| Mountain Goat (Controlled Hunts) | Aug – Oct, 2025 (varies by unit) |
Disclaimer: Season dates vary by unit, hunt type, and weapon choice. Always verify with the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife: https://myodfw.com/big-game-hunting/seasons
| YEAR | RESULTS POSTED |
|---|---|
| 2025 | June 12 |
| 2024 | June 12 |
| 2023 | June 12 |
| 2022 | June 20 |
| 2021 | June 20 |
| 2020 | June 20 |
| 2019 | June 19 |
| 2018 | June 20 |
| 2017 | June 15 |
Oregon has the potential to produce a Boone and Crockett buck on nearly every hunt. That did not happen during the last two seasons as horn growth was down in most of the southern antelope units. Most hunters struggled to find 75" bucks in a lot of units. On a good horn growth year, you will see some giants harvested. Almost every year, Oregon will produce a couple of 85" bucks. The last couple of years have not been great for horn growth, but hopefully 2025 will be. If you are sitting on 20+ antelope points, we recommend you wait until early May to see how the horn growth is looking before you submit your application.
| UNIT | COMMENTS |
|---|---|
| Malheur River | Archery — Southeast corner of the state. 80" potential but expect a tough hunt as this hunt takes place after two rifle seasons. The antelope will be rutting during this hunt. Good antelope population with a couple of big bucks taken every year out of this unit. Good access to public land. Private land hayfields can hold a lot of antelope, which can make for a frustrating hunt. 1 total non-resident permit in 2024. |
| Owyhee | Archery — Southeast corner of the state. 80" potential, but this hunt is way down in quality. This hunt can be tough as it takes place after the rifle season. Most antelope hold tight to water, which is great for archery hunters on this hunt. Huge public land desert unit with good road access throughout, but some wilderness areas only allow walk-in access. 1 total non-resident permit in 2024. |
| Hart Mtn | Archery — Southcentral portion of the state. 82"+ potential. This hunt takes place before the rifle hunt. There was a large fire that burned 66,000 acres in this unit in 2024. Trophy potential is slowly coming back. Always a couple of big bucks available. Tons of public land with good road access. Very open, glassable terrain. Expect to see a lot of antelope. Most antelope hold tight to water, which is great for archery hunters on this hunt. 1 total non-resident permit in 2024. |
| Beatys Butte | Archery — Southeast corner of the state. 82" potential but expect a tougher hunt as this hunt takes place after two rifle seasons. The antelope will be rutting during this hunt. Expect the antelope to be scattered. The west side of the unit holds more antelope. Big public land desert type unit. Roads are terrible, and an ATV is recommended. Country is broken enough to spot and stalk, but water can be key for the archery hunt. 1 total non-resident permit in 2024. |
| Wagontire | Archery — Southcentral portion of the state. 80" potential. This hunt can be tough as it takes place after the rifle season. There is a muzzleloader hunt (473M) going on at the same time with 11 permits. Big high desert unit with plenty of public land with good road access. Some private land hayfields will hold antelope. Antelope are spread out throughout most of the unit, but higher populations can be found in the north. No non-resident permits in 2024. |
| Warner | Archery — Southcentral portion of the state. 82"+ potential. One of the best units in the state, but horn growth has been off. This hunt takes place before the rifle hunt. Population is down. High desert country with good access, but expect some rough roads. Some private land on the southern part of the unit. Great archery success due to a lot of good water sources for bowhunters to sit. 1 total non-resident permit in 2024. |
| Steens Mtn | Muzzleloader — Southeast corner of the state. 80" potential. This hunt takes place after the rifle hunt. Hunters struggled the last couple of years as the population and trophy potential is down. Usually, this unit will produce a couple of good bucks every year. Mostly public land, but there is some private land with large hayfields that will hold antelope. Antelope are spread out from the valley bottoms all the way to the top of the mountain. The bucks will be rutting during this hunt. 1 total non-resident permit in 2024. |
| Wagontire | Muzzleloader — Southcentral portion of the state. 80" potential. This hunt can be tough as it takes place after the rifle season. There is an archery hunt (473R) going on at the same time with 6 permits. Big high desert unit with plenty of public land with good road access. Some private land hayfields will hold antelope. Antelope are spread out throughout most of the unit, but higher populations can be found in the north. 1 total non-resident permit in 2024. |
| Malheur River | Rifle — Southeast corner of the state. 80" potential. This is the first hunt on the unit. Good antelope population with a couple of big bucks taken every year. Plan on covering a lot of country to find a big buck. Good access to public land. Private land hayfields can hold a lot of antelope, which can make for a frustrating hunt. 2 total non-resident permits in 2024. |
| Owyhee | Rifle — Southeast corner of the state. 80"+ potential, but this hunt is way down in quality. Expect to spend a lot of time looking for a bigger buck. Huge public land desert unit with antelope spread throughout. Antelope are typically tied to water in this unit. Good road access but some wilderness areas that only allow walk-in access. 1 total non-resident permit in 2024. |
| Whitehorse | Rifle — Southeast corner of the state. 82"+ potential. Good populations with some older age class bucks available. Giant unit with open desert country with some bigger sage-covered canyons. Antelope are spread throughout this unit. Decent road access, but expect rough, rocky roads. Some roadless wilderness areas do not get much hunting pressure. Bucks will be rutting toward the end of this hunt. This unit also gets bucks moving in from Idaho and Nevada. 3 total non-resident permits in 2024. |
| Steens Mtn | Rifle — Southeast corner of the state. 80"+ potential. Hunters struggled the last couple of years as the population and trophy potential are down. Usually, this unit will produce a couple of good bucks every year. Mostly public land, but there is some private land with large hayfields that will hold antelope. Antelope are spread out from the valley bottoms all the way to the top of the mountain. 2 total non-resident permits in 2024. |
| Beatys Butte | Rifle — Southeast corner of the state. 82"+ potential. One of the best units in the state, but horn growth has been off. This is the first hunt on the unit. Big public land desert type unit that is open, glassable country with good access. The west side of the unit holds more antelope. Roads are terrible, and an ATV is recommended. More of a desert unit with not a lot of water. 2 total non-resident permits in 2024. |
| Hart Mtn | Rifle — Southcentral portion of the state. 82"+ potential. Still one of the top units in the state. There was a large fire that burned 66,000 acres in this unit in 2024. Most of the country that burned was on the west side of the unit which was the higher elevation portion of the unit. Always a couple of big bucks available with some Boone and Crockett bucks taken each year. Tons of public land with good road access. Very open, glassable terrain. Expect to see a lot of antelope. 1 total non-resident permit in 2024. |
| Juniper | Rifle — Southeast corner of the state. 82"+ potential. One of the best units in the state. Huge public land unit with great road access throughout. Some of the roads can be really rough, and an ATV is recommended. High desert country with open, glassable terrain. Some private hayfields on the northern end of the unit hold antelope. The bucks will be rutting at the end of this season. 1 total non-resident permit in 2024. |
| N Wagontire | Rifle — Southcentral portion of the state. 80"+ potential. Big high desert unit with plenty of public land with good road access. Some private land hayfields will always hold antelope. Antelope are spread out throughout most of the unit, so plan on covering a lot of country to find a big buck. 1 total non-resident permit in 2024. The South Wagontire hunt was closed in 2024 due to low antelope numbers. |
| Warner | Rifle — Southcentral portion of the state. 82"+ potential. Still one of the best units in the state, but horn growth has been off. Plan on looking over a lot of antelope before you find a quality buck. This is the first hunt on the unit. High desert country with good access, but expect some rough roads. Some better bucks can be found in the timber on this first hunt. 1 total non-resident permit in 2024. |
The Oregon big game application deadline is May 15, 2025.
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| OREGON ANTELOPE (PRONGHORN) HUNTS | 2025 DATES |
|---|---|
| Archery | Aug - Sep, 2025 (varies by unit) |
| Muzzleloader/Rifle | Aug – Sep, 2025 (varies by unit) |
Disclaimer: All pronghorn hunts are controlled and unit-specific; check ODFW brochures: https://myodfw.com/big-game-hunting/seasons
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The majority of the better antelope units are in the southeastern corner of the state. The top units include Beatys Butte, Juniper, Hart Mtn, Whitehorse, and Warner. All of these units have good access to public land, but the rifle hunts take 25-29+ points to draw. The biggest problem for non-residents who want to hunt Oregon is that they only issue up to 3% of tags to non-residents. In the antelope table, you can see that there were only 26 non-resident antelope tags issued in 2024 in the units we covered.
If you are lucky enough to draw an antelope tag in Oregon, you can expect to see hunting pressure there on opening day, but by the third day of the season, you will have the unit to yourself as 90% of residents harvest their antelope in the first two days of the season. Most of the antelope hunts are located on public land and have great road access, but those roads can be really rough. Some units have large private agricultural fields that can be frustrating for hunters as the antelope typically do not want to leave them. Most of the antelope units are large desert areas that can be miles from the nearest town. The country in Southeast Oregon is big with not a lot of towns or services available. Make sure you are prepared with extra fuel and a good spare tire or two before heading out on your hunt.
If you are already applying in Oregon, you can add an antelope application for only $8. If you are not planning on applying for 20+ years, it would be better to spend your $8 application fee in the premium draw and skip the regular draw. The premium tag has no points and is a completely random draw. The premium application is $8. If you love hunting antelope and are a younger person, you may as well apply for both the premium and regular tags. If you are sitting on a lot of antelope points and need some advice on what to do or what outfitter to hunt with, give us a call as we have Hunt Advisors who have spent time chasing antelope in the desert country of Oregon.
Advisor Articles from Our Magazine on Oregon Application and Hunting Strategy
Unfortunately, the Oregon wolf population is healthy and growing, estimated at around 200 wolves. The state has 35 confirmed packs. The actual number of wolves in Oregon is likely much greater than this minimum estimate. Grey wolves are currently protected statewide, so hunting is not allowed. Oregon trapped 10 wolves, which they gave to Colorado. The wolves were then released in Summit and Grand counties as voters in Colorado approved a ballot measure to reintroduce wolves to their state.
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