Oregon Elk

Oregon has two species of elk: Roosevelt elk and Rocky Mountain elk. Roosevelt elk occupy most of Western Oregon, with concentrations in the Cascade and Coast ranges. Rocky Mountain elk inhabit most of the central and eastern parts of the state.

Oregon manages for opportunity across most of the state, but they have a couple of trophy units available for both species. Given the limited number of trophy units and the fact that they only give non-residents applying in the draw 2.5% of the elk tags, it’s easy to see why it can take more than two and a half decades to draw one of the trophy Rocky Mountain elk units in the state.

The top three Rocky Mountain elk areas are Wenaha, Walla Walla, and Mt. Emily. Last year, hunters in all three of these units struggled during the rifle hunt due to unusually warm weather. All three of these units are going to take 26+ points to draw for either archery or rifle. If you did not start applying twenty-five years ago, there are not a lot of options for Oregon for the trophy elk hunter. With a lot of points, the apply hunter’s best chance of getting a tag is applying in the premium draw and buying raffle tickets, as Oregon offers raffles of a lot of different elk tags.

For over-the-counter Rocky Mountain elk areas, one unit that still offers over-the-counter archery hunts with good trophy quality is Lookout Mountain. This unit is a mix of public and private land, and there are saw some fires in 2024. A few elk can also be found spread throughout Oregon’s southeast units which are still over-the-counter archery units. If you can expect super low densities of elk in these areas, but if you hunt in these, the archery season will run from August 29 through September 27.

The trophy Roosevelt elk hunts don’t require as many points to draw as Rocky Mountain elk in Oregon. The best Roosevelt elk rifle hunts typically take 9 to 14+ points to draw, with some other rifle hunts taking 4 to 5 points. The Powers unit is the only limited entry archery Roosevelt elk hunt in the state, and it took 18 points to draw in 2025.

Oregon has some of the best archery Roosevelt elk hunting in the West. All of the Roosevelt units are over the counter, except the Powers unit. The best units for over-the-counter archery hunting are Sixes, Tioga, Chetco, Trask, Siuslaw, and Saddle Mountain. In 2026, the archery season will run from August 29 through September 27.

For rifle hunters, there are two general hunts for Roosevelt elk in November. The rifle hunts are tough due to the thick timber and steep terrain. The best hunting is in burn areas or on timber company land where they are still logging, creating good habitat for elk. Some timber companies allow access, though they may charge a fee. To be successful, you’ll want to spend time glassing the clear-cuts and burns.

If you are looking for a guided Roosevelt elk hunt, then you need to reach out to Huntin’ Fool Adventures; they work with the best outfitters in the state. Most outfitters are booked a couple years out, so it is good to plan ahead for your Roosevelt hunt.

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