Available Oregon Bighorn Hunts --- Search HF Aventures
Oregon will again offer non-residents a total of six bighorn sheep ram tags and three ewe tags in 2024. The ram tags available for 2024 will come from one Rocky Mountain bighorn unit and four California bighorn units. The ewe tags are for California bighorn units. The state continues to produce big Rocky Mountain bighorns and California bighorns every year, and both are recognized by Boone and Crockett as Rocky Mountain bighorns. The biggest Rocky Mountain ram killed in Oregon in 2023 was 197" and is on the cover of this magazine.
Go on More Hunts with Better Information, Join Huntin' Fool Today!
Oregon is going to give a non-resident Rocky Mountain sheep tag again in the Bear Creek unit. This can be a tough hunt as most of the sheep are located 10+ miles from the trailhead. There is 170" potential for a hunter who hires an outfitter or spends a ton of time hunting the unit. A recent burn has moved sheep around into new areas.
If you are looking for a 170"+ California bighorn sheep, your options are the John Day River unit or, new for non-residents in 2024, the East Deschutes River unit. The John Day unit produced rams over 180" where the best ram out of the East Deschutes River went 172". Those are big rams for any state that produces California bighorn sheep. The John Day River unit has a very large sheep population, and there will be a total of 24 tags issued in this unit over three different seasons. The East Deschutes River unit has a healthy sheep population as well. There will be two non-resident tags available for the second hunt in 2024 for John Day and one tag available for the second hunt in the East Deschutes River. Both hunts are similar and can be easy if you get access through private land. Another option is to do a float hunt on the rivers.
If you are looking for a California bighorn ram and enjoy hunting in more desert type terrain, your options are the East Beatys Butte/Alvord Peaks or South Central units. Both units have a lot of public land and have an outside chance to produce 170". These two units typically have the better draw odds for non-residents.
If you are looking to hunt a California bighorn sheep ewe, you should look at applying for the hunt in the Deschutes River or on the John Day unit. There is one permit available for the Deschutes River unit and two on the John Day unit for a non-resident hunter. The ewe tag is $1,513.50. Ewe tags do not count as a once-in-a-lifetime draw for Oregon sheep. Hunters who have already harvested a ram in Oregon may apply for the ewe tags.
Our Memberships Include The Most Accurate Draw Odds Available, Join Now!
Oregon will always be popular with hunters just getting into the bighorn sheep application game as there is no point system. The odds are tough, but everyone is equal every year. All of the sheep units we list in our table will be open to nonresidents for 2024. If you are going to apply for bighorn sheep in Oregon, make sure you apply or build points for every species you are even remotely interested in for only $8 extra per application. Also, don’t forget to buy a raffle ticket when you apply as Oregon also raffles off a bighorn sheep tag.
General Season Aug. 15-Oct. 31**
**Season dates vary by zone. Bighorn sheep ram hunts are considered once-in-a-lifetime hunts, however hunters can harvest ewes more frequently.
Consult with Hunters Who Have Hunted in Your Unit, Join Now!
For access to all of our research and data we've collected over the last 20+ years, then join today and access the best research tools for hunting Bighorn in Oregon including 3D Maps, Draw Odds, Consultations and much more. Go on more hunts with better information!
Search our database of Oregon Bighorn opportunities.
The Oregon big game application deadline is May 15, 2024.
Our online/print magazine has everything in one location: Application info, draw details and odds, fees, hunter requirements, point structure, age restrictions, youth information, weapon restrictions, other tag opportunities, hunt planning and much more. If you would like access to all of our research join today!
|
|
|
|---|---|
| Adult Hunting License | $172 |
| Juvenile Hunting License (9-17 years old) | $10 |
| Application Fee per Species | $8 |
|
|
|
| Bighorn Sheep | $1,513.50 |
| Mountain Goat | $1,513.50 |
| Elk ( controlled or general) | $588 |
| Deer ( controlled or general) | $443.50 |
| Antelope | $395.50 |
Oregon Bighorn Hunting Articles from Huntin' Fool Magazine
Login