Oregon has two species of elk—Roosevelt and Rocky Mountain. Roosevelt elk occupy most of Western Oregon, with concentrations in the Cascade and Coast ranges. Rocky Mountain elk inhabit most of the central to eastern part of the state.
Oregon manages for opportunity for most of the state, but they have a couple of trophy units available for both species. Due to 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, you can 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. All three of these units are going to take 26+ points to draw for either archery or rifle.
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If you are a rifle hunter sitting on 6-14 points, you may want to look more at Sled Springs, Snake River, and Ochoco. If you are an archery hunter, you can draw the Snake River and Ochoco units on a regular basis as these tags can be drawn with a lot lower points. If you did not start applying 25 years ago, there are not a lot of options in Oregon for the trophy elk hunter. Without a lot of points, a trophy elk hunter’s best chance of getting a tag is applying in the premium draw and also buying raffle tickets as Oregon raffles off 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, but there were some fires that burned in this unit in 2024. There are also a few elk spread throughout the southeast units, which are still over-the-counter archery units. You can expect super low densities of elk in the Steens, Whitehorse, and Owyhee units. The archery season will run August 30 - September 28 for 2025.
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 9-14 points to draw, with some other rifle hunts taking 2-4 points. The Powers unit is the only limited-entry archery Roosevelt elk hunt in the state, and it took 18 points to draw.
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. The archery season will run August 30 - September 28 for 2025.
For rifle hunters, there are two general hunts for Roosevelts in November. The rifle hunts are tough due to the thick timber and steep terrain. Glass the clear-cuts and burns for the best success. The best hunting is in areas that have burned or on timber company land where they are still logging and creating good habitat for elk. Some timber companies allow access, but some charge a fee.
If you are looking for a guided Roosevelt elk hunt, then you need to reach out to Huntin’ Fool Adventures as they are working with the best outfitters in the state. Most outfitters are booked a couple of years out, so it is good to plan ahead for your Roosevelt hunt.
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The application deadline is May 15th with draw results available by June 20th• Since applicants do not submit tag fees, no refunds will be sent. If you draw, you will receive a notice to purchase your tag.
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| Adult Hunting License | $172 |
| Juvenile Hunting License (9-17 years old) | $10 |
| Application Fee per Species | $8 |
| Post Draw Fees (if successful) | |
| Elk ( controlled or general) | $588 |
Oregon Elk Hunting Articles from Huntin' Fool Magazine
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