ODFW wants deer hunters to prepare for changes in controlled hunts
By Terry Murry on Friday, April 24th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
SALEM — (News release from Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife) With the May 15 deadline approaching, ODFW is reminding hunters to apply early for 2026 controlled deer hunts and to carefully review changes to Eastern Oregon deer hunts.
With the transition from Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) to Deer Hunt Areas in eastern Oregon, hunters who wait until the last minute may find themselves overwhelmed by unfamiliar boundaries, new naming systems, and updated tag structures.
“This is a big change, and we want hunters to feel confident when they apply,” said Brian Wolfer, ODFW Deputy Administrator, Wildlife Division. “The best thing hunters can do is start reviewing the new hunt areas now rather than waiting until May 15.”
To help deer hunters make their hunt choice, ODFW has provided resources at myodfw.com/articles/eastern-oregon-deer-hunts. The webpage includes an interactive map, hunt transition guide where you can enter an old hunt number to find the new hunt area, and an instructional video to support preparation for the upcoming season.
More about deer hunt changes
Beginning this fall, all Eastern Oregon deer hunts are organized around 22 newly identified mule deer herd ranges, replacing the WMU system that has been in place since the 1950s. These new hunt areas are designed to better reflect how deer move across the landscape throughout the year, improving population monitoring and harvest management.
Extensive research using GPS-collared deer has shown that the WMUs did not accurately reflect deer behavior. For example, many deer spend summer and early fall (when they are harvested) in different WMUs than during winter (when they are counted by ODFW).
This change brings a new naming system and new boundaries to the 100 Series Buck Deer and 600 Series Antlerless Deer hunts. Overall, there is a 9% reduction in available deer tags, reflecting current buck ratios and population estimates. Tag numbers could fluctuate over the next few years as hunters and ODFW adapt to these new hunt areas. Hunters will also see updated landowner preference tag formulas and separate hunts for mule deer and white-tailed deer in some areas of northeast Oregon where both species occur.
Key Changes Hunters Need to Know
- New Hunt Area System: Eastern Oregon deer WMUs are being replaced by Deer Hunt Areas aligned with herd ranges.
- New Naming Format: Deer Hunt Areas and hunt names will use codes like NE01 or CR101R instead of traditional WMU names and numbers.
- Larger Hunt Areas: A few new areas are significantly larger, offering more flexibility during wildfire or pressure events.
- Tag Adjustments: A 9% reduction in Eastern Oregon deer tags for 2026; numbers may fluctuate in coming years.
- Preference Points: There are no changes to the Preference Points system. Points carry over but draw outcomes may be less predictable during the transition.
- New LOP Tag Formula: Updated system to align with new mule deer population management objectives may increase LOP tags at the statewide scale but some hunt areas may see a decrease depending on population performance.
Access to Manulife properties via A&H program ends May 31 Hunters applying for fall controlled hunts in northeast Oregon should also be aware of access changes to Manulife properties. Manulife will end its Access & Habitat cooperative agreement on May 31 and launch a new permit program (more information). Hunters will need to obtain a separate Manulife access permit to hunt or recreate on Manulife properties this fall.
The decision impacts the following WMUs and deer hunt areas, totaling about 270,000 acres in northeast Oregon and a little over 12,400 acres in southwest Oregon:
- Catherine Creek, Mount Emily, Sled Springs (Manulife properties make up about 33% of this unit), Starkey, Sumpter, Ukiah, Walla Walla and Wenaha wildlife management units
- TMAs: Little Catherine Creek, Meachem, Noregaard, Shamrock/Whiskey Creek
- Deer Hunt Areas: NB-01, NE-02, NE-03, NE-04, NE-05, NE-06, SW-02
Jackson Cooperative TMA in the Rogue and Dixon wildlife management units
