States / OR / Malheur River

Malheur River, Oregon

Game found here

Mule DeerRocky Mountain ElkPronghornCalifornia Bighorn SheepBlack BearCougar

Eastern OregonSee on map →0 questions

Unit info

Game species: Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Pronghorn, California Bighorn Sheep, Black Bear, Cougar
Group: Eastern Oregon
Area: 2,896 mi²
Public land: 69%

Elk — season & harvest

Reported harvest: 120

Draw odds for Elkaren't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.

Cougar — season & harvest

Tag type: General season (over-the-counter), year-round with some unit restrictions. Up to two cougar tags per year; mandatory harvest reporting required.
General season: Year-round general season (verify any unit-specific restrictions in current regulations).

Hunting notes

Cougar present throughout the unit; harvest has been stable. Typically encountered incidentally by big game hunters in the forested north end.

Draw odds for Cougararen't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.

Mule Deer — season & harvest

Tag type: Controlled draw (100-series buck deer and 600-series antlerless deer). A premium draw tag (L66, valid Aug 1–Nov 30 during the rut) is available — one tag per unit. Starting 2026, deer hunts transition to new Deer Hunt Areas rather than WMUs; unit 66 area hunters should consult updated Deer Hunt Area maps.
Reported harvest: 157
Archery season: Controlled archery draw; eastern Oregon archery deer is entirely controlled. General window approximately Aug 30–Sep 28 (verify in current regulations).
General season: Controlled any-legal-weapon (rifle) draw; typical eastern Oregon window early-to-mid October through mid-November depending on specific hunt number.
Muzzleloader season: Controlled muzzleloader draw available for some hunts; late October to early December window (verify in current regulations).

Hunting notes

Mule deer below population objective but buck ratios healthy; foothills and transition zones between sage and timber hold deer. Northern forested drainages and mahogany ridges concentrate bucks. South-of-Hwy-20 desert flats hold pronghorn and deer sharing range. The premium (L66) rut-window tag draws very high application pressure.

Draw odds for Mule Deeraren't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.

Pronghorn — season & harvest

Tag type: Controlled draw (400-series). Hunt 466A1 (Malheur River No. 1) and 466A2 (Malheur River No. 2) for any legal weapon; Hunt 466R for archery.
Tag quota: 229
Archery season: Hunt 466R: Sep 5–Sep 13 (55 tags in 2026; 146 first-choice applicants in 2025).
General season: Hunt 466A1: Aug 15–Aug 23 (88 tags; 1,681 first-choice applicants in 2025). Hunt 466A2: Aug 26–Sep 3 (86 tags; 1,155 first-choice applicants in 2025). Very competitive draw.

Hunting notes

Pronghorn range across the open southern sagebrush-steppe and farmland portions of the unit. Private land limits access in some parts of the hunt area — verify access before applying. Recent spring moisture has improved forage conditions.

Draw odds for Pronghornaren't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.

Black Bear — season & harvest

Tag type: Unit 66 is included in Hunt 746A (S Blue Mtns spring black bear controlled draw; includes units 37, 38, 45, 46, 47, 48, 50, 51, 65, 66, 72, 49% public). Fall bear hunting is general season (over-the-counter) statewide. Up to two bear tags per year.
General season: Fall general bear season: approximately Aug 1–Nov 30 (statewide general season dates; verify current regulations). Bear harvest has increased in recent years per the 2025 ODFW forecast.

Hunting notes

Bear primarily in the timbered northern mountains (Malheur National Forest portion). Hunters can carry bear tags opportunistically while pursuing deer or elk in the forested north end.

Draw odds for Black Beararen't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.

Rocky Mountain Elk — season & harvest

Tag type: Controlled draw (200-series). North Malheur River sub-area (north of US Hwy 20, 80% public): bull hunts 266X (1st season) and 266Y (2nd season), antlerless hunt 266B, archery/muzzleloader variants 266R and 266T. Drewsey Valley hunts 266A1 and 266A2 cover the NE corner (54% public). South Malheur River sub-area (south of US Hwy 20, 70% public): antlerless hunt 266C. A premium M-series elk tag is also available.
Archery season: Archery elk controlled draw; eastern Oregon archery elk general window Sep 1–Oct 1 (verify for specific hunt number).
General season: Bull elk rifle: Hunt 266X approx Oct 28–Nov 1; Hunt 266Y approx Nov 7–15. Antlerless (266B) approx Nov 21–29. All controlled draw.
Muzzleloader season: Muzzleloader option within 266R hunt for N Malheur River area; dates vary by year (verify in current regulations).

Hunting notes

Elk numbers and bull ratios below objective in recent years. Bulls retreat to timbered north in summer and migrate to lower foothills and river drainages in fall. Drewsey Valley hunts (266A1/A2) cover the Drewsey Road corridor along the Malheur NF boundary.

Draw odds for Rocky Mountain Elkaren't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.

California Bighorn Sheep — season & harvest

Tag type: Controlled draw (500-series), once-in-a-lifetime tag. Hunt 566A (Riverside): that part of Unit 66 south of US Hwy 20, 70% public land.

Hunting notes

California bighorn sheep inhabit the rugged Malheur River canyon terrain south of US Hwy 20 (Riverside area). Extremely limited tags — Oregon issues roughly 100 bighorn tags statewide annually. Once-in-a-lifetime; only one tag may be drawn per hunter per lifetime.

Draw odds for California Bighorn Sheeparen't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.

About this unit

AI-compiled · sourced

Oregon WMU #66, the Malheur River unit, is a large eastern Oregon unit centered on the Malheur River drainage in Harney County, roughly bounded by Burns to the west, Seneca and Logan Valley to the north, and Harper and Drewsey to the east. The northern half lies within the Blue Mountains and Malheur National Forest, while the southern half is high-desert BLM range managed by the Malheur Field Office (Vale District). Nearest towns are Burns, Seneca, Drewsey, Harper, and Prairie City.

Terrain & elevation

Terrain is highly varied: the northern portion rises into the Blue Mountains with forested mountains and timbered ridges reaching roughly 5,000–6,250 ft, while the southern half descends through open foothills, dry canyon country, desert flats, river-bottom marshes, and farmland at roughly 3,000–4,500 ft. The Malheur River cuts through the unit's mid-section, creating rugged canyon terrain. The northern forest boundary is near the Strawberry Mountain complex (peak 9,038 ft lies just outside the unit in adjacent National Forest lands).

Access & public land

Approximately 69% of the unit is public land (ODFW). The unit boundary runs: Burns north on US Hwy 395 to Seneca; east on Logan Valley Co Rd No. 16 through Logan Valley to FR 14; southeast on FR 14 to FR 1663 near Antelope Mountain; south on FR 1663 and Drewsey-Prairie City Rd through Drewsey to US Hwy 20; east on Hwy 20 to Harper; southwest on Harper-Follyfarm Rd to Follyfarm; northwest on State Hwy 78 to Burns. The northern end is managed by the Malheur National Forest (Emigrant Creek Ranger District, Hines office: 541-573-6582). The southern half is primarily BLM land under the Malheur Field Office, Vale District (541-473-3144). US Highway 20 bisects the unit east–west and is the primary access corridor; US Highway 395 runs along the western edge north toward Seneca. Forest Road 14 and FR 1663 serve the NE corner near Antelope Mountain. The Riverside Wildlife Area (~3,798 acres near US Hwy 20, south of the highway) provides public hunting access in the Malheur River canyon. Two cooperative Travel Management Areas enforce seasonal vehicle restrictions during controlled deer and elk rifle seasons (and three days prior): Conroy-Cliff TMA (66A, ~46 sq mi, T16-18S R32½,34,35E) and Devine Ridge-Rattlesnake TMA (66B, ~59 sq mi, T20-21S R31,32,32½E). TMA maps are available at entrances and on the ODFW maps page. Private land parcels are scattered throughout; hunters should confirm land status before entering.

Vegetation & habitat

The northern mountains support mixed conifer forest—ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir, larch, and fir. Transitional foothills feature mountain mahogany, shrubs, junipers, and scattered pines. The broad southern half is dominated by sagebrush-steppe, bunchgrass (Idaho fescue), and juniper woodlands. River bottoms along the Malheur River hold cottonwoods, willows, and water-tolerant vegetation. The diversity of habitats—from timbered mountains to sagebrush desert—supports a wide variety of big game within a single unit.

Wildlife movement

Mule deer are the primary deer species, spread across all habitat types; populations are below management objective in total numbers but buck-to-doe ratios have exceeded targets; some population instability followed the severe 2016–17 winter with stabilization since 2020. Rocky Mountain elk occupy the forested northern mountains and transition zones; the North Malheur River sub-area (north of US Hwy 20, 80% public) and South Malheur River sub-area (south of US Hwy 20, 70% public) are managed separately, with Drewsey Valley hunts (266A1/A2, 54% public) covering the NE corner. Pronghorn antelope range across the southern sagebrush-steppe and open range portions of the unit. California bighorn sheep inhabit the Malheur River canyon area south of US Highway 20 (Riverside area, hunt 566A). Black bear and cougar are present, primarily in the timbered northern mountains but ranging throughout; bear harvest has increased in recent years. Rocky Mountain goat tags (900-series) are also available for this unit in limited allocations.

Sources

Species guides

Mule Deer →Pronghorn →Black Bear →Cougar →

Questions, tips & discussion

Ask anything about Malheur River— or drop a tip or trick: access points, where game holds, glassing spots, conditions, crowding, gear that worked. This is where the unit's species-specific intel gets built, hunter by hunter.

Nothing posted yet about Malheur River.

Be the first — ask a question (“Best public access on the north end?”) or share a tip (“Glass the burn scars off the main ridge at first light”).

Boundaries: ODFW official Wildlife Management Units. Community info last updated 36d ago.