Unit 15 (Willamette)
Oregon Hunting Guide — Elk, Deer (Antlerless)
Willamette is the valley floor around Salem, Silverton and Keizer, nearly all private farmland and low hills. Elk hunts are antlerless-focused, and ODFW says antlerless tags have grown since the general season antlerless hunt began.
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Elk Hunting in Unit 15
Willamette is the valley floor around Salem, Silverton and Keizer, nearly all private farmland and low hills. Elk hunts are antlerless-focused, and ODFW says antlerless tags have grown since the general season antlerless hunt began.
Where to Find Elk in the Willamette Unit: private farm and timber edges around Salem
A valley unit, almost all private
This is the lowest, flattest ground in the state's elk system. The high points are small hills: Bald Peak at 1634 ft, Highland Butte at 1596 ft, Parrett Mountain at 1252 ft, Iowa Hill at 1136 ft and Prospect Hill at 1129 ft. The unit runs as low as about 12 ft. Public land is almost nonexistent, and the hunt descriptions note only a sliver of it. Brooks, Keizer, Salem and Silverton are within a few miles.
Where the herd concentrates
ODFW's forecast doesn't give herd locations for this unit, so ask the people who know. Farmers and timber managers see elk move through every week. Hunts here target antlerless elk to manage crop and tree damage, and ODFW says antlerless tags have significantly increased since the general season antlerless hunt began in the east Trask and Willamette units. The tag is also valid in a small southern part of the Scappoose unit. Salem is the main hub, and OR 99W, OR 211, OR 34, OR 226 and OR 47 run through the unit. Hee Hee Illahee, Luckiamute, Beaver and Blue Heron are the named camps.
The ground ODFW draws for this hunt
The Willamette Unit, WMU 15, covers about 2,894 square miles measured on ODFW's polygon, and ODFW rates it 2% public land. Named features inside the line fall in Marion County, Clackamas County, Polk County, Multnomah County, Washington County and Benton County. Elevation runs from about 12 to 1,634 feet. The highest named points are Bald Peak (1,634 ft), Highland Butte (1,596 ft) and Parrett Mountain (1,252 ft). ODFW's line is the legal one, so check it against a current land-ownership map, and get permission before you cross private ground or a locked gate inside it.
Unit 15 terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 125–706 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 320 ft ; peaks can run higher.
- 2,878.1 sq mi inside the boundary. Big enough that picking one drainage beats driving three.
Who owns the ground
- National Forest — 60%
- State Trust — 8%
- Private / Other — 32%
Roughly 68% is public. Carry a land-status layer anyway — these are area percentages, not a map of where the boundaries fall.
Water on the ground
- 4,332 tanks
- 13 springs
- 12,102 stream segments
- 404 lakes
Counts from mapping data, so this is how many exist, not how many hold water in a dry year. Sitting water only pays where you find fresh tracks.
Named features inside the unit
Glass from: Bald Peak (1,634 ft), Highland Butte (1,596 ft), Mount Scott (1,093 ft), The Hogback (793 ft)
Holding ground: Bryant Lake Bed (194 ft), Beaver Island (104 ft), Elliott Springs
Every one of these was tested against the unit polygon before it went on the map. They are starting points, not agency recommendations.
How to Hunt Elk in the Willamette Unit: permission, patience and the antlerless tag
Elk Success Rates
Unit 15: 123 of 402 hunters, 31%. Figures are ODFW's own 2025 harvest statistics.
Elk Draw Odds
| Season | Tags | Applicants | Draw % | Pts Req |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 83 | 362 | 22.7% | 18 |
| Archery — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 4 | 5 | 20.0% | 18 |
Data from 2025 draw results. Each row is one residency pool — read the label before the number.
Open in Draw Odds EngineFrom ODFW's 2026 regulations, residents and nonresidents together: 2026 tags against 2025 first-choice applicants.
- 215A Willamette Plus: 83 tags for 2026; 222 first-choice applicants in 2025.
ODFW sets a point cut-off per hunt each year; its point summary reports carry it.
Unit Logistics & Expectations
Frequently Asked Questions
What ground does this Oregon elk page cover?
What's the biggest 2026 elk hunt here?
What was hunter success for elk here in 2025?
What ground does this Oregon antlerless deer page cover?
What's the biggest 2026 antlerless deer hunt here?
What was hunter success for antlerless deer here in 2025?
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Upgrade to Pro — $49/yrSources & Verification
Every fact on this page is tied to a primary source below. Last fact-checked 2026-10-30.
- 2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations — Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife · supports: Hunt areas and boundary descriptions, Seasons, bag limits and 2026 tags · accessed 2026-10-30
- Big Game hunting forecast, 2026/27 — Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife · supports: Field reports by hunt area and WMU · accessed 2026-10-30
- Big game hunting harvest statistics, 2025 — Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife · supports: Hunters, harvest and success · accessed 2026-10-30
- Wildlife Management Units (ArcGIS) — Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife · supports: 2,894 square miles · accessed 2026-10-30
- Geographic Names Information System — named features inside the boundary — U.S. Geological Survey · supports: Bald Peak 1,634 ft, Highland Butte 1,596 ft · accessed 2026-10-30