Unit 33 (Sprague)
Oregon Hunting Guide — Elk
Sprague sits in Klamath County between Chiloquin, Crater Lake and the Sycan River. ODFW says the Cascade ground west of Hwy 97 offers some of the best elk hunting in the Klamath District, with limited-entry tags.
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Elk Hunting in Unit 33
Sprague sits in Klamath County between Chiloquin, Crater Lake and the Sycan River. ODFW says the Cascade ground west of Hwy 97 offers some of the best elk hunting in the Klamath District, with limited-entry tags.
Where to Find Elk in the Sprague Unit: west of Hwy 97 and the Klamath Marsh edge
The Cascade side of the unit
ODFW says the Cascade Mountains in Klamath County west of Hwy 97 offer some of the best elk hunting in the Klamath District, and that best prospects are in the Keno and Sprague units. Those parts of Sprague west of the highway are limited entry only, through the SE Cascades controlled hunt. Bull ratios are above objective in the Keno unit, and some older bulls are available. The Sprague unit's boundary runs from Chiloquin up Hwy 97 and Hwy 62 to the Crater Lake National Park line.
Named places to begin
ODFW says Sun Pass State Forest and Green Diamond Oregon Timberlands are good places to begin, and national forest land adjacent to Klamath Marsh will hold some elk. East of Hwy 97, elk densities are lower and rifle seasons are controlled hunts. The unit's elevation runs from about 4164 ft to Fuego Mountain at 6887 ft, with Calimus Butte and Applegate Butte as other high points. Chiloquin, Klamath Falls, Altamont and Bonanza are the nearest towns. Forest Development Roads 44 and 49 and County Road 600 reach into the unit. The Winema National Forest map covers the public ground.
The ground ODFW draws for this hunt
The Sprague Unit, WMU 33, covers about 774 square miles measured on ODFW's polygon, and ODFW rates it 72% public land. Named features inside the line fall in Klamath County. Elevation runs from about 4,164 to 6,887 feet. The highest named points are Fuego Mountain (6,887 ft), Calimus Butte (6,612 ft) and Applegate Butte (6,047 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 33 terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 4,518–5,945 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 4,910 ft ; peaks can run higher.
- 771.4 sq mi inside the boundary.
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
- 77 tanks
- 2 springs
- 66 stream segments
- 45 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: Fuego Mountain (6,887 ft), Calimus Butte (6,612 ft), Applegate Butte (6,047 ft), Little Applegate Butte (5,838 ft)
Holding ground: Sun Pass (5,430 ft), Wildhorse Meadow (4,894 ft), Telephone Draw (4,615 ft), Dibbon Cook Spring, Brown Spring
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 Sprague Unit: pick your side of Hwy 97 and work the timber edges
Elk Success Rates
Unit 33: 3 of 198 hunters, 2%. Figures are ODFW's own 2025 harvest statistics.
Elk Draw Odds
| Season | Tags | Applicants | Draw % | Pts Req |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle — Controlled either sex (resident) | 15 | 20 | 75.0% | 4 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 220 | 52 | 100.0% | 4 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 11 | 4 | 100.0% | 4 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 110 | 111 | 97.3% | 4 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 6 | 2 | 100.0% | 4 |
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.
- 231X SE Cascades: 90 tags for 2026; 197 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?
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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: 774 square miles · accessed 2026-10-30
- Geographic Names Information System — named features inside the boundary — U.S. Geological Survey · supports: Fuego Mountain 6,887 ft, Calimus Butte 6,612 ft · accessed 2026-10-30