Unit 39 (Metolius)
Oregon Hunting Guide — Elk
Metolius runs from Sisters across the Cascade crest down to Lake Billy Chinook, topped by Three Fingered Jack at 7848 feet. ODFW reports a record spring count here, but low bull ratios and heavy road pressure remain.
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Elk Hunting in Unit 39
Metolius runs from Sisters across the Cascade crest down to Lake Billy Chinook, topped by Three Fingered Jack at 7848 feet. ODFW reports a record spring count here, but low bull ratios and heavy road pressure remain.
Where to Find Elk in the Metolius Unit: the Geneva winter range and roadless Cascades
Crest to canyon
From Sisters the boundary runs west on Highway 242 to the Pacific Crest Trail, then north along the Cascade crest to the Warm Springs reservation line. It follows Jefferson Creek and the Metolius River east to Lake Billy Chinook before turning south along the Crooked River, US 97 and Highway 126. Three Fingered Jack, Mount Washington and Goat Peak anchor the west side. The low corner near the lake sits around 1947 feet. Camp Sherman and Allingham campgrounds are the classic bases.
What the forecast says about the herd
ODFW reports a record elk count in Metolius this spring, yet it says low calf recruitment and low bull ratios remain a staple of the Cascade herd. Many elk summer on the west side of the crest. A growing group now stays year-round on the Metolius winter range around Geneva, which is a mix of public and private ground. Know your property lines there. Mild winter survival means more spikes and yearling cows than usual. Because of drought, elk follow the best feed, often near streams, rivers or lakes. Smiling River and Pine Rest campgrounds give you two more places to stage close to the forest.
The ground ODFW draws for this hunt
The Metolius Unit, WMU 39, covers about 666 square miles measured on ODFW's polygon, and ODFW rates it 66% public land. Named features inside the line fall in Jefferson County, Deschutes County and Linn County. Elevation runs from about 1,947 to 7,848 feet. The highest named points are Three Fingered Jack (7,848 ft), Mount Washington (7,766 ft) and Goat Peak (7,096 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 39 terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 1,949–6,075 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 3,547 ft ; peaks can run higher. That spread means you can hunt two seasons in one day — plan clothing for both ends.
- 666.1 sq mi inside the boundary.
Who owns the ground
- National Forest — 60%
- BLM — 15%
- State Trust — 8%
- Private / Other — 17%
Roughly 83% is public. Carry a land-status layer anyway — these are area percentages, not a map of where the boundaries fall.
Water on the ground
- 218 tanks
- 18 springs
- 122 stream segments
- 30 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: Three Fingered Jack (7,848 ft), Mount Washington (7,766 ft), North Cinder Peak (6,724 ft)
Holding ground: Canyon Creek Meadows (5,543 ft), Bear Valley (4,092 ft), Sage Flat (3,221 ft)
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 Metolius Unit: beating road pressure and reading water
Elk Success Rates
Unit 39: 49 of 231 hunters, 21%. Figures are ODFW's own 2025 harvest statistics.
Elk Draw Odds
| Season | Tags | Applicants | Draw % | Pts Req |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 94 | 74 | 100.0% | 4 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 5 | 3 | 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.
- 234X E Central Cascades: 1,320 tags for 2026; 140 first-choice applicants in 2025.
- 234M E Cascade Muzzleloader: 198 tags for 2026; 59 first-choice applicants in 2025.
- 234B Tumalo: 22 tags for 2026; 113 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: 666 square miles · accessed 2026-10-30
- Geographic Names Information System — named features inside the boundary — U.S. Geological Survey · supports: Three Fingered Jack 7,848 ft, Mount Washington 7,766 ft · accessed 2026-10-30