Unit 42 (Hood)
Oregon Hunting Guide — Elk
Hood is the Mount Hood National Forest unit running from Highway 35 and Barlow Pass along the Pacific Crest Trail to Lolo Pass and the Columbia River near Bonneville. ODFW says elk are scattered across dense forest, with recent burns and logging providing the openings.
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Elk Hunting in Unit 42
Hood is the Mount Hood National Forest unit running from Highway 35 and Barlow Pass along the Pacific Crest Trail to Lolo Pass and the Columbia River near Bonneville. ODFW says elk are scattered across dense forest, with recent burns and logging providing the openings.
Where to Find Elk in the Hood Unit: the burns and cuts in dense forest
Scattered herds in thick cover
ODFW's forecast says hunters will find elk in scattered herds throughout the forested areas of the White River and Hood units. Public land in both is dominated by dense vegetation, which makes the open spots matter. Recent burns and logging create forage and glassing opportunities, and those are where you want to be at first and last light. The boundary runs from the Hood River southwest on Highway 35 to Barlow Pass, along the Pacific Crest Trail to Lolo Pass, then to the Columbia River near Bonneville.
From the river to Mount Hood
Named elevations run from 570 feet along the Columbia to 11,232 feet on Mount Hood. Lamberson Butte, Elk Mountain, Mount Defiance and Red Hill are named points on the way. Tilly Jane, Sherwood, Lost Lake and Wahtum Lake campgrounds put you inside the national forest, and Cascade Locks is the nearest town. A separate hunt covers private land only in Unit 42, so ground you can't reach on public land may still hold animals for someone with permission. Spend your scouting time on the openings rather than the dense stands, because that's where you'll actually see an elk. A pair of good binoculars earns its weight here.
The ground ODFW draws for this hunt
The Hood Unit, WMU 42, covers about 376 square miles measured on ODFW's polygon, and ODFW rates it 65% public land. Named features inside the line fall in Hood River County, Clackamas County and Multnomah County. Elevation runs from about 570 to 11,232 feet. The highest named points are Mount Hood (11,232 ft), Lamberson Butte (6,626 ft) and Elk Mountain (5,616 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 42 terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 805–7,946 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 3,419 ft ; peaks can run higher. That spread means you can hunt two seasons in one day — plan clothing for both ends.
- 375.1 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
- 81 tanks
- 55 springs
- 875 stream segments
- 10 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: Mount Hood (11,232 ft), Mississippi Head (7,137 ft), Lamberson Butte (6,626 ft), Stranahan Ridge (6,435 ft)
Holding ground: Devils Kitchen (10,284 ft), Wy'east Basin (5,683 ft), Elk Meadows (5,081 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 Hood Unit: get off the roads and into the openings
Elk Success Rates
Unit 42: 215 of 1,513 hunters, 14%. Figures are ODFW's own 2025 harvest statistics.
Elk Draw Odds
| Season | Tags | Applicants | Draw % | Pts Req |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 83 | 71 | 100.0% | 2 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 4 | 4 | 100.0% | 2 |
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.
- 241Y White Rvr - Hood No. 2: 1,210 tags for 2026; 310 first-choice applicants in 2025.
- 241X White Rvr - Hood No. 1: 550 tags for 2026; 258 first-choice applicants in 2025.
- 242 Hood Private: 83 tags for 2026; 379 first-choice applicants in 2025.
- 241B White Rvr - Hood: 55 tags for 2026; 135 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: 376 square miles · accessed 2026-10-30
- Geographic Names Information System — named features inside the boundary — U.S. Geological Survey · supports: Mount Hood 11,232 ft, Lamberson Butte 6,626 ft · accessed 2026-10-30