Unit 46 (Murderers Creek)
Oregon Hunting Guide — Elk, Bear, Pronghorn
Murderers Creek is a big Grant County unit between Dayville, Prairie City and Seneca, with Strawberry Mountain at 9032 feet on its edge. ODFW says average prospects, with a declining western herd and a low observed bull count.
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Elk Hunting in Unit 46
Murderers Creek is a big Grant County unit between Dayville, Prairie City and Seneca, with Strawberry Mountain at 9032 feet on its edge. ODFW says average prospects, with a declining western herd and a low observed bull count.
Where to Find Elk in the Murderers Creek Unit: Highway 395 divides two different hunts
Dayville to Seneca and the Highway 395 split
The boundary runs east on US 26 from Dayville to Prairie City, then southeast on County Road 62 to Summit Prairie and west on the Logan Valley road through Seneca. From Seneca it follows US 395 south and then Forest Roads 37 and 3750 back to the South Fork John Day River. ODFW splits the hunts at Highway 395, so you're either west or east of it. Strawberry Mountain, Indian Spring Butte and Graham Mountain all top 8500 feet, while the river corner near Dayville sits closer to 2590.
A mixed herd picture
The forecast says Murderers Creek is above management objective, but the western part of the unit appears to be declining because of a low calf ratio and lower adult survival. Observed bull ratios were low. ODFW says that was expected, since bulls stayed up high through the mild winter where they couldn't be counted, and it expects bull ratios to match past years. So don't write off the east side or the high ground, but treat the west side as the tougher bet. Seneca, Mount Vernon, Canyon City and John Day are the nearest towns for supplies.
The ground ODFW draws for this hunt
The Murderers Cr Unit, WMU 46, covers about 1,148 square miles measured on ODFW's polygon, and ODFW rates it 65% public land. Named features inside the line fall in Grant County. Elevation runs from about 2,590 to 9,032 feet. The highest named points are Strawberry Mountain (9,032 ft), Indian Spring Butte (8,539 ft) and Graham Mountain (8,538 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 46 terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 3,306–6,883 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 4,967 ft ; peaks can run higher.
- 1,147.2 sq mi inside the boundary. Big enough that picking one drainage beats driving three.
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
- 27 tanks
- 297 springs
- 884 stream segments
- 3 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: Strawberry Mountain (9,032 ft), Indian Spring Butte (8,539 ft), Graham Mountain (8,538 ft), Canyon Mountain (7,987 ft)
Holding ground: Big Riner Basin (7,438 ft), Wildcat Basin (7,074 ft), Dead Horse Basin (6,679 ft), Smoky Spring, Fawn 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 Murderers Creek Unit: roadless pockets, early bulls and muzzleloader
Elk Success Rates
Unit 46: 154 of 888 hunters, 17%. Figures are ODFW's own 2025 harvest statistics.
Elk Draw Odds
| Season | Tags | Applicants | Draw % | Pts Req |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 385 | 452 | 81.0% | 11 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 19 | 27 | 66.7% | 11 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 248 | 560 | 42.1% | 8 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 12 | 22 | 54.5% | 8 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 193 | 86 | 100.0% | 2 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 10 | 7 | 100.0% | 2 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 930 | 298 | 99.3% | 11 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 47 | 87 | 33.3% | 11 |
| Rifle — Controlled either sex (resident) | 50 | 111 | 43.2% | 4 |
| Rifle — Controlled either sex (nonresident) | 3 | 7 | 28.6% | 4 |
| Rifle — Controlled either sex (resident) | 22 | 5 | 100.0% | 1 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 413 | 806 | 48.8% | 8 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 21 | 53 | 18.9% | 8 |
| Rifle — Controlled either sex (resident) | 50 | 101 | 47.5% | 8 |
| Rifle — Controlled either sex (nonresident) | 3 | 7 | 28.6% | 8 |
| Archery — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 468 | 1,331 | 33.4% | 16 |
| Archery — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 23 | 75 | 20.0% | 16 |
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.
- 246C Murderers Cr Unit: 275 tags for 2026; 93 first-choice applicants in 2025.
- 265M E Grant Muzzleloader: 193 tags for 2026; 36 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
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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: 1,148 square miles · accessed 2026-10-30
- Geographic Names Information System — named features inside the boundary — U.S. Geological Survey · supports: Strawberry Mountain 9,032 ft, Indian Spring Butte 8,539 ft · accessed 2026-10-30