Unit 47 (Northside)
Oregon Hunting Guide — Elk, Pronghorn
Northside is the Grant County block between John Day, Kimberly, Monument and Long Creek, with Dixie Butte at 7576 feet. ODFW says its herd is above objective and holding steady, but the hunts here are on private land.
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Elk Hunting in Unit 47
Northside is the Grant County block between John Day, Kimberly, Monument and Long Creek, with Dixie Butte at 7576 feet. ODFW says its herd is above objective and holding steady, but the hunts here are on private land.
Where to Find Elk in the Northside Unit: Dixie Butte and the private ranch country
John Day to Long Creek
The boundary leaves John Day northwest on US 26 to Highway 19, runs north to the North Fork John Day River at Kimberly, and follows the river northeast to Monument. It then turns southeast along Long Creek Road to Long Creek, north on US 395 to County Road 20, and southeast to Highway 7. From there it runs south to US 26 and back to John Day. Deerhorn Camp and Magone Lake Group Campground are the named bases.
Why access matters here
ODFW's hunt description for the open area says it's private land only. That means nearly every Northside tag depends on a landowner's permission. The named high points include Dixie Butte at 7576 feet, plus Ragged Rocks, Black Butte, Long Creek Mountain and Lake Butte, all above 6200 feet. The low ground drops to about 1842 feet. Highway 26, OR 402 and the county roads reach the ranches. Mount Vernon, Canyon City and John Day are within reach for supplies, and Grant County Fairgrounds RV Park offers a base. The named roads are OR 402, County Roads 20 and 38, and OR 19. A map of ownership matters more here than a map of terrain.
The ground ODFW draws for this hunt
The Northside Unit, WMU 47, covers about 1,114 square miles measured on ODFW's polygon, and ODFW rates it 41% public land. Named features inside the line fall in Grant County. Elevation runs from about 1,842 to 7,576 feet. The highest named points are Dixie Butte (7,576 ft), Ragged Rocks (6,275 ft) and Black Butte (6,233 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 47 terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 3,157–5,378 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 4,421 ft ; peaks can run higher.
- 1,113.4 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
- 32 tanks
- 34 springs
- 453 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: Dixie Butte (7,576 ft), Cougar Ridge (6,489 ft), Ragged Rocks (6,275 ft), Black Butte (6,233 ft)
Holding ground: Belshaw Meadows (5,526 ft), Clark Meadow (5,446 ft), Johnson Saddle (5,360 ft), Rimrock Spring, Number One 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 Northside Unit: roadless pockets, permission and private-tag timing
Elk Success Rates
Unit 47: 441 of 1,987 hunters, 22%. Figures are ODFW's own 2025 harvest statistics.
Elk Draw Odds
| Season | Tags | Applicants | Draw % | Pts Req |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 330 | 403 | 78.2% | 10 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 17 | 24 | 62.5% | 10 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 303 | 339 | 85.0% | 5 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 15 | 26 | 38.5% | 5 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 440 | 1,098 | 38.3% | 9 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 22 | 41 | 31.7% | 9 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 1055 | 323 | 98.8% | 11 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 53 | 84 | 42.9% | 11 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 413 | 856 | 45.9% | 15 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 21 | 50 | 32.0% | 15 |
| Archery — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 165 | 54 | 100.0% | 3 |
| Archery — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 8 | 12 | 41.7% | 3 |
| Archery — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 165 | 72 | 100.0% | 8 |
| Archery — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 8 | 22 | 22.7% | 8 |
| Any Legal Weapon — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 660 | 236 | 100.0% | 4 |
| Any Legal Weapon — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 33 | 50 | 58.0% | 4 |
| Any Legal Weapon — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 165 | 52 | 100.0% | 3 |
| Any Legal Weapon — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 8 | 20 | 40.0% | 3 |
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.
- 247 Northside Private No. 1: 275 tags for 2026; 427 first-choice applicants in 2025.
- 247D2 Northside - Ritter Private No. 2: 165 tags for 2026; 286 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 pronghorn page cover?
What's the biggest 2026 pronghorn hunt here?
What was hunter success for pronghorn 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: 1,114 square miles · accessed 2026-10-30
- Geographic Names Information System — named features inside the boundary — U.S. Geological Survey · supports: Dixie Butte 7,576 ft, Ragged Rocks 6,275 ft · accessed 2026-10-30