Unit 50 (Desolation)
Oregon Hunting Guide — Elk
Desolation covers the Blue Mountains divide above the North Fork John Day River, from Dale on US 395 to the Anthony Lakes summit. It's mostly public land and rises from river canyon to Mount Ireland at 8,266 feet.
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Elk Hunting in Unit 50
Desolation covers the Blue Mountains divide above the North Fork John Day River, from Dale on US 395 to the Anthony Lakes summit. It's mostly public land and rises from river canyon to Mount Ireland at 8,266 feet.
Where to Find Elk in the Desolation Unit: the Blue Mountains divide above the North Fork John Day
Boundaries worth knowing
ODFW's line starts at Dale on US 395 and follows the North Fork John Day River southeast to Big Creek, then climbs Meadow Creek to Forks Guard Station and runs the Granite-Ukiah road to Anthony Lakes Road. From there it rides the summit of the Blue Mountains east, drops southwest along the Baker and Grant county line to Highway 7, and returns by County Road 20. That's a big loop with a lot of public timber inside it.
Elk below objective, but holding steady
ODFW's forecast says Desolation and West Beulah sit below management objective. Calf ratios are lower than the department would like, yet adult survival is good and the herd looks steady. The observed bull ratio came in low, and the forecast blames the mild winter: bulls stayed up high where the surveys couldn't count them. Look at the high ground around Mount Ireland, Vinegar Hill, Columbia Hill and Ben Harrison Peak, then work the creek drainages below. Tollbridge and North Fork John Day campgrounds put you near the river end of the unit. Hunters who know the Blue Mountains will see familiar names here, from the Granite-Ukiah road to Anthony Lakes. If you're new to it, start with a national forest map and mark which roads are open before you plan a camp.
The ground ODFW draws for this hunt
The Desolation Unit, WMU 50, covers about 670 square miles measured on ODFW's polygon, and ODFW rates it 87% public land. Named features inside the line fall in Grant County and Baker County. Elevation runs from about 2,940 to 8,266 feet. The highest named points are Mount Ireland (8,266 ft), Vinegar Hill (8,113 ft) and Columbia Hill (8,099 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 50 terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 3,663–7,358 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 5,377 ft ; peaks can run higher.
- 669.5 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
- 21 tanks
- 9 springs
- 209 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: Mount Ireland (8,266 ft), Vinegar Hill (8,113 ft), Columbia Hill (8,099 ft), Ben Harrison Peak (7,779 ft)
Holding ground: Cunningham Saddle (7,788 ft), Mount Ruth Cove (7,572 ft), McCalpine Meadow (7,280 ft), Big Dipper Spring, Oasis 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 Desolation Unit: get away from the open roads
Elk Success Rates
Unit 50: 167 of 1,265 hunters, 13%. Figures are ODFW's own 2025 harvest statistics.
Elk Draw Odds
| Season | Tags | Applicants | Draw % | Pts Req |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 1085 | 492 | 99.8% | 13 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 54 | 106 | 43.4% | 13 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 110 | 25 | 100.0% | 2 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 6 | 8 | 62.5% | 2 |
| Rifle — Controlled either sex (resident) | 21 | 54 | 37.0% | 5 |
| Rifle — Controlled either sex (nonresident) | 1 | 1 | 0.0% | 5 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 1100 | 1,692 | 61.8% | 8 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 55 | 90 | 56.7% | 8 |
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.
- 250X Desolation Unit: 1,100 tags for 2026; 27 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: 670 square miles · accessed 2026-10-30
- Geographic Names Information System — named features inside the boundary — U.S. Geological Survey · supports: Mount Ireland 8,266 ft, Vinegar Hill 8,113 ft · accessed 2026-10-30