Unit 55 (Walla Walla)
Oregon Hunting Guide — Elk
Walla Walla is the compact northern block from Weston to the Washington line, bounded by Highway 11, Skyline Road and Highway 204. ODFW lists the herd above management objective, and a separate watershed hunt takes place entirely on public land.
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Elk Hunting in Unit 55
Walla Walla is the compact northern block from Weston to the Washington line, bounded by Highway 11, Skyline Road and Highway 204. ODFW lists the herd above management objective, and a separate watershed hunt takes place entirely on public land.
Where to Find Elk in the Walla Walla Unit: Skyline Road ridges and the Mill Creek watershed
The Skyline edge and the state line
The unit starts at Weston and runs north on Highway 11 to the Washington line. From there the boundary follows the state line east to Forest Road 64, the Skyline Road, and comes southwest to Tollgate before closing on Highway 204. Yellow Jacket Point is the high spot at 5715 feet, with Bald Mountain at 5241 and Blalock Mountain at 4545. Government Mountain and the lower corners fall away toward 1116 feet near the valley side. Forest Roads 64 and 65 are the main arteries, and Mottet Campground is a handy base.
A watershed hunt on public ground
One hunt follows a different map. The Mill Creek Watershed hunt starts at the intake on Mill Creek, climbs the Intake Ridge trail to the state line, then follows the line east to Forest Road 64 and southwest toward Forest Road 65. ODFW's description calls it entirely public land, so you don't have to worry about locked gates there. The forecast says elk in Walla Walla are above management objective. Don't overlook the lower corners toward Weston and Milton-Freewater. They sit a long way below the summits, and the forecast's northern-exposure advice applies to a shaded draw down low as much as to a ridge.
The ground ODFW draws for this hunt
The Walla Walla Unit, WMU 55, covers about 305 square miles measured on ODFW's polygon, and ODFW rates it 33% public land. Named features inside the line fall in Umatilla County. Elevation runs from about 930 to 5,817 feet. The highest named points are Yellow Jacket Point (5,715 ft), Bald Mountain (5,241 ft) and Blalock Mountain (4,545 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 55 terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 930–5,367 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 3,042 ft ; peaks can run higher. That spread means you can hunt two seasons in one day — plan clothing for both ends.
- 305.6 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
- 7 tanks
- 34 springs
- 762 stream segments
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: Paradise Ridge (5,817 ft), Yellow Jacket Point (5,715 ft), Dusty Ridge (5,682 ft), Indian Ridge (5,561 ft)
Holding ground: Table Glade (5,221 ft), Box Canyon (3,102 ft), The Horseshoe (2,783 ft), Dusty 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 Walla Walla Unit: north slopes, wildfire checks and the watershed tag
Elk Success Rates
Unit 55: 90 of 244 hunters, 37%. Figures are ODFW's own 2025 harvest statistics.
Elk Draw Odds
| Season | Tags | Applicants | Draw % | Pts Req |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 20 | 268 | 7.1% | 18 |
| Archery — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 1 | 23 | 0.0% | 18 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 27 | 904 | 2.9% | 22 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 1 | 77 | 0.0% | 22 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 44 | 19 | 100.0% | 16 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 2 | 1 | 100.0% | 16 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 264 | 92 | 100.0% | 13 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 13 | 25 | 52.0% | 13 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 25 | 1,606 | 1.5% | 22 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 1 | 122 | 0.0% | 22 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 138 | 26 | 100.0% | 13 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 7 | 5 | 100.0% | 13 |
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.
- 255X Walla Walla Unit No. 1: 264 tags for 2026; 291 first-choice applicants in 2025.
- 255Y2 Walla Walla Unit No. 3: 138 tags for 2026; 1,728 first-choice applicants in 2025.
- 255R1 Walla Walla Unit Bow No. 2: 27 tags for 2026; 80 first-choice applicants in 2025.
- 255Y1 Walla Walla Unit No. 2: 26 tags for 2026; 117 first-choice applicants in 2025.
- 255A Mill Cr Watershed: 21 tags for 2026; 214 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: 305 square miles · accessed 2026-10-30
- Geographic Names Information System — named features inside the boundary — U.S. Geological Survey · supports: Yellow Jacket Point 5,715 ft, Bald Mountain 5,241 ft · accessed 2026-10-30