Hunt 556 (Wenaha (rotating bighorn hunt))
Oregon Hunting Guide — Bighorn Sheep
The Wenaha bighorn hunt has no 2026 season. ODFW's Wenaha tag rotates with Washington and the Umatilla tribes every three years, and Oregon held it in 2025. The ground spans Union and Wallowa counties.
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Bighorn Sheep Hunting in Unit 556
The Wenaha bighorn hunt has no 2026 season. ODFW's Wenaha tag rotates with Washington and the Umatilla tribes every three years, and Oregon held it in 2025. The ground spans Union and Wallowa counties.
Where to Find Bighorn Sheep in the Wenaha Hunt: a rotating tag in Union and Wallowa counties
Why there's no 2026 hunt
The Wenaha tag doesn't come around every year. It rotates among Oregon, Washington and the Umatilla tribes on a three-year cycle, and Oregon held it in 2025. That means there's no Oregon season to apply for or hunt in 2026. Watch ODFW's regulations for the year the rotation returns. When it does, expect a once-in-a-lifetime style draw with very few tags.
The named ground
The named high points in this hunt area run from Milk Shakes at 6057 ft and Round Butte at 5887 ft down through Lookout Mountain at 5230 ft, West Mountain at 4125 ft and Jones Butte at 3301 ft. The named ground falls as low as 1718 ft. That's a lot of vertical relief in a short distance, and it's why sheep country is hard on the legs. Union and Wallowa counties share the hunt. Because the rotation is shared with Washington and the Umatilla tribes, the Oregon tag appears only now and then. The wider Wenaha ground has no Oregon season to scout in 2026, so any trip this year is for learning, not hunting. Treat it as map study.
The ground ODFW draws for this hunt
ODFW publishes no boundary polygon for this hunt, so the map shows the whole of Unit 56, about 412 square miles. Named features inside the line fall in Union County and Wallowa County. The highest named points are Milk Shakes (6,057 ft), Round Butte (5,887 ft) and Lookout Mountain (5,230 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 556 terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
Named features inside the unit
Glass from: Milk Shakes (6,057 ft), Round Butte (5,887 ft), Trapper Ridge (5,689 ft), Lookout Mountain (5,230 ft)
Holding ground: Andies Prairie (5,060 ft), Elk Flat (4,982 ft), Ant Flat (4,199 ft), Galloway Spring, Big Springs
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 Bighorn Sheep in the Wenaha Hunt: prepare while the tag rotates
Bighorn Sheep Success Rates
556 Wenaha: 1 taken on 1 tag. Figures are ODFW's own 2025 harvest statistics.
Bighorn Sheep Draw Odds
| Season | Tags | Applicants | Draw % | Pts Req |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle — Controlled ram only (resident) | 1 | 1,396 | 0.1% | — |
Data from 2025 draw results. Each row is one residency pool — read the label before the number.
Open in Draw Odds EngineODFW's 2026 regulations give no first-choice applicant figure we can tie to a single hunt here. See ODFW's point summary reports.
Unit Logistics & Expectations
Frequently Asked Questions
What ground does this Oregon bighorn sheep page cover?
When is the 2026 bighorn sheep season here?
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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 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: 412 square miles · accessed 2026-10-30
- Geographic Names Information System — named features inside the boundary — U.S. Geological Survey · supports: Milk Shakes 6,057 ft, Round Butte 5,887 ft · accessed 2026-10-30