Unit 56 (Wenaha)
Oregon Hunting Guide — Elk, Bear
Wenaha is steep canyon-edge elk ground between the Grande Ronde River at Troy and the Washington line near Tollgate. ODFW's forecast still lists it as a trophy-quality bull hunt, with spike tags layered over it and a private-access change to watch.
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Elk Hunting in Unit 56
Wenaha is steep canyon-edge elk ground between the Grande Ronde River at Troy and the Washington line near Tollgate. ODFW's forecast still lists it as a trophy-quality bull hunt, with spike tags layered over it and a private-access change to watch.
Where to Find Elk in the Wenaha Unit: the breaks between Troy and Tollgate
A wedge that drops toward the Grande Ronde
The boundary tells you how the ground lies. The Grande Ronde River forms the south edge from Troy toward Elgin, Highway 204 climbs northwest to Tollgate, and Forest Road 64 carries the line northeast to the state line. Milk Shakes tops out at 6057 feet and Round Butte at 5887, while the river end sits down around 1718. That's a lot of vertical for one unit, and the elk use all of it. Forest Road 6415 and Forest Road 63 push into the middle, and Jubilee Lake and Woodland campgrounds put you close to the timber.
Access after Manulife's exit
ODFW's forecast says Manulife is no longer in the Access and Habitat Program, and it names South Wenaha as one of the traditional hunting areas that may be affected. If your old route crossed that ground, don't assume the gate's open. The same forecast calls Wenaha a trophy-quality elk hunt, and it reports stable elk numbers across the district, though drought has held calf recruitment down for two years. One of the hunt areas in ODFW's own descriptions is mostly private, so sort out ownership before you commit to a drainage.
The ground ODFW draws for this hunt
The Wenaha Unit, WMU 56, covers about 412 square miles measured on ODFW's polygon, and ODFW rates it 70% public land. Named features inside the line fall in Union County and Wallowa County. Elevation runs from about 1,718 to 6,057 feet. 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 56 terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 2,808–4,874 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 3,998 ft ; peaks can run higher.
- 412 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
- 23 tanks
- 15 springs
- 157 stream segments
- 12 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: 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 Elk in the Wenaha Unit: steep pack-outs, early water and the right tag
Elk Success Rates
Unit 56: 72 of 266 hunters, 27%. Figures are ODFW's own 2025 harvest statistics.
Elk Draw Odds
| Season | Tags | Applicants | Draw % | Pts Req |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 22 | 51 | 41.2% | 5 |
| Archery — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 1 | 9 | 11.1% | 5 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 41 | 3,614 | 1.1% | 31 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 2 | 248 | 0.4% | 31 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 132 | 76 | 100.0% | 15 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 7 | 7 | 85.7% | 15 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 308 | 312 | 93.9% | 25 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 15 | 24 | 62.5% | 25 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 40 | 3,790 | 1.0% | 26 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 2 | 379 | 0.3% | 26 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 154 | 95 | 100.0% | 13 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 8 | 8 | 87.5% | 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.
- 256X Wenaha Unit No. 1: 308 tags for 2026; 60 first-choice applicants in 2025.
- 256Y1 Wenaha Unit No. 2: 43 tags for 2026; 336 first-choice applicants in 2025.
- 256R1 Wenaha Unit Bow No. 2: 41 tags for 2026; 20 first-choice applicants in 2025.
- 256A Bartlett Bench: 22 tags for 2026; 31 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 black bear page cover?
What's the biggest 2026 black bear hunt here?
What was hunter success for black bear 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: 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