Hunt 569B (North Catlow Rim)

The legal line in words

This hunt is made of parts of two units. In Unit 69, it covers the ground west of a line that begins at the junction of Hwy 205 and the South Steens Loop Road, runs east on the loop road to Blitzen Crossing and then follows the Blitzen River south. A piece of Unit 71 completes the hunt area, and the full description is on the ODFW hunt page.

Rim country and named buttes

The named points are Home Creek Butte, Jackass Butte, Jackass Mountain and Jack Mountain, from about fifty-five hundred to just under six thousand feet. Named elevations in the hunt run from the mid-forty-five hundreds up to about sixty-seven hundred feet.

That's sagebrush and rimrock, not forest. A rim is where sheep show up: they feed along the edge and escape down steep faces. Look at the rim line, the buttes and the draws that cut into the escarpment.

ODFW's forecast has nothing specific for this herd, so lean on the boundary and the map. Harney County is the only county listed.

The ground ODFW draws for this hunt

ODFW's boundary for this hunt covers about 309 square miles, 68% of it public land by ODFW's count. Named features inside the line fall in Harney County. Elevation runs from about 4,574 to 6,705 feet. The highest named points are Home Creek Butte (5,989 ft), Jackass Butte (5,594 ft) and Jackass Mountain (5,594 ft). ODFW's description reads: "68% public lands. Those parts of Units 69, and 71 as follows: That part of Unit 69 west of the following line: beginning at the junction State Hwy 205 and South Steens Loop Rd; east on Steens Loop Rd to Blitzen Crossing; south following the Blitzen Rvr t" 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.

Work the edge with optics

Park at a high point and scan the rim in the first light. Sheep feeding on the top of the rim can be spotted at long range, and they'll often drop out of sight over the edge when disturbed. Watch where they go.

A spotting scope is worth carrying even if it adds weight. It lets you check horns and body size from a distance and decide whether to stalk.

Use the early window with a plan

The hunt runs in late summer, so expect heat and dry ground. Animals use water and shade, and they move in the cool hours. Hunt the morning and evening, and rest during the heat of the day.

A stalk on a rim often means working along the edge or coming from below. Take your time and watch the wind, because rimrock sends air in odd directions. Don't push a shot beyond what you've practiced.

Roads out here can be rough. Bring spare tires, water and a way to call for help. If you take a ram, bone the meat, protect the cape and horns and cool the meat promptly. A partner makes the carry much easier. Because the rim is open, a downed animal is usually visible from a distance, which helps you plan the route in. Take that time to mark landmarks, because sagebrush benches all look alike when you're coming back with a loaded pack.

The 2026 tags and the 2025 result

From ODFW's 2026 regulations and its 2025 reported harvest. ODFW's nonresident tags are shared across a line of hunts, so check the regulations for those.

• 569B N Catlow Rim: Aug. 15 - Sep. 14, 2 resident tags; in 2025, 2 taken on 2 tags.

Roads in and the nearest towns

The longest named roads through this ground are Catlow Valley Road, OR 205, Skull Creek Road and BLM 8244. The nearest towns are Hines (58 mi) and Burns (60 mi), measured from the centre of the unit.