Unit 57 (Sled Springs)
Oregon Hunting Guide — Elk, Bear
Sled Springs is the Wallowa and Union County block north of Highway 82, running from Wallowa to Elgin and up to the Washington line. Only a small share is public land, and ODFW says elk are stable but recruitment is low from two years of drought.
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Elk Hunting in Unit 57
Sled Springs is the Wallowa and Union County block north of Highway 82, running from Wallowa to Elgin and up to the Washington line. Only a small share is public land, and ODFW says elk are stable but recruitment is low from two years of drought.
Where to Find Elk in the Sled Springs Unit: Elk Mountain and the Chesnimnus side
Wallowa to Joseph Creek
The boundary runs west from Wallowa on Highway 82 to Elgin, northeast along the Grande Ronde River to the state line, and east to Joseph Creek. It follows Joseph Creek southwest to Chesnimnus Creek, then southeast to Crow Creek Road and south to Highway 82. Elk Mountain tops out at 5127 feet, with Wayne Butte, Roberts Butte, Akers Butte and Wood Butte all above 4400. The low ground sits around 1485.
Small pieces of public ground
ODFW's hunt descriptions point to tiny public parcels. One covers ground around Day Ridge Road, Shamrock Creek and Courtney Creek. Another lies south and east of a line from Enterprise through Swamp Creek Lane, Elk Mountain Road and Beaver Creek Road. Most of the elk here are on private ranches. The forecast says elk numbers are stable in all the district's units, though drought has held recruitment down for the past two years. Wallowa, Elgin and Enterprise are the towns named in ODFW's description. The map sheets run to Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Vale BLM and ODF, which tells you the public ground is scattered. Buy a landowner map before you go, and don't trust a gate to tell you who owns the ground behind it.
The ground ODFW draws for this hunt
The Sled Springs Unit, WMU 57, covers about 882 square miles measured on ODFW's polygon, and ODFW rates it 21% public land. Named features inside the line fall in Wallowa County and Union County. Elevation runs from about 1,485 to 5,127 feet. The highest named points are Elk Mountain (5,127 ft), Wayne Butte (4,890 ft) and Roberts Butte (4,603 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 57 terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 2,453–4,573 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 3,747 ft ; peaks can run higher.
- 882.3 sq mi inside the boundary. Big enough that picking one drainage beats driving three.
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
- 46 tanks
- 1 springs
- 248 stream segments
- 18 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: Wayne Butte (4,890 ft), Starvation Ridge (4,869 ft), Miller Ridge (4,846 ft), Hidden Ridge (4,699 ft)
Holding ground: Gould Gulch (3,678 ft), Simmons Draw (3,600 ft), Nells Canyon (3,362 ft), Ferguson Spring, Summit 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 Sled Springs Unit: ask first, use springs early and follow them down
Elk Success Rates
Unit 57: 241 of 889 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) | 15 | 20 | 75.0% | 4 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 83 | 92 | 85.9% | 4 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 4 | 7 | 57.1% | 4 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 55 | 300 | 17.7% | 5 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 3 | 14 | 14.3% | 5 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 215 | 808 | 25.4% | 20 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 11 | 66 | 15.2% | 20 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 165 | 50 | 100.0% | 3 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 8 | 6 | 100.0% | 3 |
| Rifle — Controlled either sex (resident) | 10 | 36 | 27.8% | 7 |
| Rifle — Controlled either sex (nonresident) | 1 | 4 | 0.0% | 7 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 550 | 1,334 | 39.2% | 11 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 28 | 92 | 29.3% | 11 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 440 | 90 | 100.0% | 4 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 22 | 9 | 100.0% | 4 |
Data from 2023 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.
- 258A2 Zumwalt No. 2: 550 tags for 2026; 148 first-choice applicants in 2025.
- 257R1 Sled Springs Unit Bow No. 2: 216 tags for 2026; 3,862 first-choice applicants in 2025.
- 257C Sled Springs Unit: 83 tags for 2026; 99 first-choice applicants in 2025.
- 257Y Sled Springs Unit No. 2: 55 tags for 2026; 1,426 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: 882 square miles · accessed 2026-10-30
- Geographic Names Information System — named features inside the boundary — U.S. Geological Survey · supports: Elk Mountain 5,127 ft, Wayne Butte 4,890 ft · accessed 2026-10-30