Unit 63 (Keating)
Oregon Hunting Guide — Elk
Keating is Baker and Union county elk ground from North Powder up to the Eagle Mountains, over half of it public. ODFW says the herd is growing, and the rifle hunt here is for antlerless elk.
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Elk Hunting in Unit 63
Keating is Baker and Union county elk ground from North Powder up to the Eagle Mountains, over half of it public. ODFW says the herd is growing, and the rifle hunt here is for antlerless elk.
Where to Find Elk in the Keating Unit: Medical Springs to the Eagle Mountains
From the valley floor to Red Mountain
ODFW's boundary starts at North Powder and follows the Powder River to Hwy 203, then runs to Medical Springs. It follows Big Creek Road and forest roads to Flagstaff Butte, goes north along the divide to Granite Butte, and follows the Eagle Mountains summit past Hawkins Pass, Jackson Peak, Krag Peak and Crater Lake to Red Mountain. Red Mountain reaches 9520 ft, Granite Mountain 9080 ft, and the named elevations start at 2075 ft.
A herd that keeps growing
ODFW's forecast says Baker County elk came out of the winter in good shape, with bull ratios at or near management objective and good calf ratios. Keating, Pine Creek and Lookout Mountain are all named as units where elk continue to grow. It also recommends hunters get as far from roads as possible, including in the cooperative travel management areas. On a unit this large, that's where the real opportunity is. Halfway, Richland, Baker City and North Powder are the nearest towns, and OR 86, I-84 and OR 203 frame the edges. Public land is a majority of the unit, and the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest and Vale BLM maps show where the lines fall.
The ground ODFW draws for this hunt
The Keating Unit, WMU 63, covers about 607 square miles measured on ODFW's polygon, and ODFW rates it 58% public land. Named features inside the line fall in Baker County and Union County. Elevation runs from about 2,075 to 9,520 feet. The highest named points are Red Mountain (9,520 ft), Granite Mountain (9,080 ft) and Needle Point (9,001 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 63 terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 2,586–7,675 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 4,281 ft ; peaks can run higher. That spread means you can hunt two seasons in one day — plan clothing for both ends.
- 607 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
- 71 tanks
- 2 springs
- 111 stream segments
- 14 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: Red Mountain (9,520 ft), Needle Point (9,001 ft), Cornucopia Peak (8,633 ft), Granite Cliff (8,138 ft)
Holding ground: Frazier Pass (7,492 ft), Stein Basin (7,079 ft), Taylor Green (5,888 ft), Rock Spring, Sufferin Smith 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 Keating Unit: forage, north slopes and quiet drainages
Elk Success Rates
Unit 63: 102 of 526 hunters, 19%. Figures are ODFW's own 2025 harvest statistics.
Elk Draw Odds
| Season | Tags | Applicants | Draw % | Pts Req |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 88 | 253 | 33.2% | 7 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 4 | 24 | 16.7% | 7 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (resident) | 248 | 512 | 46.1% | 12 |
| Rifle — Controlled bull/buck only (nonresident) | 12 | 29 | 34.5% | 12 |
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.
- 263 Keating Unit: 385 tags for 2026; 642 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: 607 square miles · accessed 2026-10-30
- Geographic Names Information System — named features inside the boundary — U.S. Geological Survey · supports: Red Mountain 9,520 ft, Granite Mountain 9,080 ft · accessed 2026-10-30