Hunt 953 (South Wallowa Mountains)
Oregon Hunting Guide — Mountain Goat
South Wallowa Mountains is a once-in-a-lifetime style mountain goat hunt across parts of Baker, Union and Wallowa counties. ODFW publishes no polygon, and the named summits reach 9809 ft at Matterhorn.
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Mountain Goat Hunting in Unit 953
South Wallowa Mountains is a once-in-a-lifetime style mountain goat hunt across parts of Baker, Union and Wallowa counties. ODFW publishes no polygon, and the named summits reach 9809 ft at Matterhorn.
Where to Find Mountain Goat in the South Wallowa Mountains: Matterhorn and the high peaks
The legal line is in the wording
ODFW doesn't draw a boundary for this goat hunt, and it covers only part of the mapped units. The legal line is whatever the hunt description in ODFW's regulations says, so read it closely and map it before you plan a trip. A goat outside the line isn't legal. For a draw this rare, don't rely on a guess about where the boundary runs.
Named summits above nine thousand feet
The named high points are Matterhorn at 9809 ft, Sacajawea Peak at 9807 ft, Point Joseph and Chief Joseph Mountain at 9614 ft each, and Twin Peaks at 9609 ft. The named elevation range runs from 1811 ft to those summits, a vertical spread that covers three counties. Baker, Union and Wallowa counties all touch this ground. Because the legal line isn't a mapped polygon, confirm it with ODFW's regulations or the local district office before you commit to a trailhead. Mark the Matterhorn and Sacajawea Peak area on your map as reference points, then check the line against them.
The ground ODFW draws for this hunt
ODFW publishes no boundary polygon for its goat hunts, so the map shows the whole of Units 53, 60, 62 and 63, about 2,221 square miles. The legal hunt area is smaller than that outline. Go by ODFW's written description, not the shaded map. Named features inside the line fall in Baker County, Union County and Wallowa County. The highest named points are Matterhorn (9,809 ft), Sacajawea Peak (9,807 ft) and Point Joseph (9,614 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.
ODFW's 2026 regulations: Units 53, 62, 63 and that portion of unit 60 that falls south of the following line. Beginning at Meads Flat Trailhead; southeast on Minam Rvr trail (1673) to Ivan Carper trail (1671); east on Ivan Carper trail (1671) to Lakes Basin trail (1810); east on Lakes Basin trail (1810) to Moccasin trail (1810A); east on Moccasin trail (1810A) to Glacier Lake trail (1806); southeast on Glacier Lake trail (1806) to junction with West Fork Wallowa trail (1820).
Unit 953 terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
Named features inside the unit
Glass from: Matterhorn (9,809 ft), Hurwal Divide (9,765 ft), Point Joseph (9,614 ft), Twin Peaks (9,609 ft)
Holding ground: Glacier Pass (8,464 ft), Sand Pass (8,008 ft), Granite Meadow (7,890 ft), Clay Spring, Lucky 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 Mountain Goat in the South Wallowa Mountains: optics, patience and a safe carry
Mountain Goat Success Rates
953A S Wallowa Mtn: 2 taken on 2 tags. Figures are ODFW's own 2025 harvest statistics.
Mountain Goat Draw Odds
| Season | Tags | Applicants | Draw % | Pts Req |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery — Controlled either sex (resident) | 1 | 1,032 | 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 mountain goat page cover?
When is the 2026 mountain goat 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: 2,221 square miles · accessed 2026-10-30
- Geographic Names Information System — named features inside the boundary — U.S. Geological Survey · supports: Matterhorn 9,809 ft, Sacajawea Peak 9,807 ft · accessed 2026-10-30