Deer Hunt Area FX-03 (Fox 03)
Oregon Hunting Guide — Deer (Buck), Deer (Antlerless)
Fox 03 combines the Fossil and Heppner units, running from Mitchell and Spray north into the Umatilla National Forest edge. Black Mountain tops out at 5930 ft, and ODFW says the 2024 fires scattered the deer.
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Deer (Buck) Hunting in Unit FX-03
Fox 03 combines the Fossil and Heppner units, running from Mitchell and Spray north into the Umatilla National Forest edge. Black Mountain tops out at 5930 ft, and ODFW says the 2024 fires scattered the deer.
Where to Find Bucks in the Fox 03 Hunt Area: the Wheeler burn, the Heppner side and the river breaks
Two units, half and half
This area splits nearly evenly between the Fossil and Heppner units. ODFW starts in Mitchell, follows Highway 26 to Highway 19, then runs the North Fork John Day River and Camas Creek to Highway 395. From there it follows FR 53 and the Umatilla National Forest boundary to Kinzua Road, then Highway 19 and Highway 207 back to Mitchell. Black Mountain, Baldy, Arbuckle Mountain, Bald Mountain and Kelly Mountain are the named points.
After the 2024 fires
ODFW's forecast says Fossil unit public land hunters have historically done better in the Wheeler burn, but the 2024 wildfires scattered deer more widely. It suggests Fossil hunters look elsewhere this fall. It also notes that public land hunters can use the Heppner Regulated Hunt Area, which shrank last year, so confirm the current boundary. Across the Fox, North Blues and Northeast herd ranges, ODFW says buck ratios are above objective. Spray, Fossil, Monument and Ukiah are the nearest towns. The John Day River and Camas Creek form part of the edge, and OR 19 and OR 207 are the highways that tie the area together. Less than half of it is public, so know which side of the fence you're standing on.
The ground ODFW draws for this hunt
ODFW's Deer Hunt Area FX-03 covers about 1,224 square miles measured on ODFW's own polygon, and ODFW rates it 46% public land. It takes in parts of these WMUs: Fossil (about 51%) and Heppner (about 49%). Named features inside the line fall in Wheeler County, Grant County, Morrow County and Umatilla County. Elevation runs from about 1,686 to 5,930 feet. The highest named points are Black Mountain (5,930 ft), Baldy (5,892 ft) and Arbuckle Mountain (5,846 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 FX-03 terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 2,574–4,910 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 3,997 ft ; peaks can run higher.
- 1,223.6 sq mi inside the boundary. Big enough that picking one drainage beats driving three.
Who owns the ground
- National Forest — 60%
- BLM — 15%
- State Trust — 8%
- Private / Other — 17%
Roughly 83% is public. Carry a land-status layer anyway — these are area percentages, not a map of where the boundaries fall.
Water on the ground
- 18 tanks
- 16 springs
- 489 stream segments
- 17 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: Black Mountain (5,930 ft), Arbuckle Mountain (5,846 ft), Bald Mountain (5,773 ft), Madison Butte (5,690 ft)
Holding ground: Kelly Prairie (5,062 ft), Kenny Prairie (5,053 ft), The Notch (4,752 ft), Mud Spring, Hidden 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 Bucks in the Fox 03 Hunt Area: cover ground, then slow down where you find sign
A scattered herd needs miles
When deer spread out after fire, the winning move is mobility early and patience late. Drive and glass the open ridges off OR 207, OR 19 and NF 25, then park and walk where you see tracks and fresh droppings. Check the Heppner boundary on the current ODFW map before you commit to a drainage.
Four seasons to choose from
The rifle, bow, muzzleloader and late hunts all take a buck with visible antler. The late hunt falls nearer the rut, which helps a hunter who has found a buck and wants to catch him chasing. Spray and Fossil are the closest services. ODFW also notes cougars are being seen in the Heppner district, and bears are rare, so carry a tag if you want the option. A deer taken on a steep canyon wall should be quartered and packed out in loads.
ODFW's 2026 buck deer hunts on this ground
Seasons, bag limits and tags come from ODFW's 2026 regulations. Check the current book before you apply or go, because these change every year.
- FX103 Fox 03, Oct. 3 - Oct. 14: 1,980 tags, one buck with visible antler.
- FX103R Fox 03 Bow, Aug. 29 - Sep. 27: 770 tags, one buck with visible antler.
- FX103M Fox 03 Muzzleloader, Nov. 16 - Nov. 30: 242 tags, one buck with visible antler.
- FX103-1 Late Fox 03, Nov. 21 - Nov. 29: 11 tags, one buck with visible antler.
The 2025 harvest in ODFW's numbers
ODFW has no harvest figures on the new hunt areas yet. Its 2025 statistics are by WMU, for all deer hunters, every season and tag type, so these are the units this area was drawn from, and each covers more or less ground than the area does.
- Fossil (about 51% of this area): 1,120 hunters, 361 animals, 32% success over 4,922 hunter days.
- Heppner (about 49% of this area): 1,669 hunters, 401 animals, 24% success over 8,311 hunter days.
Roads in and the nearest towns
The longest named roads through this ground are NF 21, US 26, OR 207 and OR 19. The nearest towns are Spray (9 mi), Monument (11 mi) and Long Creek (28 mi), measured from the centre of the unit.
Getting in and staying out: unit FX-03
Named routes and what they need
- NF 21 — 32.7 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
- US 26 — 28.1 mi · Paved (all rigs)
- OR 207 — 25.4 mi · Paved (all rigs)
- OR 19 — 20.6 mi · Paved (all rigs)
- NF 53 — 16.6 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
- North Fork John Day River Road — 10.5 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
Ratings come from road data, not from a drive this season. Check current conditions with the managing office before you commit a trailer.
Nearest services
- Spray — 9.2 mi · fuel, lodging
- Monument — 10.7 mi · groceries, lodging
- Long Creek — 27.8 mi · fuel, groceries
- Dayville — 28.9 mi · fuel
- Fossil — 30.2 mi · fuel, groceries
Developed camps
- Lone Pine Campground
- Big Bend Recreation Site
- Camp Rabbanah
- Coalmine Hill Campground
- Muleshoe Recreation Site
Season weather and signal
- Jan44° / 25° · 1.2" precip
- Aug93° / 51° · 0.5" precip
- Sep83° / 44° · 0.5" precip
- Oct67° / 35° · 1.2" precip
- Nov53° / 29° · 1.4" precip
- Dec43° / 25° · 1.4" precip
Best signal is Verizon at about 26% of the unit. Plan on being out of contact and tell someone your route.
Oregon rules that decide your day
Summarised from ODFW regulations. They change — read the current regulations and your permit-tag before you hunt.
Legal shooting hours
Big game may be taken from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset.
Motorized retrieval
Oregon has no general off-road retrieval allowance; several travel-management areas close roads during hunting season.
Tagging
Validate the tag and attach it to the carcass before leaving the kill site.
Leaving meat
Wasting edible meat is illegal.
Where you may not shoot
- Occupied structures — No shooting from or across a public road, and no shooting within range of an occupied dwelling without permission.
Deer (Buck): where to put the shot
Broadside or quartering away, on the back edge of the front leg about a third of the way up the body.
Shots to refuse
- Nothing behind or overlapping the animal you picked.
- Your maximum range is the farthest you have shot a three-shot group into a paper plate from the rest you are carrying.
- Pass the shot you are talking yourself into.
Plan the carry: roughly 40– 120 lb of boned-out meat, before head and hide — two large coolers. ProHunt planning estimate, not an agency figure.
Deer (Buck) Success Rates
Unit 45: 361 of 1,120 hunters, 32%; Unit 48: 401 of 1,669 hunters, 24%. Figures are ODFW's own 2025 harvest statistics, by WMU, because the new hunt areas have no history yet.
Deer (Buck) Draw Odds
Draw odds data not available for this specific unit/species combination in our database.
Search Oregon Draw OddsODFW's eastern deer hunts carry new numbers from 2026, so the regulations list them as NEW, with no applicant history to quote. Treat any older WMU draw figures as a different hunt.
Unit Logistics & Expectations
Planning Notes
Camp Sites
Developed campgrounds: Lone Pine Campground, Big Bend Recreation Site, Camp Rabbanah, Coalmine Hill Campground.
Road Conditions
NF 21, US 26 and OR 207 are the longest named roads.
Terrain Difficulty
Named features run from 1,686 to 5,930 ft. More than 4,000 feet of relief, so plan the pack-out before the shot.
Weather
Season normals: Sep 83/44°F, 0.5 in.; Oct 67/35°F, 1.2 in.; Nov 53/29°F, 1.4 in.; Dec 43/25°F, 1.4 in..
Nearest Town
Spray (9 mi), Monument (11 mi), Long Creek (28 mi)
Permit Notes
Check ODFW's 2026 regulations for hunt boundaries, seasons and tag rules before you go.
Frequently Asked Questions
What ground does this Oregon buck deer page cover?
What's the biggest 2026 buck deer hunt here?
What was hunter success for buck deer here in 2025?
What ground does this Oregon antlerless deer page cover?
What's the biggest 2026 antlerless deer hunt here?
What was hunter success for antlerless deer 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
- Fox Hunt Area FX-03 — Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife · supports: Boundary description, Public-land share · 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
- 2026 Eastern Oregon Deer Hunt Areas (ArcGIS) — Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife · supports: 1,224 square miles · accessed 2026-10-30
- Geographic Names Information System — named features inside the boundary — U.S. Geological Survey · supports: Black Mountain 5,930 ft, Baldy 5,892 ft · accessed 2026-10-30