Deer Hunt Area KB-01 (Klamath Basin 01)

The Interstate unit

This area is the whole Interstate unit. ODFW's boundary starts at Bly, follows Highway 140 to Beatty, runs along the Sprague and Sycan rivers to Pikes Crossing, then follows forest roads NF 30, NF 28 and NF 29 to Highway 31 and Valley Falls. It returns by US 395, the state line, Lost River and Gerber Road. Gearhart Mountain, Cougar Peak, Slide Mountain, Grizzly Peak and Bald Butte are the named high points. Just over half the ground is public.

What ODFW expects

The forecast says KB-01 is above buck ratio objective and hunter success should be higher than average. ODFW says wildfires in KB-01 between 2018 and 2021 improved habitat and deer are responding. County-wide, fall surveys found 54 fawns per 100 does, better than recent years. Expect average to slightly above-average yearling bucks, with older bucks for hunters who have more patience. The roads that matter are OR 31, Willow Valley Road and forest roads NF 28, NF 30 and NFD 3752, which lead into the Gearhart country and the burned slopes around it.

The ground ODFW draws for this hunt

ODFW's Deer Hunt Area KB-01 covers about 2,192 square miles measured on ODFW's own polygon, and ODFW rates it 56% public land. It takes in parts of these WMUs: Interstate (about 100%). Named features inside the line fall in Lake County and Klamath County. Elevation runs from about 4,226 to 8,356 feet. The highest named points are Gearhart Mountain (8,356 ft), Cougar Peak (7,912 ft) and Slide Mountain (7,763 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.

Look for feed next to cover

ODFW's advice is to concentrate on areas with healthy understory or thinned stands that offer forage close to cover, especially in hot, dry weather. Old burns that have greened up fit that description. Use forest roads like NF 28, NFD 3752 and NF 30 to reach them, then walk away from the roads.

Hot, dry and watching fire rules

The forecast calls fire danger extreme, and says deer will be more nocturnal without rain and will stay within a few miles of water, even using dried seasonal creeks. Glass at first and last light, and sit water if you can't find fresh sign. Check Forest Service and BLM fire restrictions, because campfire limits likely stay in place. Gerber South and North campgrounds, Horse Glade Trailhead and Cottonwood Complex Campground are listed camps. Lakeview, Paisley, Valley Falls and Bonanza are the closest towns. The bow season is long, rifle is short, and a youth hunt runs in between. Plan to pack out on steep ground.

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.

• KB101 Klamath Basin 01, Oct. 3 - Oct. 14: 990 tags, one buck with visible antler.
• KB101R Klamath Basin 01 Bow, Aug. 29 - Sep. 27: 259 tags, one buck with visible antler.
• KB101T Klamath Basin 01 Youth, Sep. 28 - Oct. 14: 28 tags, one buck with visible antler.
• KB101M Klamath Basin 01 Muzzleloader: see ODFW's table in the 2026 regulations for the season and tag count.

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.

• Interstate (about 100% of this area): 771 hunters, 519 animals, 67% success over 3,476 hunter days.

Roads in and the nearest towns

The longest named roads through this ground are National Forest Development Road 3752, NF 28, Willow Valley Road and NF 30. The nearest towns are Lakeview (25 mi), Paisley (26 mi) and Valley Falls (27 mi), measured from the centre of the unit.