Deer Hunt Area NB-02 (North Blues 02)
Oregon Hunting Guide — Deer (Buck), Deer (Antlerless)
North Blues 02 is a large block of Columbia Basin, Heppner and Fossil ground with almost no public land. It's a rifle buck hunt on private property, so permission and a long drive matter more than a map of public blocks.
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Deer (Buck) Hunting in Unit NB-02
North Blues 02 is a large block of Columbia Basin, Heppner and Fossil ground with almost no public land. It's a rifle buck hunt on private property, so permission and a long drive matter more than a map of public blocks.
Where to Find Bucks in the North Blues 02 Hunt Area: private ranches from Heppner to Hermiston
No public acres
This area is private land from edge to edge. It mostly draws from the Columbia Basin unit, with smaller parts from Heppner and Fossil. ODFW's boundary begins in Pendleton, runs south on US 395 to FR 53, follows the Umatilla National Forest boundary to Kinzua Road, then goes along Highway 19, McNab and Baseline roads, Highway 74 and Highway 207 back to I-84. Opal Butte, Camas Butte, Rettie Butte, Barlow Butte and Battle Mountain are the named high points.
What the forecast says
ODFW expects mule deer numbers similar to last year. Poor spring rain and a dry summer mean poor forage and water, so deer are highly scattered, and hunters will need to cover ground. For Umatilla County's herds, buck ratios in North Blues are above objective, though mule deer are steady to slightly decreasing. ODFW also says cougars are being spotted in the Heppner district. None of the area is public, so you won't find a block to fall back on if a landowner says no. Spray, Echo, Stanfield and Hermiston are the nearest towns, and OR 74, OR 206, OR 207, OR 19 and US 395 are the roads that cross it.
The ground ODFW draws for this hunt
ODFW's Deer Hunt Area NB-02 covers about 2,211 square miles measured on ODFW's own polygon, and ODFW rates it 0% public land. It takes in parts of these WMUs: Columbia Basin (about 55%), Heppner (about 25%) and Fossil (about 20%). Named features inside the line fall in Morrow County, Gilliam County, Umatilla County and Wheeler County. Elevation runs from about 642 to 5,072 feet. The highest named points are Opal Butte (5,020 ft), Camas Butte (4,649 ft) and Rettie Butte (4,578 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 NB-02 terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 1,041–4,908 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 2,678 ft ; peaks can run higher.
- 2,211.1 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
- 55 tanks
- 7 springs
- 678 stream segments
- 6 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: Little Round Butte (4,331 ft), Summerfield Ridge (5,072 ft), Opal Butte (5,020 ft), Oxhead Ridge (4,894 ft)
Holding ground: Lee Prairie (4,543 ft), Lava Flat (4,440 ft), Heppner City Well, Big Cat 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 North Blues 02 Hunt Area: knock on doors, then glass the draws
Access comes first
You can't hunt a map, so work the phone. Ask landowners along OR 207, OR 19, US 395, OR 74 and OR 206, and offer clear terms for gates, roads and numbers. A written note with your name and phone helps. Ask what deer use which fields and draws, and when.
Hunting scattered deer
The forecast says to expect scattered deer, so glass wide terrain at first light and look for water, fresh green and feed edges. Public land hunters, ODFW notes, can use the Heppner Regulated Hunt Area, but this tag is for private parcels. Check that you're inside this hunt area and not a neighbor's. Spray, Echo, Stanfield and Hermiston are the nearest services, and RV parks serve the Columbia Basin side. Pack for a long day, and when you shoot, make sure you know the next property line. Carry a tag for a bear or cougar only if you hold one, as ODFW says bears are rare and cougars are around.
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.
- NB102 North Blues 02, Oct. 3 - Oct. 14: 2,420 tags, one buck with visible antler.
- NB102R North Blues 02 Bow, Aug. 29 - Sep. 27: 83 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.
- Columbia basin (about 55% of this area): 1,339 hunters, 817 animals, 61% success over 4,466 hunter days.
- Heppner (about 25% of this area): 1,669 hunters, 401 animals, 24% success over 8,311 hunter days.
- Fossil (about 20% of this area): 1,120 hunters, 361 animals, 32% success over 4,922 hunter days.
Roads in and the nearest towns
The longest named roads through this ground are OR 207, OR 19, US 395 and NF 21. The nearest towns are Heppner (1 mi), Lexington (10 mi) and Ione (18 mi), measured from the centre of the unit.
Getting in and staying out: unit NB-02
Named routes and what they need
- OR 207 — 31.6 mi · Paved (all rigs)
- OR 19 — 28.3 mi · Paved (all rigs)
- US 395 — 28.2 mi · Paved (all rigs)
- NF 21 — 20.9 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
- CR 1425 — 20.4 mi · Graded gravel (2WD / small trailer)
- CR 678 — 17.5 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
- Heppner — 1.2 mi · no services listed
- Lexington — 9.7 mi · fuel
- Ione — 17.5 mi · no services listed
- Echo — 31.2 mi · fuel, groceries
- Ukiah — 32.8 mi · fuel
Developed camps
- Morrow County OHV Park
- RV Park
- Unnamed camp site
- Unnamed camp site
- Willow Creek Campground
Season weather and signal
- Jan44° / 28° · 1.3" precip
- Aug86° / 55° · 0.3" precip
- Sep77° / 48° · 0.4" precip
- Oct64° / 39° · 1.2" precip
- Nov51° / 32° · 1.4" precip
- Dec42° / 27° · 1.3" 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 44: 817 of 1,339 hunters, 61%; Unit 48: 401 of 1,669 hunters, 24%; Unit 45: 361 of 1,120 hunters, 32%. 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: Morrow County OHV Park, RV Park, Willow Creek Campground, Heppner Ranger District.
Road Conditions
OR 207, OR 19 and US 395 are the longest named roads.
Terrain Difficulty
Named features run from 642 to 5,072 ft. More than 4,000 feet of relief, so plan the pack-out before the shot.
Weather
Season normals: Sep 77/48°F, 0.4 in.; Oct 64/39°F, 1.2 in.; Nov 51/32°F, 1.4 in.; Dec 42/27°F, 1.3 in..
Nearest Town
Heppner (1 mi), Lexington (10 mi), Ione (18 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
- North Blues Hunt Area NB-02 — 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: 2,211 square miles · accessed 2026-10-30
- Geographic Names Information System — named features inside the boundary — U.S. Geological Survey · supports: Opal Butte 5,020 ft, Camas Butte 4,649 ft · accessed 2026-10-30