Deer Hunt Area SE-02 (Southeast 02)

Between the Owyhee and the state line

The boundary starts where the Owyhee meets the Snake, runs south along the Idaho line, then returns by Jordan Valley, Hwy 78, Crowley Road, Dry Creek and the reservoir. Mahogany Mountain, Spring Mountain, Cedar Mountain, Saddle Butte and Quartz Mountain are the high points. Danner Loop Road and Crowley-Riverside Road are the named routes in. Adrian, Homedale and Marsing sit on the Idaho side.

Features ODFW points to

ODFW's southeast forecast says big ridges, mature sagebrush and secluded water sources remain productive places to find deer. It also says fires in the northern part of the district are starting to provide good forage, so burn scars and desert edges are worth checking. Harney County's forecast reports stable fawn ratios and buck ratios above objective, with deer numbers below objective. Slocum Creek Campground and Birch Creek Historic Ranch are named places to stay.

The reservoir and river edge make this a different kind of hunt from the ridge country above. Down low, deer have water close by. Up on Mahogany Mountain and Spring Mountain, they have to travel to it, which is why ridge glassing near a spring tends to pay.

The ground ODFW draws for this hunt

ODFW's Deer Hunt Area SE-02 covers about 2,308 square miles measured on ODFW's own polygon, and ODFW rates it 83% public land. It takes in parts of these WMUs: Owyhee (about 100%). Named features inside the line fall in Malheur County. Elevation runs from about 2,257 to 6,517 feet. The highest named points are Mahogany Mountain (6,517 ft), Spring Mountain (6,003 ft) and Cedar Mountain (5,570 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.

Hunt the cool hours

ODFW recommends early mornings and late evenings, when deer move in cooler air. Climb to a ridge before first light, glass the sagebrush flats below and watch the water. Mid-day, rest and plan.

Slocum Creek Campground or the Jordan Craters area can serve as bases, and towns like Jordan Valley sit close.

Dry-summer cautions

ODFW says the region has been hot and dry. Tall grass can burn under a hot exhaust, so choose your parking spot with care. Some fire closures remain, so check the Oregon Department of Forestry and BLM. Keep a pack plan for a deer on a big ridge, and don't count on getting a truck near it. A lone hunter should cape the head first, bone out the meat and carry it in two loads rather than one heavy one. Bow hunters have their own hunt here.

Use the reservoir canyons as landmarks, and give yourself daylight to walk out. A fast-falling sun in a sagebrush basin makes a long walk longer.

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.

• SE102 Southeast 02, Oct. 3 - Oct. 14: 245 tags, one buck with visible antler.
• SE102R Southeast 02 Bow: 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.

• Owyhee (about 100% of this area): 412 hunters, 262 animals, 64% success over 1,828 hunter days.

Roads in and the nearest towns

The longest named roads through this ground are US 95, OR 78, Rinehart Ranch Road and Crowley Road. The nearest towns are Jordan Valley (28 mi), Homedale (39 mi) and Marsing (41 mi), measured from the centre of the unit.