Deer Hunt Area SH-02 (Sage Hen 02)

From Burns to the forest line

The boundary leaves Burns on US 20, runs up US 395 and west on FR 3140 to the Silvies River, then follows Emigrant Creek and forest roads FR 47, FR 43, FR 41 and FR 45 west. It follows Silver Creek and Nicoll Creek to the Malheur National Forest boundary, and returns by Bulger Creek and Hwy 20. Dry Mountain, Donnelly Butte, Green Butte and Bald Butte are the high points. Seneca and Dayville sit well off to the north.

Burns that still hold feed

ODFW says not to overlook recent fires where standing vegetation remains. A little early-fall moisture sprouted green growth in parts of the Second Flat fire, and deer are likely to forage there. Buck ratio is above objective, though deer numbers are below it. The mild winter helped fawn survival in the Sagehen herd range, which includes this ground. Chickahominy Reservoir has the only named campground.

The forest roads along the boundary, such as FR 47, FR 43 and NF 31, lead into the higher ground. The lower ground sits nearer US 20 and US 395. Choose your elevation before you choose a road, since deer will follow forage and water as they shift.

The ground ODFW draws for this hunt

ODFW's Deer Hunt Area SH-02 covers about 838 square miles measured on ODFW's own polygon, and ODFW rates it 73% public land. It takes in parts of these WMUs: Silvies (about 100%). Named features inside the line fall in Harney County. Elevation runs from about 4,181 to 6,277 feet. The highest named points are Dry Mountain (6,277 ft), Donnelly Butte (6,028 ft) and Green Butte (5,972 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.

Know the closure first

ODFW says a small part of SH-02 on Forest Service land is closed, but a large amount of huntable ground is open. For details, check the Malheur National Forest website or call the Emigrant Creek Ranger District in Hines. Do it before you leave, since closures can shift.

Then pick your ground. Roads like NF 31 and Price-Twelvemile Road reach different parts of the unit.

Sit where green meets cover

Deer in this area gather around water and edge habitat, ODFW says, so glass green regrowth on the burn edges and the cover next to it. Early morning and late afternoon are the best times, when it's cooler. Fresh sprouts draw deer out of cover, but mostly in the cooler hours. Muzzleloader, bow and youth hunts run too, so choose the one that fits you and your ground. Park on bare ground, since a hot exhaust can start a grass fire.

Carry a map of the forest boundary and the closure, so you know where you can and can't hunt.

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.

• SH102 Sage Hen 02, Oct. 3 - Oct. 14: 248 tags, one buck with visible antler.
• SH102T Sage Hen 02 Youth, Sep. 28 - Oct. 14: 22 tags, one buck with visible antler.
• SH102M Sage Hen 02 Muzzleloader: see ODFW's table in the 2026 regulations for the season and tag count.
• SH102R Sage Hen 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.

• Silvies (about 100% of this area): 739 hunters, 351 animals, 47% success over 3,522 hunter days.

Roads in and the nearest towns

The longest named roads through this ground are NF 47, US 20;US 395, US 395 and BLM 7241. The nearest towns are Hines (18 mi), Burns (18 mi) and Seneca (37 mi), measured from the centre of the unit.