Hunt 253M Catherine Cr Unit Muzzleloader: Oregon elk tags, draw and harvest
Oregon controlled hunt 253M, Catherine Cr Unit Muzzleloader, is one antlerless elk, Nov. 1 to Dec. 31, with 275 tags for 2026 (ODFW regulations, page 57). In ODFW's June 2026 draw, every first-choice applicant drew: 31 residents and 1 nonresident. ODFW estimates 103 hunters took 16 elk on this hunt in 2025, 16 for every 100 hunters.
Data updated October 2026. Tags and dates: ODFW's 2026 regulations. Draw: ODFW's 2026 Preference Point Draw Report. Harvest: ODFW, 2023 to 2025.
National forestBLMODFW landState forest and trust landBureau of ReclamationOther public (city, county, parks, military)Unit 53Lake, reservoir or riverHighway
The hunt's own boundary is ODFW's written description, regulations pages 94 to 101.| Bag limit | One antlerless elk |
|---|---|
| 2026 season | Nov. 1 - Dec. 31 |
| Weapon | Muzzleloader |
| 2026 tags | 275 |
| First-choice applicants, 2026 draw | 31 residents, 1 nonresidents |
| Drawn, 2026 | 32 (1 nonresident) |
| Harvested, 2025 | 16 by 103 hunters |
| Units | 53 Catherine Creek |
How hard is it to draw hunt 253M?
In 2026 every first-choice applicant drew hunt 253M: ODFW's report shows 31 residents and 1 nonresidents applying for 275 tags. In 2025: 57 resident first-choice applicants, 57 drew, for 165 tags.
| Points | First-choice applicants | Drew in the preference phase |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 1 | 6 | 6 |
| 0 | 24 | 0 |
| Points | First-choice applicants | Drew in the preference phase |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | 1 | 1 |
Source: ODFW 2026 Elk Preference Point Draw Report; ODFW 2025 Elk Preference Point Draw Report. The table is ODFW's preference point phase only; tags drawn at random (25%) are not printed by point level.
How many elk are taken on hunt 253M?
ODFW's estimates for hunt 253M, year by year: 16 from 103 hunters in 2025, 12 from 104 hunters in 2024 and 0 from 42 hunters in 2023.
| Year | Hunters | Days hunted | Elk harvested | Bulls | Antlerless | Per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 103 | 848 | 16 | 0 | 16 | 16 |
| 2024 | 104 | 792 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 12 |
| 2023 | 42 | 207 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: ODFW harvest statistics (2023 to 2025). Where a hunt covers several units ODFW prints a row for each; these are added up.
Which units does hunt 253M cover?
ODFW's 2025 rows put hunt 253M hunters in 1 unit:
| Unit | Hunters, 2025 | Elk harvested, 2025 | Public land in the unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 53 Catherine Creek | 103 | 16 | 24.2% |
Public land measured by FilledTag from USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land by manager, 2025) for the whole unit, not the hunt's own boundary.
Questions hunters ask
How many tags does hunt 253M have?
ODFW lists 275 tags for hunt 253M (Catherine Cr Unit Muzzleloader) in 2026, one antlerless elk, Nov. 1 - Dec. 31 (regulations page 57). ODFW's 2025 draw report lists 165 tags for 2025.
How many points do you need to draw hunt 253M?
None: in ODFW's 2026 draw every first-choice applicant drew hunt 253M.
What is the success rate on hunt 253M?
ODFW estimates 16 elk from 103 hunters on hunt 253M in 2025, 16 for every 100 hunters. In 2024: 12 from 104.
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Where these numbers come from
- Tags, season and bag limit: ODFW 2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations, page 57.
- Draw: ODFW 2026 and 2025 Preference Point Draw Reports.
- Harvest: ODFW harvest statistics (2020 to 2025).
- Public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land by manager, 2025).
FilledTag is not part of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Every figure is ODFW's or measured from public maps.