Unit 21 Indigo elk hunting: harvest, hunts and 2026 seasons
ODFW estimates hunters took 110 elk in the Indigo Unit (21) in 2025 (86 bulls and 25 antlerless) and counted 1,124 elk hunters there, across 16 general seasons and controlled hunts. ODFW's figures for 2021 to 2025 average 121 elk a year. The unit is 68.1% public land, most of it national forest, by USGS PAD-US.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: ODFW, 2021 to 2025. Seasons and tags: ODFW's 2026 regulations and 2026 draw. Land: USGS PAD-US 4.1.
National forestBLMState forest and trust landOther public (city, county, parks, military)Unit 21Neighboring unitsLake, reservoir or riverHighway
| ODFW zone | Southwest |
|---|---|
| Size | 1,243,183 acres (1,942 square miles) |
| Public land | 68.1% (847,017 acres) |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 110 (86 bulls) |
| Elk hunters, 2025 | 1,124, 6,323 days |
| Elk per 100 hunters, 2025 | 10 |
| General seasons, 2026 | General archery and General West Cascade |
| 2026 controlled hunts listed here | 7 |
| Towns in and near it | Dexter, Oakridge and Creswell |
How many elk are harvested in Unit 21?
ODFW's elk harvest for the Indigo Unit by year: 110 in 2025, 134 in 2024 and 106 in 2023. 10 elk were taken for every 100 hunters in 2025.
| Year | Hunters | Days hunted | Elk harvested | Bulls | Antlerless | Elk per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,124 | 6,323 | 110 | 86 | 25 | 10 |
| 2024 | 1,085 | 5,787 | 134 | 100 | 30 | 12 |
| 2023 | 1,328 | 7,687 | 106 | 85 | 21 | 8 |
| 2022 | 1,436 | 8,193 | 115 | 84 | 31 | 8 |
| 2021 | 1,660 | 8,877 | 140 | 106 | 34 | 8 |
Source: ODFW harvest statistics (2021 to 2025), from ODFW's mandatory harvest reporting. Each year adds up ODFW's rows for the unit across its any legal weapon, archery and muzzleloader summaries, general and controlled; damage tags are not in these totals. A hunter counted on two tag types is counted twice. Per 100 hunters is worked out from ODFW's two figures.
Which elk hunts were used in Unit 21 in 2025?
General season tags: 942 hunters, 86 elk. Controlled hunts: 14 rows in ODFW's table, 182 hunters, 24 elk. ODFW's own row for each, 2025:
| Hunt or season | Tag type | Hunters | Days | Harvested | ODFW success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Cascade | Any legal weapon, general | 699 | 2,928 | 57 | 8% |
| Western Elk Archery | Archery, general | 243 | 2,158 | 29 | 12% |
| 200M Cascade Muzzleloader | Muzzleloader, controlled | 79 | 366 | 1 | 2% |
| 221T1 Indigo Unit Youth | Any legal weapon, controlled | 17 | 167 | 5 | 31% |
| 221T2 Sutherlin Youth | Any legal weapon, controlled | 16 | 64 | 9 | 55% |
| 221A NW Indigo | Any legal weapon, controlled | 14 | 79 | 3 | 20% |
| 221E Mosby | Any legal weapon, controlled | 14 | 173 | 0 | 0% |
| 221D S Indigo Private Lands | Any legal weapon, controlled | 11 | 118 | 3 | 29% |
| 221R N Indigo Late Bow | Archery, controlled | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| 221C Harness Mtn | Any legal weapon, controlled | 9 | 81 | 0 | 0% |
| Western General Bow Elk w/ 221R | Archery, controlled | 8 | 147 | 1 | 14% |
| Western General Bow Elk w/ 219R | Archery, controlled | 2 | 29 | 1 | 50% |
| Western General Bow Elk w/ 218R | Archery, controlled | 1 | 12 | 1 | 100% |
| Western General Bow Elk w/ 216R1 | Archery, controlled | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Western General Bow Elk w/ 216R2 | Archery, controlled | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Western General Bow Elk w/ 217R | Archery, controlled | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
Source: ODFW's 2025 elk harvest summaries (ODFW harvest statistics (2025)). A hunt that spans several units is split by unit in ODFW's tables; these are the Indigo rows.
When is elk season in Unit 21 in 2026?
General seasons that cover the Indigo Unit in 2026:
- General archery elk, Aug. 29 - Sept. 27: one bull elk, except one elk outside of USFS lands, page 47.
- General West Cascade elk, Nov. 7 - Nov. 13: one bull elk, page 45.
Controlled elk hunts in ODFW's 2026 tables that include the unit, with ODFW's 2026 tags and its June 2026 draw (residents who drew, of residents who put the hunt first):
| Hunt | Name | Bag limit | 2026 season | 2026 tags | 2026 draw, residents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200M | Cascade Muzzleloader | One elk outside all USFS lands; one bull elk inside all USFS lands | Nov. 21 - Nov. 27 | 990 | 267 of 267 |
| 200R | Oregon Youth Bow | One elk | Aug. 29 - Sep. 27 | 330 | 129 of 129 |
| 221A | NW Indigo | One antlerless elk | Dec. 19 - Dec. 27 | 22 | 21 of 59 |
| 221C | Harness Mtn | One antlerless elk | Feb. 1 - Feb. 28, 2027 | 22 | |
| 221T2 | Sutherlin Youth | One antlerless elk | Jan. 1 - Jan. 31, 2027 | 22 | 7 of 7 |
| 221T1 | Indigo Unit Youth | One antlerless elk | Aug. 15 - Dec. 31 | 20 | 20 of 45 |
| 221D | S Indigo Private | One antlerless elk | Dec. 1 - Feb. 28, 2027 | 11 | 11 of 17 |
Source: ODFW 2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations, pages 45 to 58; draw: ODFW's 2026 Preference Point Draw Reports. Hunts are matched to the unit by ODFW's own harvest rows. Check ODFW before you go; seasons can change.
How much public land is in Unit 21?
68.1% of the Indigo Unit is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 847,017 of 1,243,183 acres. The largest share is national forest, 702,801 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of unit |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 702,801 | 56.5% |
| BLM | 144,139 | 11.6% |
| Other public (city, county, parks, military) | 788 | 0.1% |
| State forest and trust land | 77 | under 0.1% |
Measured by FilledTag inside ODFW's unit boundary from USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land by manager, 2025). Tribal and private land are not counted as public.
How do you get to Unit 21?
Highways through the unit: OR 58 (about 68 miles inside it), OR 138 (about 47 miles inside it), I-5 (about 31 miles inside it) and OR 222 (about 3 miles inside it). Towns inside: Dexter.
Which units border Unit 21?
The Indigo Unit touches 7 other units. Their public land and ODFW's latest elk figures, for comparison:
| Unit | Public land | Elk hunters | Elk harvested | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 19 McKenzie | 60.3% | 1,696 | 197 | 2025 |
| Unit 20 Siuslaw | 40.3% | 1,772 | 283 | 2025 |
| Unit 22 Dixon | 74.6% | 961 | 108 | 2025 |
| Unit 23 Melrose | 15.4% | 613 | 164 | 2025 |
| Unit 30 Rogue | 56.6% | 2,011 | 119 | 2025 |
| Unit 34 Upper Deschutes | 76% | 1,078 | 155 | 2025 |
| Unit 77 Fort Rock | 68% | 623 | 31 | 2025 |
Also for Unit 21: deer hunting.
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in Unit 21 without drawing a tag?
Yes. General archery elk (Aug. 29 - Sept. 27) is open in the Indigo Unit, bag limit one bull elk, except one elk outside of USFS lands; General West Cascade elk (Nov. 7 - Nov. 13) is open in the Indigo Unit, bag limit one bull elk, by ODFW's 2026 regulations.
How many elk are taken in Unit 21 each year?
ODFW estimates 110 in 2025, 134 in 2024 and 106 in 2023, adding up its rows for the Indigo Unit across general and controlled elk tags.
How hard is it to draw hunt 200M?
In ODFW's 2026 draw for hunt 200M (Cascade Muzzleloader), every first-choice applicant drew (267 residents, 4 nonresidents). ODFW gives 75% of the tags to the most preference points and draws 25% at random among first-choice applicants.
What is the closest town to Unit 21?
Dexter is inside the unit. Just outside: Oakridge (on the line), Creswell (on the line) and Cottage Grove (on the line).
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Where these numbers come from
- Harvest, hunters and days: ODFW harvest statistics (2021 to 2025).
- Seasons, hunts, tags and bag limits: ODFW 2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations. Draw: ODFW 2026 Preference Point Draw Reports.
- Public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land by manager, 2025). Unit boundary: ODFW Wildlife Management Units (Compass dataset).
- Highways, water and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 and the 2024 Gazetteer.
FilledTag is not part of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Numbers are copied from ODFW and USGS, or measured from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
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