Unit 29 Evans Creek elk hunting: harvest, hunts and 2026 seasons
ODFW estimates hunters took 34 elk in the Evans Creek Unit (29) in 2025 (30 bulls and 5 antlerless) and counted 366 elk hunters there, across 12 general seasons and controlled hunts. ODFW's figures for 2021 to 2025 average 43 elk a year. The unit is 42.7% public land, most of it BLM, 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 forestBLMODFW landState forest and trust landOther public (city, county, parks, military)Unit 29Neighboring unitsLake, reservoir or riverHighway
| ODFW zone | Southwest |
|---|---|
| Size | 666,587 acres (1,042 square miles) |
| Public land | 42.7% (284,554 acres) |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 34 (30 bulls) |
| Elk hunters, 2025 | 366, 2,363 days |
| Elk per 100 hunters, 2025 | 9 |
| General seasons, 2026 | General archery and General West Cascade |
| 2026 controlled hunts listed here | 5 |
| Towns in and near it | Grants Pass, Shady Cove, Rogue River and Canyonville |
How many elk are harvested in Unit 29?
ODFW's elk harvest for the Evans Creek Unit by year: 34 in 2025, 42 in 2024 and 35 in 2023. 9 elk were taken for every 100 hunters in 2025.
| Year | Hunters | Days hunted | Elk harvested | Bulls | Antlerless | Elk per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 366 | 2,363 | 34 | 30 | 5 | 9 |
| 2024 | 411 | 2,339 | 42 | 24 | 14 | 10 |
| 2023 | 383 | 1,947 | 35 | 23 | 12 | 9 |
| 2022 | 456 | 2,425 | 58 | 43 | 15 | 13 |
| 2021 | 404 | 2,335 | 48 | 41 | 7 | 12 |
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 29 in 2025?
General season tags: 334 hunters, 31 elk. Controlled hunts: 10 rows in ODFW's table, 32 hunters, 3 elk. ODFW's own row for each, 2025:
| Hunt or season | Tag type | Hunters | Days | Harvested | ODFW success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Cascade | Any legal weapon, general | 229 | 908 | 16 | 7% |
| Western Elk Archery | Archery, general | 105 | 1,032 | 15 | 15% |
| 228A Applegate-Evans Cr | Any legal weapon, controlled | 16 | 342 | 3 | 20% |
| 200M Cascade Muzzleloader | Muzzleloader, controlled | 9 | 26 | 0 | 0% |
| 228T Applegate-Evans Cr Youth | Any legal weapon, controlled | 5 | 38 | 0 | 0% |
| 200R Oregon Youth Bow | Archery, controlled | 2 | 17 | 0 | 0% |
| 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% |
| Western General Bow Elk w/ 218R | Archery, controlled | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Western General Bow Elk w/ 219R | Archery, controlled | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
| Western General Bow Elk w/ 221R | 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 Evans Creek rows.
When is elk season in Unit 29 in 2026?
General seasons that cover the Evans Creek 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 |
| 228T | Applegate Unit Youth | One antlerless elk | Aug. 15 - Dec. 31 | 22 | 19 of 19 |
| 229 | Evans Cr Unit | One antlerless elk | Nov. 15 - Mar. 31, 2027 | 22 | 22 of 108 |
| 229T | Evans Cr Unit Youth | One antlerless elk | Aug. 15 - Dec. 31 | 11 | 7 of 7 |
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 29?
42.7% of the Evans Creek Unit is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 284,554 of 666,587 acres. The largest share is BLM, 225,584 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of unit |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 225,584 | 33.8% |
| National forest | 52,824 | 7.9% |
| State forest and trust land | 3,858 | 0.6% |
| ODFW land | 2,288 | 0.3% |
| Other public (city, county, parks, military) | 1,695 | 0.3% |
ODFW wildlife area in the unit: Ken Denman (2,090 acres here).
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 29?
Highways through the unit: I-5 (about 94 miles inside it), OR 99 (about 90 miles inside it), OR 227 (about 29 miles inside it), OR 62 (about 27 miles inside it) and OR 234 (about 18 miles inside it). Towns inside: Grants Pass, Shady Cove, Rogue River, Gold Hill and Wimer.
Which units border Unit 29?
The Evans Creek Unit touches 6 other units. Their public land and ODFW's latest elk figures, for comparison:
| Unit | Public land | Elk hunters | Elk harvested | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 22 Dixon | 74.6% | 961 | 108 | 2025 |
| Unit 23 Melrose | 15.4% | 613 | 164 | 2025 |
| Unit 26 Powers | 48.3% | 461 | 130 | 2025 |
| Unit 27 Chetco | 81.9% | 330 | 86 | 2025 |
| Unit 28 Applegate | 57% | 397 | 37 | 2025 |
| Unit 30 Rogue | 56.6% | 2,011 | 119 | 2025 |
Also for Unit 29: deer hunting.
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in Unit 29 without drawing a tag?
Yes. General archery elk (Aug. 29 - Sept. 27) is open in the Evans Creek 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 Evans Creek Unit, bag limit one bull elk, by ODFW's 2026 regulations.
How many elk are taken in Unit 29 each year?
ODFW estimates 34 in 2025, 42 in 2024 and 35 in 2023, adding up its rows for the Evans Creek Unit across general and controlled elk tags.
What is the closest town to Unit 29?
Grants Pass, Shady Cove and Rogue River are inside the unit. Just outside: Canyonville (on the line), Central Point (on the line) and Eagle Point (on the line).
Get an Oregon hunt plan when they open
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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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