Unit 31 Keno elk hunting: harvest, hunts and 2026 seasons
ODFW estimates hunters took 44 elk in the Keno Unit (31) in 2025 (32 bulls and 12 antlerless) and counted 562 elk hunters there, across 4 general seasons and controlled hunts. ODFW's figures for 2021 to 2025 average 38 elk a year. The unit is 41.6% 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 park land (no hunting)National wildlife refugeNational forestBLMODFW landState forest and trust landOther public (city, county, parks, military)Unit 31Neighboring unitsLake, reservoir or riverHighway
| ODFW zone | South Central |
|---|---|
| Size | 667,395 acres (1,043 square miles) |
| Public land | 41.6% (277,320 acres) |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 44 (32 bulls) |
| Elk hunters, 2025 | 562, 3,048 days |
| Elk per 100 hunters, 2025 | 8 |
| General seasons, 2026 | General archery |
| 2026 controlled hunts listed here | 3 |
| Towns in and near it | Keno, Running Y Ranch, Rocky Point and Klamath Falls |
How many elk are harvested in Unit 31?
ODFW's elk harvest for the Keno Unit by year: 44 in 2025, 43 in 2024 and 31 in 2023. 8 elk were taken for every 100 hunters in 2025.
| Year | Hunters | Days hunted | Elk harvested | Bulls | Antlerless | Elk per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 562 | 3,048 | 44 | 32 | 12 | 8 |
| 2024 | 626 | 3,423 | 43 | 31 | 10 | 7 |
| 2023 | 591 | 3,279 | 31 | 24 | 7 | 5 |
| 2022 | 642 | 3,380 | 43 | 35 | 8 | 7 |
| 2021 | 604 | 3,314 | 28 | 21 | 7 | 5 |
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 31 in 2025?
General season tags: 113 hunters, 15 elk. Controlled hunts: 3 rows in ODFW's table, 449 hunters, 29 elk. ODFW's own row for each, 2025:
| Hunt or season | Tag type | Hunters | Days | Harvested | ODFW success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 231X SE Cascades | Any legal weapon, controlled | 425 | 1,677 | 20 | 5% |
| Eastern Elk Archery | Archery, general | 113 | 1,048 | 15 | 13% |
| 231T Keno Unit Youth | Any legal weapon, controlled | 22 | 292 | 8 | 35% |
| 200R Oregon Youth Bow | Archery, controlled | 2 | 31 | 1 | 50% |
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 Keno rows.
When is elk season in Unit 31 in 2026?
General seasons that cover the Keno Unit in 2026:
- General archery elk, Aug. 29 - Sept. 27: one bull elk, page 47.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 231X | SE Cascades | One bull elk | Oct. 28 - Nov. 1 | 880 | 409 of 409 |
| 200R | Oregon Youth Bow | One elk | Aug. 29 - Sep. 27 | 330 | 129 of 129 |
| 231T | Keno Unit Youth | One antlerless elk | Aug. 15 - Dec. 31 | 26 | 25 of 79 |
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 31?
41.6% of the Keno Unit is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 277,320 of 667,395 acres. The largest share is national forest, 180,421 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of unit |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 180,421 | 27% |
| BLM | 58,143 | 8.7% |
| National wildlife refuge | 29,546 | 4.4% |
| State forest and trust land | 5,924 | 0.9% |
| ODFW land | 3,286 | 0.5% |
| Other public (city, county, parks, military) | 280 | under 0.1% |
| National park land (no hunting) | 3 | under 0.1% |
ODFW wildlife area in the unit: Klamath (3,573 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. Wildlife refuges set their own hunting rules.
How do you get to Unit 31?
Highways through the unit: OR 66 (about 61 miles inside it), OR 140 (about 33 miles inside it), US 97 (about 20 miles inside it) and OR 62 (about 15 miles inside it). Towns inside: Keno, Running Y Ranch, Rocky Point and Oregon Shores.
Which units border Unit 31?
The Keno Unit touches 3 other units. Their public land and ODFW's latest elk figures, for comparison:
| Unit | Public land | Elk hunters | Elk harvested | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 30 Rogue | 56.6% | 2,011 | 119 | 2025 |
| Unit 32 Klamath Falls | 35.3% | 66 | 4 | 2025 |
| Unit 33 Sprague | 73.9% | 219 | 5 | 2025 |
Also for Unit 31: deer hunting.
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in Unit 31 without drawing a tag?
Yes. General archery elk (Aug. 29 - Sept. 27) is open in the Keno Unit, bag limit one bull elk, by ODFW's 2026 regulations.
How many elk are taken in Unit 31 each year?
ODFW estimates 44 in 2025, 43 in 2024 and 31 in 2023, adding up its rows for the Keno Unit across general and controlled elk tags.
How hard is it to draw hunt 231X?
In ODFW's 2026 draw for hunt 231X (SE Cascades), every first-choice applicant drew (409 residents, 6 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 31?
Keno, Running Y Ranch and Rocky Point are inside the unit. Just outside: Klamath Falls (on the line), Chiloquin (2 miles) and Merrill (13 miles).
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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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