Unit 34 Upper Deschutes elk hunting: harvest, hunts and 2026 seasons
ODFW estimates hunters took 155 elk in the Upper Deschutes Unit (34) in 2025 (92 bulls and 61 antlerless) and counted 1,078 elk hunters there, across 9 general seasons and controlled hunts. ODFW's figures for 2021 to 2025 average 125 elk a year. The unit is 76% 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 landBureau of ReclamationOther public (city, county, parks, military)Unit 34Neighboring unitsLake, reservoir or riverHighway
| ODFW zone | Central |
|---|---|
| Size | 897,616 acres (1,403 square miles) |
| Public land | 76% (681,795 acres) |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 155 (92 bulls) |
| Elk hunters, 2025 | 1,078, 6,380 days |
| Elk per 100 hunters, 2025 | 14 |
| General seasons, 2026 | General archery |
| 2026 controlled hunts listed here | 6 |
| Towns in and near it | Bend, Redmond, Eagle Crest and Sisters |
How many elk are harvested in Unit 34?
ODFW's elk harvest for the Upper Deschutes Unit by year: 155 in 2025, 112 in 2024 and 110 in 2023. 14 elk were taken for every 100 hunters in 2025.
| Year | Hunters | Days hunted | Elk harvested | Bulls | Antlerless | Elk per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,078 | 6,380 | 155 | 92 | 61 | 14 |
| 2024 | 1,224 | 7,787 | 112 | 62 | 48 | 9 |
| 2023 | 1,361 | 8,854 | 110 | 72 | 38 | 8 |
| 2022 | 1,356 | 8,294 | 104 | 68 | 36 | 8 |
| 2021 | 1,429 | 9,209 | 145 | 91 | 54 | 10 |
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 34 in 2025?
General season tags: 215 hunters, 26 elk. Controlled hunts: 8 rows in ODFW's table, 863 hunters, 129 elk. ODFW's own row for each, 2025:
| Hunt or season | Tag type | Hunters | Days | Harvested | ODFW success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 234X E Central Cascades | Any legal weapon, controlled | 594 | 2,345 | 64 | 11% |
| Eastern Elk Archery | Archery, general | 215 | 2,159 | 26 | 12% |
| 234M E Cascade Muzzleloader | Muzzleloader, controlled | 128 | 728 | 35 | 27% |
| 234R Upper Deschutes Unit Bow | Archery, controlled | 59 | 493 | 4 | 8% |
| 234B Tumalo | Any legal weapon, controlled | 35 | 248 | 4 | 11% |
| 234T E Cascade Youth | Any legal weapon, controlled | 33 | 249 | 20 | 59% |
| Eastern General Bow Elk w/ 218R | Archery, controlled | 8 | 107 | 1 | 14% |
| 200R Oregon Youth Bow | Archery, controlled | 4 | 28 | 0 | 0% |
| Eastern General Bow Elk w/ 219R | Archery, controlled | 2 | 23 | 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 Upper Deschutes rows.
When is elk season in Unit 34 in 2026?
General seasons that cover the Upper Deschutes 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 234X | E Central Cascades | One bull elk | Oct. 28 - Nov. 1 | 1,320 | 1,183 of 1,183 |
| 200R | Oregon Youth Bow | One elk | Aug. 29 - Sep. 27 | 330 | 129 of 129 |
| 234M | E Cascade Muzzleloader | One elk | Nov. 7 - Nov. 15 | 198 | 191 of 399 |
| 234R | Upper Deschutes Unit Bow | One elk | Aug. 29 - Sep. 27 | 121 | 121 of 158 |
| 234T | E Central Cascades Youth | One antlerless elk | Aug. 15 - Dec. 31 | 55 | 53 of 142 |
| 234B | Tumalo | One antlerless elk | Nov. 20 - Dec. 31 | 22 | 21 of 134 |
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 34?
76% of the Upper Deschutes Unit is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 681,795 of 897,616 acres. The largest share is national forest, 636,341 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of unit |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 636,341 | 70.9% |
| BLM | 43,872 | 4.9% |
| Other public (city, county, parks, military) | 2,902 | 0.3% |
| State forest and trust land | 1,580 | 0.2% |
| Bureau of Reclamation | 2 | 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 34?
Highways through the unit: US 20 (about 37 miles inside it), US 97 (about 28 miles inside it), OR 372 (about 21 miles inside it), OR 126 (about 16 miles inside it) and OR 58 (about 6 miles inside it). Towns inside: Bend, Redmond, Eagle Crest, Sunriver and Three Rivers.
Which units border Unit 34?
The Upper Deschutes 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 19 McKenzie | 60.3% | 1,696 | 197 | 2025 |
| Unit 21 Indigo | 68.1% | 1,124 | 110 | 2025 |
| Unit 35 Paulina | 76.5% | 511 | 52 | 2025 |
| Unit 38 Grizzly | 27.1% | 1,316 | 211 | 2025 |
| Unit 39 Metolius | 66.3% | 422 | 71 | 2025 |
| Unit 77 Fort Rock | 68% | 623 | 31 | 2025 |
Also for Unit 34: deer hunting.
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in Unit 34 without drawing a tag?
Yes. General archery elk (Aug. 29 - Sept. 27) is open in the Upper Deschutes Unit, bag limit one bull elk, by ODFW's 2026 regulations.
How many elk are taken in Unit 34 each year?
ODFW estimates 155 in 2025, 112 in 2024 and 110 in 2023, adding up its rows for the Upper Deschutes Unit across general and controlled elk tags.
How hard is it to draw hunt 234X?
In ODFW's 2026 draw for hunt 234X (E Central Cascades), every first-choice applicant drew (1,183 residents, 23 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 34?
Bend, Redmond and Eagle Crest are inside the unit. Just outside: Sisters (on the line), La Pine (on the line) and Prineville (16 miles).
Get an Oregon hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Oregon are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Oregon included.
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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