Unit 41 White River elk hunting: harvest, hunts and 2026 seasons
ODFW estimates hunters took 199 elk in the White River Unit (41) in 2025 (137 bulls and 63 antlerless) and counted 1,522 elk hunters there, across 10 general seasons and controlled hunts. ODFW's figures for 2021 to 2025 average 193 elk a year. The unit is 43.4% 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 forestBLMODFW landState forest and trust landOther public (city, county, parks, military)Unit 41Neighboring unitsLake, reservoir or riverHighway
| ODFW zone | Columbia |
|---|---|
| Size | 601,330 acres (940 square miles) |
| Public land | 43.4% (261,193 acres) |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 199 (137 bulls) |
| Elk hunters, 2025 | 1,522, 9,744 days |
| Elk per 100 hunters, 2025 | 13 |
| General seasons, 2026 | General archery |
| 2026 controlled hunts listed here | 7 |
| Towns in and near it | The Dalles, Maupin, Dufur and Hood River |
How many elk are harvested in Unit 41?
ODFW's elk harvest for the White River Unit by year: 199 in 2025, 205 in 2024 and 194 in 2023. 13 elk were taken for every 100 hunters in 2025.
| Year | Hunters | Days hunted | Elk harvested | Bulls | Antlerless | Elk per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,522 | 9,744 | 199 | 137 | 63 | 13 |
| 2024 | 1,619 | 11,060 | 205 | 113 | 91 | 13 |
| 2023 | 1,377 | 8,831 | 194 | 115 | 79 | 14 |
| 2022 | 1,517 | 9,792 | 187 | 122 | 65 | 12 |
| 2021 | 1,521 | 9,667 | 179 | 107 | 72 | 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 41 in 2025?
General season tags: 222 hunters, 33 elk. Controlled hunts: 9 rows in ODFW's table, 1,300 hunters, 166 elk. ODFW's own row for each, 2025:
| Hunt or season | Tag type | Hunters | Days | Harvested | ODFW success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 241Y White Rvr - Hood No. 2 | Any legal weapon, controlled | 723 | 3,896 | 64 | 9% |
| 241X White Rvr - Hood No. 1 | Any legal weapon, controlled | 310 | 1,209 | 47 | 15% |
| Eastern Elk Archery | Archery, general | 222 | 2,035 | 33 | 15% |
| 241C White Rvr Private | Any legal weapon, controlled | 181 | 2,137 | 50 | 28% |
| 241B White Rvr - Hood | Any legal weapon, controlled | 36 | 196 | 3 | 9% |
| 241A The Dalles Watershed | Any legal weapon, controlled | 27 | 112 | 2 | 9% |
| 241T White Rvr - Hood Youth | Any legal weapon, controlled | 20 | 135 | 0 | 0% |
| Eastern General Bow Elk w/ 216R2 | Archery, controlled | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Eastern General Bow Elk w/ 217R | Archery, controlled | 1 | 12 | 0 | 0% |
| Eastern General Bow Elk w/ 218R | Archery, controlled | 1 | 11 | 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 White River rows.
When is elk season in Unit 41 in 2026?
General seasons that cover the White River Unit in 2026:
- General archery elk, Aug. 29 - Sept. 27: one 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 241Y | White Rvr - Hood No. 2 | One bull elk | Nov. 7 - Nov. 15 | 1,210 | 336 of 336 |
| 241X | White Rvr - Hood No. 1 | One bull elk | Oct. 28 - Nov. 1 | 550 | 293 of 293 |
| 200R | Oregon Youth Bow | One elk | Aug. 29 - Sep. 27 | 330 | 129 of 129 |
| 241C | White Rvr Private | One antlerless elk | Aug. 1 - Dec. 31 | 231 | 227 of 244 |
| 241B | White Rvr - Hood | One antlerless elk | Nov. 21 - Nov. 29 | 55 | 54 of 255 |
| 241T | White Rvr - Hood Youth | One antlerless elk | Aug. 15 - Dec. 31 | 40 | 40 of 59 |
| 241A | The Dalles Watershed | One elk | Oct. 28 - Nov. 1 | 33 | 32 of 122 |
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 41?
43.4% of the White River Unit is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 261,193 of 601,330 acres. The largest share is national forest, 221,783 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of unit |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 221,783 | 36.9% |
| ODFW land | 29,366 | 4.9% |
| BLM | 8,968 | 1.5% |
| Other public (city, county, parks, military) | 5,749 | 1% |
| State forest and trust land | 1,076 | 0.2% |
ODFW wildlife area in the unit: White River (29,803 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 41?
Highways through the unit: I-84 (about 45 miles inside it), US 26 (about 32 miles inside it), US 30 (about 31 miles inside it), OR 35 (about 27 miles inside it) and OR 216 (about 24 miles inside it). Towns inside: The Dalles, Maupin, Dufur, Mosier and Pine Grove.
Which units border Unit 41?
The White River Unit touches 4 other units. Their public land and ODFW's latest elk figures, for comparison:
| Unit | Public land | Elk hunters | Elk harvested | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 16 Santiam | 62.6% | 2,766 | 303 | 2025 |
| Unit 40 Maupin | 9.3% | 93 | 40 | 2025 |
| Unit 42 Hood | 63.8% | 339 | 72 | 2025 |
| Unit 43 Biggs | 12.3% | 275 | 131 | 2025 |
Also for Unit 41: deer hunting.
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in Unit 41 without drawing a tag?
Yes. General archery elk (Aug. 29 - Sept. 27) is open in the White River Unit, bag limit one elk, by ODFW's 2026 regulations.
How many elk are taken in Unit 41 each year?
ODFW estimates 199 in 2025, 205 in 2024 and 194 in 2023, adding up its rows for the White River Unit across general and controlled elk tags.
How hard is it to draw hunt 241Y?
In ODFW's 2026 draw for hunt 241Y (White Rvr - Hood No. 2), every first-choice applicant drew (336 residents, 13 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 41?
The Dalles, Maupin and Dufur are inside the unit. Just outside: Hood River (on the line), Shaniko (15 miles) and Cascade Locks (16 miles).
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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