Unit 43 Biggs deer hunting: harvest, hunts and 2026 seasons
ODFW estimates hunters took 679 deer in the Biggs Unit (43) in 2025 (616 bucks and 60 antlerless) and counted 1,205 deer hunters there, across 6 general seasons and controlled hunts. ODFW's figures for 2021 to 2025 average 683 deer a year. The unit is 12.3% 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 park land (no hunting)BLMODFW landState forest and trust landOther public (city, county, parks, military)Unit 43Neighboring unitsLake, reservoir or riverHighway
| ODFW zone | Columbia |
|---|---|
| Size | 1,263,612 acres (1,974 square miles) |
| Public land | 12.3% (155,949 acres) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 679 (616 bucks) |
| Deer hunters, 2025 | 1,205, 4,239 days |
| Deer per 100 hunters, 2025 | 56 |
| General season | Controlled hunts only (by deer hunt area) |
| 2026 controlled hunts listed here | 13 |
| Towns in and near it | Rufus, Wasco, Condon and Fossil |
How many deer are harvested in Unit 43?
ODFW's deer harvest for the Biggs Unit by year: 679 in 2025, 630 in 2024 and 709 in 2023. 56 deer were taken for every 100 hunters in 2025.
| Year | Hunters | Days hunted | Deer harvested | Bucks | Antlerless | Deer per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,205 | 4,239 | 679 | 616 | 60 | 56 |
| 2024 | 1,324 | 4,601 | 630 | 567 | 63 | 48 |
| 2023 | 1,401 | 4,692 | 709 | 614 | 95 | 51 |
| 2022 | 1,428 | 5,003 | 665 | 578 | 87 | 47 |
| 2021 | 1,437 | 5,141 | 734 | 655 | 79 | 51 |
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 buck, archery, muzzleloader and antlerless summaries, general and controlled. A hunter counted on two tag types is counted twice. Per 100 hunters is worked out from ODFW's two figures.
Which deer hunts were used in Unit 43 in 2025?
Controlled hunts: 6 rows in ODFW's table, 1,205 hunters, 679 deer. ODFW's own row for each, 2025:
| Hunt or season | Tag type | Hunters | Days | Harvested | ODFW success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 143B W Biggs | Any legal weapon buck, controlled | 607 | 2,063 | 351 | 58% |
| 143A E Biggs | Any legal weapon buck, controlled | 494 | 1,858 | 259 | 52% |
| 643 Biggs Private | Antlerless, controlled | 67 | 159 | 46 | 68% |
| 144R Columbia Plateau Bow | Archery, controlled | 18 | 102 | 7 | 38% |
| 143C John Day Canyon | Any legal weapon buck, controlled | 15 | 53 | 13 | 85% |
| 640T Mid-Columbia Private Youth | Antlerless, controlled | 4 | 4 | 3 | 67% |
Source: ODFW's 2025 deer harvest summaries (ODFW harvest statistics (2025)). A hunt that spans several units is split by unit in ODFW's tables; these are the Biggs rows.
When is deer season in Unit 43 in 2026?
Starting in 2026, ODFW structures eastern Oregon deer hunts by deer hunt area, not by wildlife management unit, and every eastern buck deer hunt is a controlled hunt (pages 30-43).
Controlled deer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JK101 | Jackknife 01 | One buck with visible antler | Oct. 3 - Oct. 14 | 1,650 | 1,160 of 1,160 |
| MC101 | Mid-Columbia 01 | One buck with visible antler | Oct. 3 - Oct. 14 | 1,265 | 1,241 of 2,048 |
| MC101R | Mid-Columbia 01 Bow | One buck with visible antler | Aug. 29 - Sep. 27 | 385 | 131 of 131 |
| JK101R | Jackknife 01 Bow | One buck with visible antler | Aug. 29 - Sep. 27 | 220 | 10 of 10 |
| MC101-1 | Early Mid-Columbia 01 | One buck with visible antler | Sep. 12 - Sep. 20 | 55 | 54 of 227 |
| JK601T | Jackknife 01 Youth | One antlerless deer | Nov. 21 - Jan. 2, 2027 | 33 | 26 of 26 |
| MC101M | Mid-Columbia 01 Muzzleloader | One buck with visible antler | Oct. 17 - Oct. 25 | 22 | 21 of 71 |
| JK601 | Jackknife 01 Private | One antlerless deer | Oct. 17 - Oct. 25 | 22 | 22 of 182 |
| MC601 | The Dalles Orchard | One antlerless deer | Aug. 29 - Sep. 6 | 22 | 22 of 219 |
| MC601T | Mid Columbia 01 Youth | One antlerless deer | Nov. 21 - Jan. 2, 2027 | 11 | 10 of 60 |
| JK101-1 | Late Jackknife 01 | One buck with visible antler | Nov. 21 - Nov. 29 | 10 | 9 of 518 |
| MC101-2 | Late Mid-Columbia 01 | One buck with visible antler | Nov. 15 - Nov. 29 | 10 | 9 of 1,318 |
| MC101T | Mid-Columbia 01 Youth | One buck with visible antler | Nov. 14 - Nov. 25 | 7 | 6 of 285 |
Source: ODFW 2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations, pages 30 to 45; draw: ODFW's 2026 Preference Point Draw Reports. Hunts are matched to the unit by ODFW's own harvest rows and the 2026 deer hunt areas. Check ODFW before you go; seasons can change.
Which 2026 deer hunt areas cover Unit 43?
Starting in 2026, ODFW structures eastern Oregon deer hunts by deer hunt area, not by wildlife management unit, and every eastern buck deer hunt is a controlled hunt (pages 30-43). By ODFW's hunt area map, the Biggs Unit is split between 2 hunt areas. The 2026 buck hunts in each:
| Hunt area | Herd range | Share of Unit 43 | 2026 buck hunts (tags) |
|---|---|---|---|
| JK-01 | Jacknife | 85.1% | JK101 Jackknife 01 (1,650); JK101-1 Late Jackknife 01 (10); JK101R Jackknife 01 Bow (220) |
| MC-01 | Mid-Columbia | 14.9% | MC101 Mid-Columbia 01 (1,265); MC101-1 Early Mid-Columbia 01 (55); MC101-2 Late Mid-Columbia 01 (10); MC101R Mid-Columbia 01 Bow (385); MC101M Mid-Columbia 01 Muzzleloader (22); MC101T Mid-Columbia 01 Youth (7) |
Hunt area shares measured by FilledTag from ODFW eastern Oregon mule deer hunt areas (2026); hunts and tags from ODFW 2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations, pages 34 to 43. Harvest by hunt area starts with ODFW's 2026 report; the harvest above is by unit, 2021 to 2025.
How much public land is in Unit 43?
12.3% of the Biggs Unit is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 155,949 of 1,263,612 acres. The largest share is BLM, 146,020 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of unit |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 146,020 | 11.6% |
| ODFW land | 8,377 | 0.7% |
| Other public (city, county, parks, military) | 2,547 | 0.2% |
| State forest and trust land | 1,552 | 0.1% |
| National park land (no hunting) | 1,007 | 0.1% |
ODFW wildlife area in the unit: Lower Deschutes (18,696 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 43?
Highways through the unit: US 30 (about 100 miles inside it), I-84 (about 100 miles inside it), OR 206 (about 97 miles inside it), US 97 (about 73 miles inside it) and US 197 (about 20 miles inside it). Towns inside: Rufus, Wasco, Condon, Grass Valley and Shaniko.
Which units border Unit 43?
The Biggs Unit touches 5 other units. Their public land and ODFW's latest deer figures, for comparison:
| Unit | Public land | Deer hunters | Deer harvested | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 38 Grizzly | 27.1% | 1,027 | 333 | 2025 |
| Unit 40 Maupin | 9.3% | 298 | 124 | 2025 |
| Unit 41 White River | 43.4% | 1,160 | 527 | 2025 |
| Unit 44 Columbia Basin | 1.3% | 1,525 | 932 | 2025 |
| Unit 45 Fossil | 15.3% | 1,300 | 414 | 2025 |
Also for Unit 43: elk hunting, pronghorn hunting.
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt deer in Unit 43 without drawing a tag?
No. In 2026 every deer hunt in the Biggs Unit is a controlled hunt drawn by ODFW, now set by deer hunt area rather than unit. ODFW lists 13 controlled hunts for it in the 2026 regulations.
How many deer are taken in Unit 43 each year?
ODFW estimates 679 in 2025, 630 in 2024 and 709 in 2023, adding up its rows for the Biggs Unit across general and controlled deer tags.
What is the closest town to Unit 43?
Rufus, Wasco and Condon are inside the unit. Just outside: Fossil (on the line), Arlington (on the line) and Dufur (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.
Oregon hunting Columbia zone Unit 38 deer Unit 40 deer Unit 41 deer Unit 44 deer Unit 45 deer