Unit 45 Fossil pronghorn hunting: harvest, hunts and 2026 seasons
ODFW estimates hunters took 6 pronghorn in the Fossil Unit (45) in 2025 (2 bucks and 4 does) and counted 18 pronghorn hunters there, across 2 general seasons and controlled hunts. ODFW's figures for 2020 to 2025 average 10 pronghorn a year. The unit is 15.3% public land, most of it BLM, by USGS PAD-US.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: ODFW, 2020 to 2025. Seasons and tags: ODFW's 2026 regulations and 2026 draw. Land: USGS PAD-US 4.1.
National park land (no hunting)National forestBLMState forest and trust landOther public (city, county, parks, military)Unit 45Neighboring unitsLake, reservoir or riverHighway
| ODFW zone | Northeast |
|---|---|
| Size | 902,553 acres (1,410 square miles) |
| Public land | 15.3% (137,858 acres) |
| Pronghorn harvested, 2025 | 6 (2 bucks) |
| Pronghorn hunters, 2025 | 18, 42 days |
| Pronghorn per 100 hunters, 2025 | 33 |
| Season type | Controlled hunts only |
| 2026 controlled hunts listed here | 2 |
| Towns in and near it | Mitchell, Lonerock, Fossil and Condon |
How many pronghorn are harvested in Unit 45?
ODFW's pronghorn harvest for the Fossil Unit by year: 6 in 2025, 12 in 2024 and 7 in 2023. 33 pronghorn were taken for every 100 hunters in 2025.
| Year | Hunters | Days hunted | Pronghorn harvested | Bucks | Does | Pronghorn per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 18 | 42 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 33 |
| 2024 | 26 | 77 | 12 | 4 | 8 | 46 |
| 2023 | 23 | 94 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 30 |
| 2022 | 20 | 43 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 55 |
| 2021 | 22 | 70 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 50 |
| 2020 | 27 | 77 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 56 |
Source: ODFW harvest statistics (2020 to 2025), from ODFW's mandatory harvest reporting. Each year adds up ODFW's rows for the unit across its pronghorn 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 pronghorn hunts were used in Unit 45 in 2025?
Controlled hunts: 2 rows in ODFW's table, 18 hunters, 6 pronghorn. ODFW's own row for each, 2025:
| Hunt or season | Tag type | Hunters | Days | Harvested | ODFW success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 445A Fossil Unit No. 1 | Pronghorn, controlled | 11 | 19 | 4 | 33% |
| 445B Fossil Unit No. 2 | Pronghorn, controlled | 7 | 23 | 2 | 25% |
Source: ODFW's 2025 pronghorn harvest summaries (ODFW harvest statistics (2025)). A hunt that spans several units is split by unit in ODFW's tables; these are the Fossil rows.
When is pronghorn season in Unit 45 in 2026?
Every Oregon pronghorn hunt is a controlled hunt drawn in ODFW's 400 series (pages 60-61).
Controlled pronghorn 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 445A | Fossil Unit No. 1 | One doe or fawn pronghorn | Oct. 17 - Oct. 25 | 28 | 27 of 40 |
| 445B | Fossil Unit No. 2 | One buck pronghorn | Oct. 17 - Oct. 25 | 11 | 11 of 80 |
Source: ODFW 2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations, pages 60 to 61; 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 45?
15.3% of the Fossil Unit is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 137,858 of 902,553 acres. The largest share is BLM, 103,873 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of unit |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 103,873 | 11.5% |
| National forest | 30,174 | 3.3% |
| State forest and trust land | 3,811 | 0.4% |
| National park land (no hunting) | 566 | 0.1% |
| Other public (city, county, parks, military) | 37 | 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 45?
Highways through the unit: US 26 (about 106 miles inside it), OR 19 (about 80 miles inside it), OR 207 (about 56 miles inside it), OR 206 (about 35 miles inside it) and OR 218 (about 12 miles inside it). Towns inside: Mitchell, Lonerock, Fossil and Spray.
Which units border Unit 45?
The Fossil Unit touches 6 other units. Their public land and ODFW's latest pronghorn figures, for comparison:
| Unit | Public land | Pronghorn hunters | Pronghorn harvested | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 37 Ochoco | 54% | 66 | 26 | 2025 |
| Unit 38 Grizzly | 27.1% | 4 | 3 | 2025 |
| Unit 43 Biggs | 12.3% | 19 | 12 | 2025 |
| Unit 44 Columbia Basin | 1.3% | 31 | 18 | 2025 |
| Unit 47 Northside | 40.3% | 5 | 3 | 2025 |
| Unit 48 Heppner | 34.1% | 5 | 1 | 2025 |
Also for Unit 45: elk hunting, deer hunting.
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt pronghorn in Unit 45 without drawing a tag?
No. In 2026 every pronghorn hunt in the Fossil Unit is a controlled hunt drawn by ODFW. ODFW lists 2 controlled hunts for it in the 2026 regulations.
How many pronghorn are taken in Unit 45 each year?
ODFW estimates 6 in 2025, 12 in 2024 and 7 in 2023, adding up its rows for the Fossil Unit across general and controlled pronghorn tags.
How hard is it to draw hunt 445A?
In ODFW's 2026 draw for hunt 445A (Fossil Unit No. 1), 27 of 40 residents who put it first drew; the fewest points a resident drew with in the preference phase was 1. 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 45?
Mitchell, Lonerock and Fossil are inside the unit. Just outside: Condon (on the line), Dayville (7 miles) and Heppner (9 miles).
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Where these numbers come from
- Harvest, hunters and days: ODFW harvest statistics (2020 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 Northeast zone Unit 37 pronghorn Unit 43 pronghorn Unit 44 pronghorn