Unit 46 Murderers Creek deer hunting: harvest, hunts and 2026 seasons
ODFW estimates hunters took 414 deer in the Murderers Creek Unit (46) in 2025 (413 bucks and 1 antlerless) and counted 994 deer hunters there, across 3 general seasons and controlled hunts. ODFW's figures for 2021 to 2025 average 518 deer a year. The unit is 68.1% 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 landOther public (city, county, parks, military)Unit 46Neighboring unitsLake, reservoir or riverHighway
| ODFW zone | Northeast |
|---|---|
| Size | 736,112 acres (1,150 square miles) |
| Public land | 68.1% (500,933 acres) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 414 (413 bucks) |
| Deer hunters, 2025 | 994, 6,398 days |
| Deer per 100 hunters, 2025 | 42 |
| General season | Controlled hunts only (by deer hunt area) |
| 2026 controlled hunts listed here | 3 |
| Towns in and near it | Canyon City, Seneca, Mount Vernon and John Day |
How many deer are harvested in Unit 46?
ODFW's deer harvest for the Murderers Creek Unit by year: 414 in 2025, 559 in 2024 and 506 in 2023. 42 deer were taken for every 100 hunters in 2025.
| Year | Hunters | Days hunted | Deer harvested | Bucks | Antlerless | Deer per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 994 | 6,398 | 414 | 413 | 1 | 42 |
| 2024 | 1,255 | 7,370 | 559 | 552 | 8 | 45 |
| 2023 | 1,343 | 8,524 | 506 | 499 | 7 | 38 |
| 2022 | 1,168 | 6,883 | 507 | 505 | 2 | 43 |
| 2021 | 1,279 | 7,588 | 603 | 603 | 0 | 47 |
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 46 in 2025?
Controlled hunts: 3 rows in ODFW's table, 994 hunters, 414 deer. ODFW's own row for each, 2025:
| Hunt or season | Tag type | Hunters | Days | Harvested | ODFW success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 146 Murderers Cr Unit | Any legal weapon buck, controlled | 619 | 3,155 | 337 | 54% |
| 146R1 Murderers Cr Unit Bow | Archery, controlled | 371 | 3,230 | 75 | 20% |
| 146R2 Grant Co Whitetail Bow | Archery, controlled | 4 | 13 | 2 | 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 Murderers Creek rows.
When is deer season in Unit 46 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AD101 | Aldrich 01 | One buck with visible antler | Oct. 3 - Oct. 14 | 1,100 | 1,045 of 4,681 |
| AD101R | Aldrich 01 Bow | One buck with visible antler | Aug. 29 - Sep. 27 | 624 | 327 of 328 |
| AD101R1 | Late Aldrich 01 Bow Whitetail | One white-tailed deer | Nov. 14 - Nov. 28 | 21 | 20 of 33 |
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 46?
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, all of the Murderers Creek Unit lies in hunt area AD-01 (Aldrich herd range). The 2026 buck hunts in each:
| Hunt area | Herd range | Share of Unit 46 | 2026 buck hunts (tags) |
|---|---|---|---|
| AD-01 | Aldrich | 100% | AD101 Aldrich 01 (1,100); AD101R Aldrich 01 Bow (624); AD101R1 Late Aldrich 01 Bow Whitetail (21) |
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 46?
68.1% of the Murderers Creek Unit is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 500,933 of 736,112 acres. The largest share is national forest, 436,075 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of unit |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 436,075 | 59.2% |
| BLM | 42,357 | 5.8% |
| ODFW land | 22,501 | 3.1% |
| Other public (city, county, parks, military) | 44 | under 0.1% |
ODFW wildlife area in the unit: Phillip W. Schneider (46,779 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 46?
Highways through the unit: US 26 (about 84 miles inside it) and US 395 (about 38 miles inside it). Towns inside: Canyon City, Seneca and Mount Vernon.
Which units border Unit 46?
The Murderers Creek 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 37 Ochoco | 54% | 1,664 | 350 | 2025 |
| Unit 47 Northside | 40.3% | 1,055 | 297 | 2025 |
| Unit 65 Beulah | 56.5% | 1,675 | 795 | 2025 |
| Unit 66 Malheur River | 67.7% | 1,327 | 490 | 2025 |
| Unit 72 Silvies | 66.9% | 1,209 | 463 | 2025 |
Also for Unit 46: elk hunting, pronghorn hunting.
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt deer in Unit 46 without drawing a tag?
No. In 2026 every deer hunt in the Murderers Creek Unit is a controlled hunt drawn by ODFW, now set by deer hunt area rather than unit. ODFW lists 3 controlled hunts for it in the 2026 regulations.
How many deer are taken in Unit 46 each year?
ODFW estimates 414 in 2025, 559 in 2024 and 506 in 2023, adding up its rows for the Murderers Creek Unit across general and controlled deer tags.
What is the closest town to Unit 46?
Canyon City, Seneca and Mount Vernon are inside the unit. Just outside: John Day (on the line), Prairie City (on the line) and Dayville (on the line).
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.
Oregon hunting Northeast zone Unit 37 deer Unit 47 deer Unit 65 deer Unit 66 deer Unit 72 deer