Unit 46 Murderers Creek elk hunting: harvest, hunts and 2026 seasons
ODFW estimates hunters took 328 elk in the Murderers Creek Unit (46) in 2025 (217 bulls and 103 antlerless) and counted 1,942 elk hunters there, across 9 general seasons and controlled hunts. ODFW's figures for 2021 to 2025 average 354 elk 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) |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 328 (217 bulls) |
| Elk hunters, 2025 | 1,942, 12,553 days |
| Elk per 100 hunters, 2025 | 17 |
| General season | Controlled hunts only |
| 2026 controlled hunts listed here | 9 |
| Towns in and near it | Canyon City, Seneca, Mount Vernon and John Day |
How many elk are harvested in Unit 46?
ODFW's elk harvest for the Murderers Creek Unit by year: 328 in 2025, 349 in 2024 and 329 in 2023. 17 elk were taken for every 100 hunters in 2025.
| Year | Hunters | Days hunted | Elk harvested | Bulls | Antlerless | Elk per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,942 | 12,553 | 328 | 217 | 103 | 17 |
| 2024 | 2,070 | 13,433 | 349 | 192 | 154 | 17 |
| 2023 | 2,282 | 15,707 | 329 | 195 | 134 | 14 |
| 2022 | 2,361 | 16,307 | 384 | 218 | 166 | 16 |
| 2021 | 2,769 | 20,024 | 381 | 231 | 150 | 14 |
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 46 in 2025?
Controlled hunts: 9 rows in ODFW's table, 1,942 hunters, 328 elk. ODFW's own row for each, 2025:
| Hunt or season | Tag type | Hunters | Days | Harvested | ODFW success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 246R Murderers Cr Unit Bow | Archery, controlled | 660 | 5,405 | 88 | 13% |
| 246A W Murderers Cr | Any legal weapon, controlled | 392 | 2,304 | 82 | 21% |
| 246X Murderers Cr Unit | Any legal weapon, controlled | 317 | 1,267 | 73 | 23% |
| 246 Murderers Cr Unit | Any legal weapon, controlled | 228 | 1,232 | 21 | 9% |
| 246B E Murderers Cr | Any legal weapon, controlled | 171 | 951 | 26 | 15% |
| 246C Murderers Cr Private Lands Plus | Any legal weapon, controlled | 97 | 886 | 25 | 25% |
| 265M E Grant Muzzleloader | Muzzleloader, controlled | 58 | 309 | 10 | 17% |
| 246T Murderers Cr - Northside Youth | Any legal weapon, controlled | 17 | 156 | 3 | 17% |
| 200R Oregon Youth Bow | Archery, controlled | 2 | 43 | 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 Murderers Creek rows.
When is elk season in Unit 46 in 2026?
Every elk hunt here is a controlled hunt in 2026.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 246R | Murderers Cr Unit Bow | One elk | Aug. 29 - Sep. 27 | 930 | 286 of 292 |
| 246A | W Murderers Cr | One elk | Nov. 7 - Nov. 15 | 468 | 445 of 1,299 |
| 246X | Murderers Cr Unit | One bull elk | Oct. 28 - Nov. 1 | 413 | 393 of 962 |
| 246 | Murderers Cr Unit | One antlerless elk | Nov. 21 - Nov. 29 | 385 | 366 of 413 |
| 200R | Oregon Youth Bow | One elk | Aug. 29 - Sep. 27 | 330 | 129 of 129 |
| 246B | E Murderers Cr | One elk | Nov. 7 - Nov. 15 | 248 | 236 of 463 |
| 246C | Murderers Cr Private Plus | One antlerless elk | Aug. 1 - Dec. 31 | 193 | 78 of 78 |
| 265M | E Grant Muzzleloader | One elk | Oct. 17 - Oct. 25 | 193 | 182 of 182 |
| 246T | Murderers Cr - Northside Youth | One antlerless elk | Aug. 15 - Dec. 31 | 50 | 48 of 88 |
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 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 elk figures, for comparison:
| Unit | Public land | Elk hunters | Elk harvested | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 37 Ochoco | 54% | 1,038 | 253 | 2025 |
| Unit 47 Northside | 40.3% | 2,374 | 466 | 2025 |
| Unit 65 Beulah | 56.5% | 1,940 | 383 | 2025 |
| Unit 66 Malheur River | 67.7% | 1,598 | 266 | 2025 |
| Unit 72 Silvies | 66.9% | 1,474 | 177 | 2025 |
Also for Unit 46: deer hunting, pronghorn hunting.
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in Unit 46 without drawing a tag?
No. In 2026 every elk hunt in the Murderers Creek Unit is a controlled hunt drawn by ODFW. ODFW lists 9 controlled hunts for it in the 2026 regulations.
How many elk are taken in Unit 46 each year?
ODFW estimates 328 in 2025, 349 in 2024 and 329 in 2023, adding up its rows for the Murderers Creek Unit across general and controlled elk tags.
How hard is it to draw hunt 246R?
In ODFW's 2026 draw for hunt 246R (Murderers Cr Unit Bow), 286 of 292 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 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).
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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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