Unit 46 Murderers Creek pronghorn hunting: harvest, hunts and 2026 seasons
ODFW estimates hunters took 31 pronghorn in the Murderers Creek Unit (46) in 2025 (31 bucks and 0 does) and counted 48 pronghorn hunters there, across 1 hunt or season. ODFW's figures for 2020 to 2025 average 33 pronghorn a year. The unit is 68.1% public land, most of it national forest, 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 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) |
| Pronghorn harvested, 2025 | 31 (31 bucks) |
| Pronghorn hunters, 2025 | 48, 159 days |
| Pronghorn per 100 hunters, 2025 | 65 |
| Season type | Controlled hunts only |
| 2026 controlled hunts listed here | 1 |
| Towns in and near it | Canyon City, Seneca, Mount Vernon and John Day |
How many pronghorn are harvested in Unit 46?
ODFW's pronghorn harvest for the Murderers Creek Unit by year: 31 in 2025, 25 in 2024 and 32 in 2023. 65 pronghorn were taken for every 100 hunters in 2025.
| Year | Hunters | Days hunted | Pronghorn harvested | Bucks | Does | Pronghorn per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 48 | 159 | 31 | 31 | 0 | 65 |
| 2024 | 33 | 119 | 25 | 25 | 0 | 76 |
| 2023 | 45 | 156 | 32 | 32 | 0 | 71 |
| 2022 | 48 | 142 | 37 | 37 | 0 | 77 |
| 2021 | 47 | 157 | 34 | 34 | 0 | 72 |
| 2020 | 50 | 137 | 37 | 37 | 0 | 74 |
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 46 in 2025?
Controlled hunts: 1 row in ODFW's table, 48 hunters, 31 pronghorn. ODFW's own row for each, 2025:
| Hunt or season | Tag type | Hunters | Days | Harvested | ODFW success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 446 Murderers Cr Unit | Pronghorn, controlled | 48 | 159 | 31 | 64% |
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 Murderers Creek rows.
When is pronghorn season in Unit 46 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 446 | Murderers Cr Unit | One buck pronghorn | Aug. 15 - Aug. 23 | 55 | 54 of 705 |
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 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 pronghorn figures, for comparison:
| Unit | Public land | Pronghorn hunters | Pronghorn harvested | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 37 Ochoco | 54% | 66 | 26 | 2025 |
| Unit 47 Northside | 40.3% | 5 | 3 | 2025 |
| Unit 65 Beulah | 56.5% | 24 | 14 | 2025 |
| Unit 66 Malheur River | 67.7% | 215 | 146 | 2025 |
| Unit 72 Silvies | 66.9% | 117 | 55 | 2025 |
Also for Unit 46: elk hunting, deer hunting.
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt pronghorn in Unit 46 without drawing a tag?
No. In 2026 every pronghorn hunt in the Murderers Creek Unit is a controlled hunt drawn by ODFW. ODFW lists 1 controlled hunt for it in the 2026 regulations.
How many pronghorn are taken in Unit 46 each year?
ODFW estimates 31 in 2025, 25 in 2024 and 32 in 2023, adding up its rows for the Murderers Creek Unit across general and controlled pronghorn tags.
How hard is it to draw hunt 446?
In ODFW's 2026 draw for hunt 446 (Murderers Cr Unit), 54 of 705 residents who put it first drew; the fewest points a resident drew with in the preference phase was 12. 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).
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 (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 65 pronghorn Unit 66 pronghorn Unit 72 pronghorn