Unit 47 Northside elk hunting: harvest, hunts and 2026 seasons
ODFW estimates hunters took 466 elk in the Northside Unit (47) in 2025 (261 bulls and 203 antlerless) and counted 2,374 elk hunters there, across 11 general seasons and controlled hunts. ODFW's figures for 2021 to 2025 average 580 elk a year. The unit is 40.3% 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 park land (no hunting)National forestBLMState forest and trust landOther public (city, county, parks, military)Unit 47Neighboring unitsLake, reservoir or riverHighway
| ODFW zone | Northeast |
|---|---|
| Size | 714,178 acres (1,116 square miles) |
| Public land | 40.3% (287,640 acres) |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 466 (261 bulls) |
| Elk hunters, 2025 | 2,374, 14,962 days |
| Elk per 100 hunters, 2025 | 20 |
| General season | Controlled hunts only |
| 2026 controlled hunts listed here | 11 |
| Towns in and near it | John Day, Dayville and Long Creek |
How many elk are harvested in Unit 47?
ODFW's elk harvest for the Northside Unit by year: 466 in 2025, 595 in 2024 and 499 in 2023. 20 elk were taken for every 100 hunters in 2025.
| Year | Hunters | Days hunted | Elk harvested | Bulls | Antlerless | Elk per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,374 | 14,962 | 466 | 261 | 203 | 20 |
| 2024 | 2,513 | 15,707 | 595 | 304 | 290 | 24 |
| 2023 | 2,589 | 17,338 | 499 | 247 | 252 | 19 |
| 2022 | 3,000 | 20,277 | 738 | 313 | 425 | 25 |
| 2021 | 2,859 | 19,506 | 604 | 315 | 289 | 21 |
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 47 in 2025?
Controlled hunts: 11 rows in ODFW's table, 2,374 hunters, 466 elk. ODFW's own row for each, 2025:
| Hunt or season | Tag type | Hunters | Days | Harvested | ODFW success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 247R Northside Unit Bow | Archery, controlled | 768 | 6,114 | 123 | 16% |
| 247C E Northside | Any legal weapon, controlled | 320 | 1,902 | 61 | 19% |
| 247X Northside Unit | Any legal weapon, controlled | 273 | 1,141 | 40 | 15% |
| 247D1 Northside - Ritter Private No.1 | Any legal weapon, controlled | 267 | 2,011 | 61 | 23% |
| 247 Northside Unit | Any legal weapon, controlled | 223 | 1,141 | 25 | 11% |
| 247B W Northside | Any legal weapon, controlled | 217 | 1,193 | 54 | 25% |
| 247A2 Northside Private No. 2 | Any legal weapon, controlled | 143 | 673 | 41 | 28% |
| 247A1 Northside Private No. 1 | Any legal weapon, controlled | 100 | 376 | 43 | 43% |
| 247D2 Northside - Ritter Private No.2 | Any legal weapon, controlled | 42 | 267 | 15 | 36% |
| 246T Murderers Cr - Northside Youth | Any legal weapon, controlled | 16 | 111 | 3 | 18% |
| 200R Oregon Youth Bow | Archery, controlled | 5 | 33 | 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 Northside rows.
When is elk season in Unit 47 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 247R | Northside Unit Bow | One elk | Aug. 29 - Sep. 27 | 1,055 | 305 of 309 |
| 247D1 | Northside - Ritter Private No. 1 | One antlerless elk | Aug. 1 - Dec. 31 | 660 | 239 of 239 |
| 247C | E Northside | One elk | Nov. 7 - Nov. 15 | 440 | 418 of 1,051 |
| 247X | Northside Unit | One bull elk | Oct. 28 - Nov. 1 | 413 | 393 of 755 |
| 247 | Northside Unit | One antlerless elk | Nov. 21- Nov. 29 | 330 | 314 of 372 |
| 200R | Oregon Youth Bow | One elk | Aug. 29 - Sep. 27 | 330 | 129 of 129 |
| 247B | W Northside | One elk | Nov. 7 - Nov. 15 | 303 | 288 of 377 |
| 247D2 | Northside - Ritter Private No. 2 | One antlerless elk | Jan. 1 - Mar. 31, 2027 | 165 | 44 of 44 |
| 247A1 | Northside Private No. 1 | One elk | Oct. 28 - Nov. 1 | 165 | 51 of 51 |
| 247A2 | Northside Private No. 2 | One elk | Nov. 7 - Nov. 15 | 165 | 58 of 58 |
| 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 47?
40.3% of the Northside Unit is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 287,640 of 714,178 acres. The largest share is national forest, 236,745 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of unit |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 236,745 | 33.1% |
| BLM | 48,749 | 6.8% |
| National park land (no hunting) | 2,543 | 0.4% |
| State forest and trust land | 2,146 | 0.3% |
| Other public (city, county, parks, military) | 136 | 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 47?
Highways through the unit: US 395 (about 67 miles inside it), US 26 (about 39 miles inside it), OR 402 (about 21 miles inside it) and OR 19 (about 11 miles inside it). Towns inside: John Day and Dayville.
Which units border Unit 47?
The Northside Unit touches 7 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 45 Fossil | 15.3% | 1,227 | 351 | 2025 |
| Unit 46 Murderers Creek | 68.1% | 1,942 | 328 | 2025 |
| Unit 48 Heppner | 34.1% | 3,939 | 708 | 2025 |
| Unit 50 Desolation | 86.4% | 2,128 | 283 | 2025 |
| Unit 51 Sumpter | 45.4% | 1,847 | 367 | 2025 |
| Unit 65 Beulah | 56.5% | 1,940 | 383 | 2025 |
Also for Unit 47: deer hunting.
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in Unit 47 without drawing a tag?
No. In 2026 every elk hunt in the Northside Unit is a controlled hunt drawn by ODFW. ODFW lists 11 controlled hunts for it in the 2026 regulations.
How many elk are taken in Unit 47 each year?
ODFW estimates 466 in 2025, 595 in 2024 and 499 in 2023, adding up its rows for the Northside Unit across general and controlled elk tags.
How hard is it to draw hunt 247R?
In ODFW's 2026 draw for hunt 247R (Northside Unit Bow), 305 of 309 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 47?
John Day and Dayville are inside the unit. Just outside: Long Creek (on the line), Mount Vernon (on the line) and Prairie City (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 Northeast zone Unit 37 elk Unit 45 elk Unit 46 elk Unit 48 elk Unit 50 elk Unit 51 elk Unit 65 elk