Unit 56 Wenaha deer hunting: harvest, hunts and 2026 seasons
ODFW estimates hunters took 188 deer in the Wenaha Unit (56) in 2025 (158 bucks and 28 antlerless) and counted 451 deer hunters there, across 3 general seasons and controlled hunts. ODFW's figures for 2021 to 2025 average 177 deer a year. The unit is 73% 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 wildlife refugeNational forestBLMODFW landState forest and trust landUnit 56Neighboring unitsLake, reservoir or riverHighway
| ODFW zone | Northeast |
|---|---|
| Size | 264,343 acres (413 square miles) |
| Public land | 73% (192,908 acres) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 188 (158 bucks) |
| Deer hunters, 2025 | 451, 2,609 days |
| Deer per 100 hunters, 2025 | 42 |
| General season | Controlled hunts only (by deer hunt area) |
| 2026 controlled hunts listed here | 5 |
| Towns in and near it | Elgin, Summerville and Imbler |
How many deer are harvested in Unit 56?
ODFW's deer harvest for the Wenaha Unit by year: 188 in 2025, 187 in 2024 and 165 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 | 451 | 2,609 | 188 | 158 | 28 | 42 |
| 2024 | 475 | 2,600 | 187 | 163 | 23 | 39 |
| 2023 | 509 | 2,971 | 165 | 126 | 39 | 32 |
| 2022 | 543 | 3,174 | 169 | 133 | 36 | 31 |
| 2021 | 527 | 3,210 | 176 | 142 | 34 | 33 |
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 56 in 2025?
Controlled hunts: 3 rows in ODFW's table, 451 hunters, 188 deer. ODFW's own row for each, 2025:
| Hunt or season | Tag type | Hunters | Days | Harvested | ODFW success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 156 Wenaha Unit | Any legal weapon buck, controlled | 208 | 929 | 86 | 41% |
| 152M Grande Ronde Muzzleloader | Muzzleloader, controlled | 182 | 1,010 | 80 | 44% |
| 154R N Blue Mtns Bow | Archery, controlled | 61 | 670 | 22 | 36% |
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 Wenaha rows.
When is deer season in Unit 56 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NE104M | Northeast 04 Muzzleloader | One white-tailed deer | Nov. 16 - Nov. 30 | 292 | 240 of 242 |
| NE104 | Northeast 04 Mule Deer | One mule deer buck with visible antler | Oct. 3 - Oct. 14 | 242 | 232 of 406 |
| NE104R | Northeast 04 Bow Mule Deer | One mule deer buck with visible antler | Aug. 29 - Sep. 27 | 143 | 40 of 40 |
| NE104-1 | Northeast 04 Whitetail | One white-tailed deer buck with visible antler | Oct. 3 - Oct. 14 | 77 | 61 of 61 |
| NE104R1 | Northeast 04 Bow Whitetail | One white-tailed deer | Aug. 29 - Sep. 27 | 33 | 17 of 17 |
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 56?
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 Wenaha Unit lies in hunt area NE-04 (Northeast herd range). The 2026 buck hunts in each:
| Hunt area | Herd range | Share of Unit 56 | 2026 buck hunts (tags) |
|---|---|---|---|
| NE-04 | Northeast | 100% | NE104 Northeast 04 Mule Deer (242); NE104-1 Northeast 04 Whitetail (77); NE104R Northeast 04 Bow Mule Deer (143); NE104R1 Northeast 04 Bow Whitetail (33); NE104M Northeast 04 Muzzleloader (292) |
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 56?
73% of the Wenaha Unit is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 192,908 of 264,343 acres. The largest share is national forest, 180,134 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of unit |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 180,134 | 68.1% |
| ODFW land | 9,513 | 3.6% |
| BLM | 2,881 | 1.1% |
| State forest and trust land | 364 | 0.1% |
| National wildlife refuge | 16 | under 0.1% |
ODFW wildlife area in the unit: Wenaha (11,172 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. Wildlife refuges set their own hunting rules.
How do you get to Unit 56?
Highways through the unit: OR 204 (about 16 miles inside it).
Which units border Unit 56?
The Wenaha Unit touches 4 other units. Their public land and ODFW's latest deer figures, for comparison:
| Unit | Public land | Deer hunters | Deer harvested | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 53 Catherine Creek | 24.2% | 623 | 201 | 2025 |
| Unit 54 Mt. Emily | 44.1% | 591 | 226 | 2025 |
| Unit 55 Walla Walla | 32.8% | 250 | 126 | 2025 |
| Unit 57 Sled Springs | 20.9% | 1,552 | 709 | 2025 |
Also for Unit 56: elk hunting.
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt deer in Unit 56 without drawing a tag?
No. In 2026 every deer hunt in the Wenaha Unit is a controlled hunt drawn by ODFW, now set by deer hunt area rather than unit. ODFW lists 5 controlled hunts for it in the 2026 regulations.
How many deer are taken in Unit 56 each year?
ODFW estimates 188 in 2025, 187 in 2024 and 165 in 2023, adding up its rows for the Wenaha Unit across general and controlled deer tags.
What is the closest town to Unit 56?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Elgin (on the line), Summerville (5 miles) and Imbler (7 miles).
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.
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