Unit 56 Wenaha elk hunting: harvest, hunts and 2026 seasons
ODFW estimates hunters took 103 elk in the Wenaha Unit (56) in 2025 (74 bulls and 26 antlerless) and counted 362 elk hunters there, across 6 general seasons and controlled hunts. ODFW's figures for 2021 to 2025 average 98 elk 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) |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 103 (74 bulls) |
| Elk hunters, 2025 | 362, 2,759 days |
| Elk per 100 hunters, 2025 | 28 |
| General season | Controlled hunts only |
| 2026 controlled hunts listed here | 6 |
| Towns in and near it | Elgin, Summerville and Imbler |
How many elk are harvested in Unit 56?
ODFW's elk harvest for the Wenaha Unit by year: 103 in 2025, 98 in 2024 and 96 in 2023. 28 elk were taken for every 100 hunters in 2025.
| Year | Hunters | Days hunted | Elk harvested | Bulls | Antlerless | Elk per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 362 | 2,759 | 103 | 74 | 26 | 28 |
| 2024 | 469 | 3,153 | 98 | 80 | 17 | 21 |
| 2023 | 449 | 3,189 | 96 | 81 | 15 | 21 |
| 2022 | 437 | 2,972 | 103 | 83 | 20 | 24 |
| 2021 | 424 | 2,619 | 88 | 73 | 15 | 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 56 in 2025?
Controlled hunts: 6 rows in ODFW's table, 362 hunters, 103 elk. ODFW's own row for each, 2025:
| Hunt or season | Tag type | Hunters | Days | Harvested | ODFW success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 256Y2 Wenaha Unit No. 3 | Any legal weapon, controlled | 101 | 534 | 13 | 13% |
| 256X Wenaha Unit No. 1 | Any legal weapon, controlled | 95 | 396 | 11 | 12% |
| 256R2 Wenaha Unit Bow No. 2 | Archery, controlled | 51 | 547 | 7 | 13% |
| 256R1 Wenaha Unit Bow No. 1 | Archery, controlled | 45 | 623 | 24 | 53% |
| 256Y1 Wenaha Unit No. 2 | Any legal weapon, controlled | 38 | 359 | 24 | 62% |
| 256A Bartlett Bench | Any legal weapon, controlled | 32 | 300 | 24 | 75% |
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 Wenaha rows.
When is elk season in Unit 56 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 256X | Wenaha Unit No. 1 | One spike elk | Oct. 28 - Nov. 1 | 308 | 293 of 306 |
| 256Y2 | Wenaha Unit No. 3 | One spike elk | Nov. 7 - Nov. 15 | 154 | 98 of 98 |
| 256R2 | Wenaha Unit Bow No. 2 | One spike elk | Aug. 29 - Sep. 27 | 132 | 73 of 73 |
| 256Y1 | Wenaha Unit No. 2 | One bull elk | Oct. 28 - Nov. 15 | 43 | 41 of 3,621 |
| 256R1 | Wenaha Unit Bow No. 1 | One bull elk | Aug. 29 - Sep. 27 | 41 | 39 of 3,250 |
| 256A | Bartlett Bench | One antlerless elk | Aug. 1 - Oct. 31 | 22 | 21 of 34 |
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 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 elk figures, for comparison:
| Unit | Public land | Elk hunters | Elk harvested | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 53 Catherine Creek | 24.2% | 1,171 | 303 | 2025 |
| Unit 54 Mt. Emily | 44.1% | 525 | 173 | 2025 |
| Unit 55 Walla Walla | 32.8% | 300 | 109 | 2025 |
| Unit 57 Sled Springs | 20.9% | 1,235 | 311 | 2025 |
Also for Unit 56: deer hunting.
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in Unit 56 without drawing a tag?
No. In 2026 every elk hunt in the Wenaha Unit is a controlled hunt drawn by ODFW. ODFW lists 6 controlled hunts for it in the 2026 regulations.
How many elk are taken in Unit 56 each year?
ODFW estimates 103 in 2025, 98 in 2024 and 96 in 2023, adding up its rows for the Wenaha Unit across general and controlled elk tags.
How hard is it to draw hunt 256Y2?
In ODFW's 2026 draw for hunt 256Y2 (Wenaha Unit No. 3), 98 of 98 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 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
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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 53 elk Unit 54 elk Unit 55 elk Unit 57 elk