Unit 58 Chesnimnus elk hunting: harvest, hunts and 2026 seasons
ODFW estimates hunters took 279 elk in the Chesnimnus Unit (58) in 2025 (200 bulls and 78 antlerless) and counted 957 elk hunters there, across 8 general seasons and controlled hunts. ODFW's figures for 2021 to 2025 average 300 elk a year. The unit is 49.2% 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 forestBLMState forest and trust landUnit 58Neighboring unitsLake, reservoir or riverHighway
| ODFW zone | Northeast |
|---|---|
| Size | 420,805 acres (658 square miles) |
| Public land | 49.2% (207,220 acres) |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 279 (200 bulls) |
| Elk hunters, 2025 | 957, 5,301 days |
| Elk per 100 hunters, 2025 | 29 |
| General season | Controlled hunts only |
| 2026 controlled hunts listed here | 7 |
| Towns in and near it | Joseph, Enterprise and Lostine |
How many elk are harvested in Unit 58?
ODFW's elk harvest for the Chesnimnus Unit by year: 279 in 2025, 389 in 2024 and 259 in 2023. 29 elk were taken for every 100 hunters in 2025.
| Year | Hunters | Days hunted | Elk harvested | Bulls | Antlerless | Elk per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 957 | 5,301 | 279 | 200 | 78 | 29 |
| 2024 | 1,130 | 6,539 | 389 | 249 | 141 | 34 |
| 2023 | 1,121 | 6,775 | 259 | 158 | 101 | 23 |
| 2022 | 1,181 | 6,805 | 313 | 182 | 131 | 27 |
| 2021 | 1,070 | 6,352 | 262 | 175 | 87 | 24 |
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 58 in 2025?
Controlled hunts: 8 rows in ODFW's table, 957 hunters, 279 elk. ODFW's own row for each, 2025:
| Hunt or season | Tag type | Hunters | Days | Harvested | ODFW success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 258Y Chesnimnus Unit No. 2 | Any legal weapon, controlled | 287 | 1,550 | 60 | 21% |
| 258X Chesnimnus Unit No. 1 | Any legal weapon, controlled | 273 | 1,007 | 93 | 34% |
| 258R Chesnimnus Unit Bow | Archery, controlled | 267 | 2,267 | 65 | 24% |
| 258A3 Zumwalt No. 3 | Any legal weapon, controlled | 46 | 162 | 17 | 38% |
| 258A1 Zumwalt No. 1 | Any legal weapon, controlled | 40 | 169 | 23 | 57% |
| 258A2 Zumwalt No. 2 | Any legal weapon, controlled | 34 | 121 | 13 | 39% |
| 258T Chesnimnus Unit Youth | Any legal weapon, controlled | 10 | 25 | 8 | 83% |
| 258A4 Zumwalt No. 4 | Any legal weapon, controlled | 0 | 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 Chesnimnus rows.
When is elk season in Unit 58 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 258Y | Chesnimnus Unit No. 2 | One bull elk | Nov. 7 - Nov. 15 | 385 | 366 of 469 |
| 258X | Chesnimnus Unit No. 1 | One bull elk | Oct. 28 - Nov. 1 | 385 | 372 of 649 |
| 258R | Chesnimnus Unit Bow | One elk | Aug. 29 - Sep. 27 | 330 | 314 of 490 |
| 258A1 | Zumwalt No. 1 | One antlerless elk | Sep. 1 - Sep. 30 | 72 | 70 of 120 |
| 258A2 | Zumwalt No. 2 | One antlerless elk | Oct. 1 - Oct. 31 | 72 | 61 of 61 |
| 258A3 | Zumwalt No. 3 | One antlerless elk | Nov. 17 - Dec. 11 | 72 | 69 of 97 |
| 258T | Chesnimnus Unit Youth | One antlerless elk | Aug. 15 - Dec. 31 | 11 | 10 of 40 |
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 58?
49.2% of the Chesnimnus Unit is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 207,220 of 420,805 acres. The largest share is national forest, 202,736 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of unit |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 202,736 | 48.2% |
| BLM | 3,698 | 0.9% |
| State forest and trust land | 786 | 0.2% |
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 58?
Highways through the unit: OR 350 (about 16 miles inside it) and OR 82 (about 5 miles inside it).
Which units border Unit 58?
The Chesnimnus 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 57 Sled Springs | 20.9% | 1,235 | 311 | 2025 |
| Unit 59 Snake River | 93.8% | 377 | 185 | 2025 |
| Unit 60 Minam | 73.4% | 663 | 106 | 2025 |
| Unit 61 Imnaha | 74.5% | 1,015 | 310 | 2025 |
Also for Unit 58: deer hunting.
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in Unit 58 without drawing a tag?
No. In 2026 every elk hunt in the Chesnimnus Unit is a controlled hunt drawn by ODFW. ODFW lists 7 controlled hunts for it in the 2026 regulations.
How many elk are taken in Unit 58 each year?
ODFW estimates 279 in 2025, 389 in 2024 and 259 in 2023, adding up its rows for the Chesnimnus Unit across general and controlled elk tags.
How hard is it to draw hunt 258Y?
In ODFW's 2026 draw for hunt 258Y (Chesnimnus Unit No. 2), 366 of 469 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 58?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Joseph (on the line), Enterprise (3 miles) and Lostine (11 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 57 elk Unit 59 elk Unit 60 elk Unit 61 elk