Unit 59 Snake River elk hunting: harvest, hunts and 2026 seasons
ODFW estimates hunters took 185 elk in the Snake River Unit (59) in 2025 (174 bulls and 7 antlerless) and counted 377 elk hunters there, across 5 general seasons and controlled hunts. ODFW's figures for 2021 to 2025 average 137 elk a year. The unit is 93.8% 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 forestUnit 59Neighboring unitsLake, reservoir or riverHighway
| ODFW zone | Northeast |
|---|---|
| Size | 294,398 acres (460 square miles) |
| Public land | 93.8% (276,291 acres) |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 185 (174 bulls) |
| Elk hunters, 2025 | 377, 2,000 days |
| Elk per 100 hunters, 2025 | 49 |
| General season | Controlled hunts only |
| 2026 controlled hunts listed here | 5 |
| Towns in and near it |
How many elk are harvested in Unit 59?
ODFW's elk harvest for the Snake River Unit by year: 185 in 2025, 130 in 2024 and 129 in 2023. 49 elk were taken for every 100 hunters in 2025.
| Year | Hunters | Days hunted | Elk harvested | Bulls | Antlerless | Elk per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 377 | 2,000 | 185 | 174 | 7 | 49 |
| 2024 | 394 | 2,115 | 130 | 119 | 11 | 33 |
| 2023 | 430 | 2,593 | 129 | 124 | 5 | 30 |
| 2022 | 186 | 893 | 74 | 68 | 6 | 40 |
| 2021 | 576 | 3,623 | 168 | 160 | 8 | 29 |
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 59 in 2025?
Controlled hunts: 5 rows in ODFW's table, 377 hunters, 185 elk. ODFW's own row for each, 2025:
| Hunt or season | Tag type | Hunters | Days | Harvested | ODFW success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 259Y Snake Rvr Unit No. 2 | Any legal weapon, controlled | 147 | 690 | 91 | 62% |
| 259R Snake Rvr Unit Bow | Archery, controlled | 145 | 977 | 48 | 33% |
| 259X Snake Rvr Unit No. 1 | Any legal weapon, controlled | 76 | 280 | 41 | 54% |
| 259T Snake Rvr Unit Youth | Any legal weapon, controlled | 7 | 36 | 4 | 50% |
| 200R Oregon Youth Bow | Archery, controlled | 2 | 17 | 1 | 50% |
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 Snake River rows.
When is elk season in Unit 59 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200R | Oregon Youth Bow | One elk | Aug. 29 - Sep. 27 | 330 | 129 of 129 |
| 259R | Snake Rvr Unit Bow | One bull elk | Aug. 29 - Sep. 27 | 297 | 15 of 16 |
| 259Y | Snake Rvr Unit No. 2 | One bull elk | Nov. 7 - Nov. 15 | 165 | 157 of 709 |
| 259X | Snake Rvr Unit No. 1 | One spike elk | Oct. 28 - Nov. 1 | 154 | 108 of 110 |
| 259T | Snake Rvr Unit Youth | One antlerless elk | Aug. 15 - Dec. 31 | 11 | 10 of 21 |
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 59?
93.8% of the Snake River Unit is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 276,291 of 294,398 acres. The largest share is national forest, 276,291 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of unit |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 276,291 | 93.8% |
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 59?
No numbered highway crosses the unit.
Which units border Unit 59?
The Snake River Unit touches 3 other units. Their public land and ODFW's latest elk figures, for comparison:
| Unit | Public land | Elk hunters | Elk harvested | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 58 Chesnimnus | 49.2% | 957 | 279 | 2025 |
| Unit 61 Imnaha | 74.5% | 1,015 | 310 | 2025 |
| Unit 62 Pine Creek | 76% | 768 | 230 | 2025 |
Also for Unit 59: deer hunting.
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in Unit 59 without drawing a tag?
No. In 2026 every elk hunt in the Snake River Unit is a controlled hunt drawn by ODFW. ODFW lists 5 controlled hunts for it in the 2026 regulations.
How many elk are taken in Unit 59 each year?
ODFW estimates 185 in 2025, 130 in 2024 and 129 in 2023, adding up its rows for the Snake River Unit across general and controlled elk tags.
How hard is it to draw hunt 259Y?
In ODFW's 2026 draw for hunt 259Y (Snake Rvr Unit No. 2), 157 of 709 residents who put it first drew; the fewest points a resident drew with in the preference phase was 8. 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 59?
No town is inside it. The nearest are .
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 58 elk Unit 61 elk Unit 62 elk