Unit 61 Imnaha elk hunting: harvest, hunts and 2026 seasons
ODFW estimates hunters took 310 elk in the Imnaha Unit (61) in 2025 (274 bulls and 33 antlerless) and counted 1,015 elk hunters there, across 7 general seasons and controlled hunts. ODFW's figures for 2021 to 2025 average 249 elk a year. The unit is 74.5% 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 forestBLMOther public (city, county, parks, military)Unit 61Neighboring unitsLake, reservoir or riverHighway
| ODFW zone | Northeast |
|---|---|
| Size | 272,203 acres (425 square miles) |
| Public land | 74.5% (202,772 acres) |
| Elk harvested, 2025 | 310 (274 bulls) |
| Elk hunters, 2025 | 1,015, 6,241 days |
| Elk per 100 hunters, 2025 | 31 |
| General seasons, 2026 | General Eastern Oregon Rocky Mountain 2nd season |
| 2026 controlled hunts listed here | 6 |
| Towns in and near it | Joseph, Enterprise and Lostine |
How many elk are harvested in Unit 61?
ODFW's elk harvest for the Imnaha Unit by year: 310 in 2025, 243 in 2024 and 209 in 2023. 31 elk were taken for every 100 hunters in 2025.
| Year | Hunters | Days hunted | Elk harvested | Bulls | Antlerless | Elk per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,015 | 6,241 | 310 | 274 | 33 | 31 |
| 2024 | 1,021 | 6,201 | 243 | 202 | 39 | 24 |
| 2023 | 1,019 | 3,121 | 209 | 172 | 37 | 21 |
| 2022 | 848 | 3,132 | 222 | 188 | 34 | 26 |
| 2021 | 1,440 | 9,803 | 262 | 183 | 79 | 18 |
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 61 in 2025?
General season tags: 432 hunters, 121 elk. Controlled hunts: 6 rows in ODFW's table, 583 hunters, 189 elk. ODFW's own row for each, 2025:
| Hunt or season | Tag type | Hunters | Days | Harvested | ODFW success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Mtn 2nd season | Any legal weapon, general | 432 | 2,175 | 121 | 28% |
| 253R1 Eagle Cap Zone | Archery, controlled | 276 | 2,758 | 59 | 21% |
| 261X Imnaha Unit | Any legal weapon, controlled | 247 | 862 | 106 | 43% |
| 261 Imnaha Unit | Any legal weapon, controlled | 22 | 89 | 9 | 44% |
| 253R2 Eagle Cap Traditional Bow | Archery, controlled | 21 | 207 | 5 | 24% |
| 261T Imnaha Unit Youth | Any legal weapon, controlled | 10 | 78 | 8 | 83% |
| 200R Oregon Youth Bow | Archery, controlled | 7 | 72 | 2 | 33% |
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 Imnaha rows.
When is elk season in Unit 61 in 2026?
General seasons that cover the Imnaha Unit in 2026:
- General Eastern Oregon Rocky Mountain 2nd season elk, Nov. 7 - Nov. 15: one spike elk, page 45.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 253R1 | Eagle Cap Zone | One bull elk | Aug. 29 - Sep. 27 | 1,795 | 832 of 844 |
| 200R | Oregon Youth Bow | One elk | Aug. 29 - Sep. 27 | 330 | 129 of 129 |
| 261X | Imnaha Unit | One bull elk | Oct. 28 - Nov. 1 | 303 | 288 of 891 |
| 253R2 | Eagle Cap Traditional Bow (Traditional Bow Only) | One elk | Aug. 29 - Sep. 27 | 200 | 25 of 25 |
| 261 | Imnaha Unit | One antlerless elk | Nov. 21 - Nov. 29 | 33 | 32 of 180 |
| 261T | Imnaha Unit Youth | One antlerless elk | Aug. 15 - Dec. 31 | 11 | 10 of 56 |
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 61?
74.5% of the Imnaha Unit is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 202,772 of 272,203 acres. The largest share is national forest, 202,350 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of unit |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 202,350 | 74.3% |
| BLM | 418 | 0.2% |
| Other public (city, county, parks, military) | 40 | under 0.1% |
| National wildlife refuge | 4 | under 0.1% |
Access and Habitat area, private land open to hunters: Divide Ridge (1,444 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 61?
Highways through the unit: OR 350 (about 14 miles inside it), OR 82 (about 5 miles inside it) and OR 351 (about 5 miles inside it).
Which units border Unit 61?
The Imnaha 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 58 Chesnimnus | 49.2% | 957 | 279 | 2025 |
| Unit 59 Snake River | 93.8% | 377 | 185 | 2025 |
| Unit 60 Minam | 73.4% | 663 | 106 | 2025 |
| Unit 62 Pine Creek | 76% | 768 | 230 | 2025 |
Also for Unit 61: deer hunting.
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt elk in Unit 61 without drawing a tag?
Yes. General Eastern Oregon Rocky Mountain 2nd season elk (Nov. 7 - Nov. 15) is open in the Imnaha Unit, bag limit one spike elk, by ODFW's 2026 regulations.
How many elk are taken in Unit 61 each year?
ODFW estimates 310 in 2025, 243 in 2024 and 209 in 2023, adding up its rows for the Imnaha Unit across general and controlled elk tags.
How hard is it to draw hunt 253R1?
In ODFW's 2026 draw for hunt 253R1 (Eagle Cap Zone), 832 of 844 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 61?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Joseph (on the line), Enterprise (5 miles) and Lostine (13 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.
Oregon hunting Northeast zone Unit 58 elk Unit 59 elk Unit 60 elk Unit 62 elk