Unit 68 Whitehorse deer hunting: harvest, hunts and 2026 seasons
ODFW estimates hunters took 164 deer in the Whitehorse Unit (68) in 2025 (161 bucks and 2 antlerless) and counted 321 deer hunters there, across 5 general seasons and controlled hunts. ODFW's figures for 2021 to 2025 average 147 deer a year. The unit is 90.4% public land, most of it BLM, 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.
BLMState forest and trust landOther public (city, county, parks, military)Unit 68Neighboring unitsLake, reservoir or riverHighway
| ODFW zone | Southeast |
|---|---|
| Size | 3,130,964 acres (4,892 square miles) |
| Public land | 90.4% (2,829,809 acres) |
| Deer harvested, 2025 | 164 (161 bucks) |
| Deer hunters, 2025 | 321, 1,682 days |
| Deer per 100 hunters, 2025 | 51 |
| General season | Controlled hunts only (by deer hunt area) |
| 2026 controlled hunts listed here | 5 |
| Towns in and near it | Jordan Valley |
How many deer are harvested in Unit 68?
ODFW's deer harvest for the Whitehorse Unit by year: 164 in 2025, 162 in 2024 and 138 in 2023. 51 deer were taken for every 100 hunters in 2025.
| Year | Hunters | Days hunted | Deer harvested | Bucks | Antlerless | Deer per 100 hunters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 321 | 1,682 | 164 | 161 | 2 | 51 |
| 2024 | 346 | 1,893 | 162 | 160 | 1 | 47 |
| 2023 | 351 | 1,940 | 138 | 137 | 1 | 39 |
| 2022 | 304 | 1,631 | 141 | 141 | 0 | 46 |
| 2021 | 316 | 1,647 | 129 | 129 | 0 | 41 |
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 68 in 2025?
Controlled hunts: 5 rows in ODFW's table, 321 hunters, 164 deer. ODFW's own row for each, 2025:
| Hunt or season | Tag type | Hunters | Days | Harvested | ODFW success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 168B E Whitehorse | Any legal weapon buck, controlled | 186 | 859 | 100 | 54% |
| 168A Trout Cr Mtns | Any legal weapon buck, controlled | 59 | 294 | 47 | 80% |
| 168R2 Trout Cr Mtns Traditional Bow | Archery, controlled | 35 | 220 | 3 | 8% |
| 168R1 E Whitehorse Bow | Archery, controlled | 21 | 144 | 6 | 27% |
| 168M NE Whitehorse Muzzleloader | Muzzleloader, controlled | 20 | 165 | 8 | 38% |
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 Whitehorse rows.
When is deer season in Unit 68 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SE101 | Southeast 01 | One buck with visible antler | Oct. 3 - Oct. 14 | 248 | 236 of 504 |
| SE101R | Southeast 01 Bow | One buck with visible antler | Aug. 29 - Sep. 27 | 138 | 7 of 7 |
| TC101R | Trout Creek 01 Traditional Bow (Traditional Bow ONLY) | One buck with visible antler | Aug. 29 - Sep. 27 | 110 | 27 of 27 |
| TC101 | Trout Creek 01 | One buck with visible antler | Oct. 3 - Oct. 14 | 66 | 63 of 2,188 |
| SE101M | Southeast 01 Muzzleloader | One buck with visible antler | Nov. 14 - Nov. 30 | 22 | 21 of 198 |
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 68?
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, the Whitehorse Unit is split between 2 hunt areas. The 2026 buck hunts in each:
| Hunt area | Herd range | Share of Unit 68 | 2026 buck hunts (tags) |
|---|---|---|---|
| SE-01 | Southeast | 80.6% | SE101 Southeast 01 (248); SE101R Southeast 01 Bow (138); SE101M Southeast 01 Muzzleloader (22) |
| TC-01 | Trout Creek | 19.4% | TC101 Trout Creek 01 (66); TC101R Trout Creek 01 Traditional Bow (Traditional Bow ONLY) (110) |
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 68?
90.4% of the Whitehorse Unit is public land open to hunting under its manager's rules: 2,829,809 of 3,130,964 acres. The largest share is BLM, 2,752,439 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of unit |
|---|---|---|
| BLM | 2,752,439 | 87.9% |
| State forest and trust land | 77,370 | 2.5% |
| Other public (city, county, parks, military) | 275 | under 0.1% |
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 68?
Highways through the unit: US 95 (about 101 miles inside it), OR 205 (about 23 miles inside it) and OR 78 (about 3 miles inside it).
Which units border Unit 68?
The Whitehorse 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 66 Malheur River | 67.7% | 1,327 | 490 | 2025 |
| Unit 67 Owyhee | 80.2% | 505 | 295 | 2025 |
| Unit 69 Steens Mountain | 63.7% | 385 | 189 | 2025 |
| Unit 70 Beatys Butte | 82.5% | 125 | 63 | 2025 |
Also for Unit 68: elk hunting, pronghorn hunting.
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt deer in Unit 68 without drawing a tag?
No. In 2026 every deer hunt in the Whitehorse 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 68 each year?
ODFW estimates 164 in 2025, 162 in 2024 and 138 in 2023, adding up its rows for the Whitehorse Unit across general and controlled deer tags.
What is the closest town to Unit 68?
No town is inside it. The nearest are Jordan Valley (on the line).
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.
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