Minam Wildlife Area: hunting rules, map and access
Minam Wildlife Area is 15,969 acres of land managed by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, in the Minam Unit (60), Catherine Creek Unit (53) and Sled Springs Unit (57), by ODFW's mapped boundary. ODFW's 2026 rule for the area begins: "Open to public access and hunting Apr. 1 - Nov. 30."
Data updated October 2026. Rules: ODFW's 2026 regulations, page 89. Boundary: ODFW. Land around it: USGS PAD-US 4.1.
National wildlife refugeNational forestBLMODFW landState forest and trust landMinam Wildlife AreaUnit lineLake, reservoir or riverHighway
| Size | 15,969 acres (ODFW boundary, measured) |
|---|---|
| Units | 60 Minam, 53 Catherine Creek, 57 Sled Springs |
| ODFW zone | Northeast |
| First rule | Open to public access and hunting Apr. 1 - Nov. 30 |
| Nearest towns | Wallowa (5 mi), Elgin (9 mi) and Lostine (9 mi) |
What is Minam Wildlife Area?
The Minam River Wildlife Area harbors a wide variety of fish, wildlife and their habitats. Anglers can enjoy trout and mountain whitefish fishing, hunters can target deer and elk, and hikers can follow the Minam River Trail to the Eagle Cap Wilderness.
From ODFW's Minam Wildlife Area page.
What are the hunting rules on Minam Wildlife Area?
Open to public access and hunting Apr. 1 - Nov. 30. Exception: Year-round public access is permitted on the Minam Rvr Trail and associated parking area along Hwy 82 only. Camping is prohibited. The WA is closed to the public between 10pm and 4am. ATV and snowmobile use is prohibited on all area lands except for administrative use.
ODFW's 2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations, page 89, under unit 60. ODFW 2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations.
Which hunting units is Minam Wildlife Area in?
Minam spans 3 units. ODFW's latest elk and deer harvest for the whole unit, not the wildlife area alone:
| Unit | Wildlife area acres in it | Elk harvested (unit) | Deer harvested (unit) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 60 Minam | 14,483 | 106 (2025) | 294 (2025) |
| Unit 53 Catherine Creek | 1,411 | 303 (2025) | 201 (2025) |
| Unit 57 Sled Springs | 75 | 311 (2025) | 709 (2025) |
Harvest: ODFW harvest statistics (2020 to 2025). Acres in each unit measured by FilledTag from ODFW's boundaries.
How do you get to Minam Wildlife Area?
Highways within 8 miles: OR 82. Nearest towns: Wallowa (5 miles), Elgin (9 miles), Lostine (9 miles) and Imbler (12 miles).
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt on Minam Wildlife Area?
ODFW's 2026 regulations set these rules for Minam: Open to public access and hunting Apr. 1 - Nov. 30. Exception: Year-round public access is permitted on the Minam Rvr Trail and associated parking area along Hwy 82 only. Hunting seasons follow the unit the ground is in.
Which unit is Minam Wildlife Area in?
The Minam Unit (60, 14,483 acres), the Catherine Creek Unit (53, 1,411 acres) and the Sled Springs Unit (57, 75 acres), by ODFW's boundaries.
What towns are near Minam Wildlife Area?
Wallowa (5 miles), Elgin (9 miles) and Lostine (9 miles), measured to the area's edge.
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 facts come from
- Rules: ODFW 2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations, page 89.
- Boundary and acres: ODFW Wildlife Areas (Compass dataset). Surrounding public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land by manager, 2025).
- Unit harvest: ODFW harvest statistics (2020 to 2025).
FilledTag is not part of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.