Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area: hunting rules, map and access
Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area is 51,238 acres of land managed by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, in the Murderers Creek Unit (46) and Ochoco Unit (37), by ODFW's mapped boundary. ODFW's 2026 rule for the area begins: "Open to public access and hunting Apr. 15 - Jan. 31."
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 landPhillip W. Schneider Wildlife AreaUnit lineLake, reservoir or riverHighway
| Size | 51,238 acres (ODFW boundary, measured) |
|---|---|
| Units | 46 Murderers Creek, 37 Ochoco |
| ODFW zone | Northeast |
| First rule | Open to public access and hunting Apr. 15 - Jan. 31 |
| Nearest towns | Dayville (2 mi), Mount Vernon (15 mi) and John Day (22 mi) |
What is Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area?
Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area provides winter range for mule deer populations and year-round habitat for a variety of wildlife including mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. Elk, deer, and bighorn sheep viewing is often good during winter and early spring. Bird watching is excellent all year. Native habitats include sagebrush shrubland, riparian, ponderosa pine forest, western juniper woodland and mixed conifer which support a diversity of fish and wildlife. The riparian areas along the mainstem John Day River, South Fork John Day River and Murderers Creek provide excellent habitat for many birds. Upland areas provide important habitat for passerines and game species.
From ODFW's Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area page.
What are the hunting rules on Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area?
Open to public access and hunting Apr. 15 - Jan. 31. Motorized vehicle travel restricted to open rds. Some rds closed seasonally from Dec. 1 - Apr. 14. Use of domestic pack goats is prohibited at all times. ODFW parking permit is required (see pg 89 for more information).
ODFW's 2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations, page 89, under unit 46. ODFW 2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations.
Which hunting units is Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area in?
Phillip W. Schneider spans 2 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 46 Murderers Creek | 46,779 | 328 (2025) | 414 (2025) |
| Unit 37 Ochoco | 4,458 | 253 (2025) | 350 (2025) |
Harvest: ODFW harvest statistics (2020 to 2025). Acres in each unit measured by FilledTag from ODFW's boundaries.
How do you get to Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area?
Highways within 8 miles: US 26. Nearest towns: Dayville (2 miles), Mount Vernon (15 miles), John Day (22 miles) and Canyon City (23 miles).
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt on Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area?
ODFW's 2026 regulations set these rules for Phillip W. Schneider: Open to public access and hunting Apr. 15 - Jan. 31. Motorized vehicle travel restricted to open rds. Hunting seasons follow the unit the ground is in.
Which unit is Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area in?
The Murderers Creek Unit (46, 46,779 acres) and the Ochoco Unit (37, 4,458 acres), by ODFW's boundaries.
What towns are near Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area?
Dayville (2 miles), Mount Vernon (15 miles) and John Day (22 miles), measured to the area's edge.
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 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.