Oregon › Hunting seasons › Units › Steens Mtn Unit
Wildlife Management Unit 69
Steens Mtn Unit hunting seasons and hunt numbers
Hunt numbers, general tags, cougar quota, road closures, 2025 harvest and the public ground of the Steens Mtn Unit (Harney County).
Photo: Bureau of Land Management (CC BY 2.0)
Counties inside the Steens Mtn Unit
The Steens Mtn Unit (WMU 69) covers 1,910 square miles. ODFW places it in Eastern Oregon, and Harney County makes up 100% of the unit. ODFW unit lines follow rivers, ridges and roads, so the Steens Mtn Unit reaches 2 counties: Harney (1,904 sq mi) and Malheur (6 sq mi). Only a thin margin, under 2%, falls in Malheur.
| Where | Sq mi | Unit % | County % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harney County | 1,904.3 | 100% | 18% |
| Malheur County | 5.7 | 0.3% | — |
The Harney wildlife district holds 100% of WMU 69.
| District | Office | Phone | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harney | Hines | 541-573-6582 | 100% |
The closed rows in our land data place Burns Paiute Off-Reservation Trust Land inside WMU 69; state tags do not open them.
| Closed ground | Rule |
|---|---|
| Burns Paiute Off-Reservation Trust Land | Tribal land |
Area, side, county overlap and districts from the ODFW Wildlife Management Units layer and the ODFW wildlife district layer (overlay with Census county lines; GIS measures); closed places from the big game regulations and land manager sources; checked November 8, 2026.
What sets the Steens Mtn Unit apart
- Cougars taken here count toward Zone F, Southeast Oregon, quota 140. Hunting with dogs is not allowed. ODFW's 2025 estimate for the unit: 5 cougars, 36 hunters.
- Buck deer hunts here are drawn by Deer Hunt Area within the Juntura and Steens herd ranges.
- Plan predator or ground squirrel hunts with care: Eastern Buck Deer, Rocky Mtn Bull Elk 1st Season and Rocky Mtn Bull Elk 2nd Season put the Steens Mtn Unit under the centerfire rifle limit.
- Road closure areas: none listed for WMU 69.
- Goose and duck zones for WMU 69 come from the ODFW map, not a county list.
- Shooting hours for birds in the Steens Mtn Unit follow Zone D (Harney, Malheur).
- CWD status: not detected anywhere in Oregon as of October 15, 2026.
| Season (2026) |
|---|
Eastern Buck Deer (Oct. 3 – Oct. 14) |
Rocky Mtn Bull Elk (controlled) 1st Season (Oct. 28 – Nov. 1) |
Rocky Mtn Bull Elk 2nd Season (Nov. 7 – Nov. 15) |
| Range | Code | Hunt areas |
|---|---|---|
| Juntura | JT | JT01, JT02, JT03 |
| Steens | ST | ST01 |
Cougar zones, Eastern Oregon Deer Hunt Areas, centerfire rifle restrictions, travel management areas, antlerless elk damage areas, goose zones, game bird hours and CWD testing from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife; checked November 8, 2026.
Drawn tags for the Steens Mtn Unit
ODFW's 2026 hunt boundaries put 25 controlled, premium or sage-grouse hunts inside WMU 69, led by 7 buck deer hunts. Their 2026 tags add up to 3,939, many shared with nearby units. 569A1 leads the 2025 first-choice count for hunts in WMU 69 with 2,802. 7 hunts are new for 2026 (marked "new"). 19 hunts carry an asterisk: they cover only part of the named unit.
Apply by May 15, 2026 (spring bear by February 10); 75% of deer, elk, pronghorn and spring bear tags go to first choices with the most preference points and 25% are random. All hunts listed are 2026 hunts; spring bear rows are the April and May 2026 hunts.
Buck deer, 100 series (7)
| Hunt | Name | Type | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | 1st choice 2025 | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JT103 new | Juntura 03 | Any legal weapon | Oct 3–14 | One buck with visible antler | 1,430 | — | 65, 66, 69 |
| JT103M new | Juntura 03 Muzzleloader | Muzzleloader | Oct 17–25 | One buck with visible antler | 55 | — | 65, 66, 69 |
| JT103R new | Juntura 03 Bow | Archery | Aug 29–Sep 27 | One buck with visible antler | 473 | — | 65, 66, 69 |
| JT103T new | Juntura 03 Youth | Youth only | Sep 28–Oct 14 | One buck with visible antler | 22 | — | 65, 66, 69 |
| ST101 new * | Steens 01 | Any legal weapon | Oct 3–14 | One buck with visible antler | 245 | — | This unit only |
| ST101R new * | Steens 01 Bow | Archery | Aug 29–Sep 27 | One buck with visible antler | 176 | — | This unit only |
| ST101T new * | Steens 01 Youth | Youth only | Sep 28–Oct 14 | One buck with visible antler | 22 | — | This unit only |
Premium deer, L hunts (2)
| Hunt | Name | Type | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | 1st choice 2025 | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LJT03 | Juntura 03 | Premium (any legal weapon) | Aug 1–Nov 30 | One animal (either sex); premium deer tags are good for any species of deer hunted in that unit | 1 | — | 66, 65, 69 |
| LST01 * | Steens 01 | Premium (any legal weapon) | Aug 1–Nov 30 | One animal (either sex); premium deer tags are good for any species of deer hunted in that unit | 1 | — | This unit only |
Elk, 200 series (5)
| Hunt | Name | Type | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | 1st choice 2025 | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200R * | Oregon Youth Bow | Youth only | Aug 29–Sep 27 | One elk | 330 | 124 | 62 units |
| 278A1 * | High Desert No. 1 | Any legal weapon | Oct 28–Nov 3 | One elk | 440 | 629 | 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 73 |
| 278A2 * | High Desert No. 2 | Any legal weapon | Nov 7–15 | One elk | 440 | 623 | 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 73 |
| 278M * | High Desert Muzzleloader | Muzzleloader | Oct 17–25 | One elk | 138 | 82 | 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 73 |
| 278T * | High Desert Youth | Youth only | Aug 15–Dec 31 | One antlerless elk | 11 | 24 | 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 73 |
Premium elk, M hunts (1)
| Hunt | Name | Type | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | 1st choice 2025 | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M69 * | Steens Mtn/B Butte | Premium (any legal weapon) | Aug 1–Nov 30 | One animal (either sex); premium deer tags are good for any species of deer hunted in that unit | 1 | — | 69, 40, 70 |
Pronghorn, 400 series (3)
| Hunt | Name | Type | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | 1st choice 2025 | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 466B * | Harney Basin | Any legal weapon | Sep 5–20 | One doe or fawn pronghorn | 33 | 164 | 66, 69, 71, 72 |
| 469A * | Steens Mtn | Any legal weapon | Aug 15–23 | One buck pronghorn | 75 | 2,680 | This unit only |
| 469M * | Steens Mtn Muzzleloader | Muzzleloader | Aug 26–Sep 3 | One buck pronghorn | 33 | 277 | This unit only |
Premium pronghorn, N hunts (1)
| Hunt | Name | Type | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | 1st choice 2025 | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N69 * | Steens Mtn | Premium (any legal weapon) | Aug 1–Nov 30 | One animal (either sex); premium deer tags are good for any species of deer hunted in that unit | 1 | — | 69, 40 |
California bighorn, 500 series (5)
| Hunt | Name | Type | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | 1st choice 2025 | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 569A1 * | Steens Mtn No. 1 | Any legal weapon | Aug 15–Sep 14 | — | 3 | 2,802 | This unit only |
| 569A2 * | Steens Mtn No. 2 | Any legal weapon | Sep 15–Oct 14 | — | 2 | 753 | This unit only |
| 569B * | N Catlow Rim | Any legal weapon | Aug 15–Sep 14 | — | 2 | 485 | 69, 71 |
| 570B1 * | E Beatys Butte/Alvord Peaks No. 1 | Any legal weapon | Aug 15–Sep 14 | — | 2 | 920 | 68, 69, 70 |
| 570B2 * | E Beatys Butte/Alvord Peaks No. 2 | Any legal weapon | Sep 15–Oct 14 | — | 3 | 437 | 68, 69, 70 |
Sage-grouse permits (1)
| Hunt | Name | Type | Dates | Bag | Permits 2025 | 1st choice 2025 | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J69 | Steens Mtn Unit | Controlled (permit) | Sep 12–20 | — | 60 | 105 | This unit only |
Hunt numbers, dates, bags, 2026 tags and 2025 first-choice applicants from the 2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations and the 2026-27 game bird regulations (sage-grouse); hunt areas from ODFW’s 2026 hunt boundary layers; draw rules from the controlled hunt pages; checked November 8, 2026.
Steens Mtn Unit general seasons and other game
In WMU 69 a general tag buys elk, black bear and cougar; deer here always go through the draw. Elk you can hunt on a general tag here: Archery elk – Eastern Oregon.
Big game, general (3)
| Species | Season | Tag | Area | Dates | Bag | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk | General archery elk – Eastern Oregon | General tag | Units 35, 38, 40-45, southern Unit 51 | Aug 29–Sep 27 | One elk | |
| Black bear | General fall black bear (statewide) | General tag | Statewide | Aug 1–Dec 31 | One bear per tag; unlawful to take cubs less than one year old or sows with cubs less than one year old | |
| Cougar | General cougar (statewide, zone quotas) | General tag | Statewide | Jan 1–Dec 31 | One cougar per tag; unlawful to take spotted kittens or females with spotted kittens |
Below the big game rows sit 19 upland, migratory, turkey and furbearer rows valid in WMU 69. Pursuit-only and falconry rows (14) are on the season pages instead.
Other seasons (19)
| Species | Season | Tag | Area | Dates | Bag | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Turkey | Fall wild turkey | General tag | WMUs 36, 37 | Oct 10–Nov 30 Dec 1–Jan 31 2027 | One wild turkey of either sex | |
| Wild Turkey | Spring 2027: youth spring wild turkey hunt | General tag | Statewide | Apr 10–11 Apr 15–May 31 | One male or bearded turkey per day | |
| Wild Turkey | Spring 2027: spring wild turkey | General tag | Statewide | Apr 15–May 31 | One male wild turkey or a wild turkey with a visible beard per day; season limit 3 | |
| Western Gray Squirrel | Western gray squirrel – remainder of state | License | Statewide | Sep 1–Nov 15 | 5 daily, 15 in possession | |
| Ruffed Grouse | Ruffed grouse | Validation | Statewide | Sep 1–Jan 31 2027 | 3 daily, 9 in possession | |
| Blue Grouse | Blue grouse (dusky and sooty) | Validation | Statewide | Sep 1–Jan 31 2027 | 3 daily, 9 in possession | |
| Chukar | Partridge (chukar and Hungarian combined) | Validation | Statewide | Oct 10–Jan 31 2027 | 8 daily, 24 in possession (combined) | |
| Hungarian Partridge | Partridge (chukar and Hungarian combined) | Validation | Statewide | Oct 10–Jan 31 2027 | 8 daily, 24 in possession (combined) | |
| Pheasant | Rooster pheasant | Validation | Statewide | Oct 10–Dec 31 | 2 daily, 8 in possession | |
| Ducks | Youth waterfowl hunt (ducks, mergansers, coots, geese) | Validation | Statewide | Sep 26–27 | Regular bag limits | |
| Ducks | Veterans and active military personnel waterfowl hunt | Validation | Statewide | Feb 6 | Regular bag limits | |
| Band-tailed Pigeon | Band-tailed pigeon | Permit | Statewide | Sep 15–23 | 2 daily, 6 in possession | |
| Crow | Crow | Validation | Statewide | Oct 1–Jan 31 2027 | No limit | |
| Brant | Brant | Permit | Statewide | Nov 28–Dec 13 | 2 daily, 6 in possession | |
| Gray Fox | Gray fox | Furtaker | Statewide | Oct 15–Feb 28 2027 | — | |
| Muskrat | Muskrat and mink | Furtaker | Statewide | Nov 15–Mar 31 2027 | — | |
| Mink | Muskrat and mink | Furtaker | Statewide | Nov 15–Mar 31 2027 | — | |
| Raccoon | Raccoon | Furtaker | Statewide | Nov 15–Mar 15 2027 | — | |
| River Otter | River otter | Furtaker | Statewide | Nov 15–Mar 15 2027 | — |
Season rows from the 2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations, the 2026-27 Oregon Game Bird Hunting Regulations and the furbearer regulations; general tag deadlines from the general season page; duck and dove zones on the ODFW waterfowl map; checked November 8, 2026.
Steens Mtn Unit take and hunter numbers
Across the 2025 reports, hunts in the Steens Mtn Unit produced the most in buck deer, any weapon (163).
Buck deer, any weapon success worked out near 54% (163 taken, 302 hunters). Elk, any weapon success worked out near 6% (4 taken, 65 hunters).
ODFW reports harvest by hunt and unit, not by county; a hunt row here counts only its part in this unit.
| Report | Hunt row | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buck deer, any weapon | 169A Steens Mtn | 281 | 149 | 53% |
| Buck deer, any weapon | 169T Steens Mtn Unit Youth | 21 | 14 | 67% |
| Deer, archery | 169R Steens Mtn Bow | 76 | 23 | 30% |
| Antlerless deer | 679T Harney Basin Youth | 7 | 3 | 40% |
| Elk, any weapon | 278A1 High Desert No. 1 | 30 | 1 | 5% |
| Elk, any weapon | 278A2 High Desert No. 2 | 35 | 3 | 8% |
| Elk, archery | Eastern Elk Archery | 31 | 5 | 18% |
| Elk, muzzleloader | 278M High Desert Muzzleloader | 16 | 1 | 8% |
| Pronghorn | 466B Harney Basin | 4 | 1 | 33% |
| Pronghorn | 469A Steens Mtn | 66 | 55 | 83% |
| Pronghorn | 469M Steens Mtn Muzzleloader | 29 | 15 | 52% |
| Black bear | Fall Bear | 10 | 0 | 0% |
| Cougar | Additional Cougar | 3 | 2 | 50% |
| Cougar | Cougar | 33 | 3 | 9.1% |
| Bighorn sheep | 569A1 Steens Mtn No. 1 | 3 tags | 3 | 100% |
| Bighorn sheep | 569B N Catlow Rim | 2 tags | 2 | 100% |
| Bighorn sheep | 570B1 E Beatys Buttes/Alvord Peaks No. 1 | 2 tags | 1 | 50% |
| Bighorn sheep | 570B2 E Beatys Buttes/Alvord Peaks No. 2 | 3 tags | 2 | 67% |
ODFW 2025 harvest estimates: Buck deer, any weapon, Deer, archery, Antlerless deer, Elk, any weapon, Elk, archery, Elk, muzzleloader, Pronghorn, Black bear, Cougar, Bighorn sheep; checked November 8, 2026.
Steens Mtn Unit public land map
Public ground in the Steens Mtn Unit: 11 records sorted with unit-only places first, each linked to its own rules. Also present: Bureau of Land Management Oregon public lands.
BLM Andrews Field Office
Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area
Only in WMU 69
Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
Otley Access Area
Only in WMU 69
Jenkins Access Area
Only in WMU 69
Lawen Lane Access Area
Only in WMU 69
Kueny Ranch Access Area
Only in WMU 69
Alvord Ranch Access Area
Only in WMU 69
Fish Lake Wildlife Area
Only in WMU 69
BLM Burns District
BLM Three Rivers Field Office
Land records and unit overlaps from ODFW, USFS, BLM, USFWS and ODF layers (see each land page); A&H and Open Fields access rules on the ODFW access program pages; checked November 8, 2026.
the Steens Mtn Unit shooting light by date
Game birds run on ODFW's own printed table, and the Steens Mtn Unit uses Zone D of it, so the bird column below is copied from the 2026-27 booklet rather than calculated.
| Date | Marker | Sunrise | Sunset | Game mammals | Game birds (ODFW) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 29, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:15 a.m. | 7:37 p.m. | 5:45 a.m. to 8:07 p.m. | Not in table |
| Oct 3, 2026 | Eastern buck rifle | 6:53 a.m. | 6:35 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 7:05 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 6:24 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Duck opener and upland opener | 7:01 a.m. | 6:23 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 6:53 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 6:12 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:22 a.m. | 4:23 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 4:53 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 4:18 p.m. |
| Apr 15, 2027 | Spring turkey | 6:15 a.m. | 7:35 p.m. | 5:45 a.m. to 8:05 p.m. | Not in table |
Hours rules from the ODFW general hunting regulations; game bird times from the 2026-27 game bird shooting hours table; mammal sunrise and sunset worked out for this location with the NOAA solar formula (Pacific Time); checked November 8, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Near the Steens Mtn Unit
Towns tied to the Steens Mtn Unit: Burns, Hines and Crane.
Units around the Steens Mtn Unit:
| Unit | Shared counties | Sq mi | Hunt numbers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Juniper Unit | Harney | 2,920 | 28 |
| Malheur River Unit | Harney, Malheur | 2,890 | 31 |
| Whitehorse Unit | Harney, Malheur | 4,884 | 24 |
| Silvies Unit | Harney | 1,788 | 27 |
| Beatys Butte Unit | Harney | 2,626 | 31 |
| Wagontire Unit | Harney | 3,109 | 21 |
| Beulah Unit | Harney, Malheur | 2,738 | 38 |
| Owyhee Unit | Malheur | 3,019 | 22 |
Towns and their units from Census places and the ODFW unit layer; checked November 8, 2026.
Steens Mtn Unit questions
Which counties split WMU 69?
Harney and Malheur, with the largest piece in Harney.
Which hunt in the Steens Mtn Unit gets the most applicants?
569A1, with 2,802 first choices in 2025.
Which general tags work in WMU 69?
3 general rows: elk, black bear and cougar.
How many units share the cougar quota with the Steens Mtn Unit?
11 units, including this one, share Zone F.
What access limits apply in WMU 69?
3 rifle-restricted seasons and 0 travel management areas.
How many land pages on this site touch the Steens Mtn Unit?
11.
Which towns make a good base for the Steens Mtn Unit?
Burns, Hines and Crane.
What did 2025 hunts in the Steens Mtn Unit take?
163 in buck deer, any weapon, the largest report.
Who do I call about access in the Steens Mtn Unit?
The Harney district at 541-573-6582.
How did the 2026 deer change affect the Steens Mtn Unit?
Buck hunts now follow Deer Hunt Areas inside herd ranges instead of units.
Answers drawn from the ODFW sources cited on this page; checked November 8, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (CC BY-SA 2.0).