Oregon › Hunting seasons › Units › Alsea Unit
Mid Coast district · WMU 18
Alsea Unit controlled hunts, general seasons and land
Lincoln County, Lane County, Benton County and Polk County: 1,955 square miles, 1,508 tags in 2026 hunts that reach it and 12 land records inside the unit.
Photo: USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Alsea Unit by county
Number 18 on the ODFW map, the Alsea Unit measures 1,955 square miles. The biggest piece, 747 square miles, sits in Lincoln County, and big game rules follow Western Oregon. Its boundary is drawn on landmarks rather than county lines, which puts parts of Lincoln, Lane, Benton and Polk inside it.
| County piece | Sq mi | Unit share | County share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County | 747.4 | 38% | 75% |
| Lane County | 531.8 | 27% | 12% |
| Benton County | 511.6 | 26% | 76% |
| Polk County | 164.4 | 8% | 22% |
District staff in Newport, Corvallis and Springfield handle the Alsea Unit, led by Newport with 72% of the ground.
| Biologist district | Office | Phone | % here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid Coast | Newport | 541-867-0300 x281 | 72% |
| Mid Willamette | Corvallis | 541-757-4186 | 24% |
| Upper Willamette | Springfield | 541-726-3515 | 3% |
Some ground inside the Alsea Unit is closed to state seasons: Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Off-Reservation Trust Land, Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Reservation, Grand Ronde Off-Reservation Trust Land, Siletz Off-Reservation Trust Land and Siletz Reservation. Tribal land has no state hunting, and reservation boundaries count as enclosed land under ORS 498.120.
| Closed place | Why |
|---|---|
| Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Off-Reservation Trust Land | Tribal land |
| Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Reservation | Tribal land |
| Grand Ronde Off-Reservation Trust Land | Tribal land |
| Siletz Off-Reservation Trust Land | Tribal land |
| Siletz Reservation | 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.
Alsea Unit rules that change by unit
- For cougar the Alsea Unit is in Zone A, set at 180 of the statewide 970. 2025 cougar harvest in the unit: 23.
- A general Western Oregon deer tag, bought by October 2, covers the Alsea Unit during the October 3 to November 6 season.
- Centerfire rifles: during Coast Bull Elk 1st Season and Coast Bull Elk 2nd Season you may not carry a centerfire rifle in the Alsea Unit without a deer, elk, pronghorn, sheep or goat tag valid for that time and place.
- Travel management areas in the Alsea Unit: 17A Mid Coast Access Area and 18A Mid-Coast.
- Antlerless elk damage tags (August 1 to March 31) work in Willamette Valley, which overlaps the Alsea Unit.
- Goose zone by county: Northwest Permit Zone (Lincoln, Lane, Benton, Polk). Ducks and doves follow the map-only Zones 1 and 2.
- Bird hours by county: Zone A (Lincoln, Lane, Benton, Polk).
- No CWD has turned up in Oregon, but whole deer and elk carcasses from other states may not be brought in.
| Season with rifle limit |
|---|
Coast Bull Elk 1st Season (Nov. 14 – Nov. 17) |
Coast Bull Elk 2nd Season (Nov. 21 – Nov. 27) |
| Area | Called | Active |
|---|---|---|
| 17A | Mid Coast Access Area | Year round. Access limited to walk in only at fire level 3. No public access at fire level 4 and during active logging operations. |
| 18A | Mid-Coast | Permanent Closure |
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.
Alsea Unit drawn tags by series
Drawn hunting in WMU 18: 12 hunt numbers and 1,508 tags for 2026, counting hunts that also cover other units. 1,145 hunters put 618 first in 2025, more than any other hunt in the Alsea Unit. 6 asterisk hunts do not cover the whole unit.
Leftover tags went on sale online on July 1 at 10 a.m.; spring bear leftovers on March 15. Hunts shown are from the 2026 regulations.
Antlerless deer, 600 series (2)
| Hunt | Name | Type | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | 1st choice 2025 | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 618 | Alsea Unit | Any legal weapon | Oct 3–Nov 6 | One antlerless deer | 107 | 1,145 | This unit only |
| 618T | Alsea Unit Youth | Youth only | Oct 3–Nov 8 | One antlerless deer | 55 | 96 | This unit only |
Premium deer, L hunts (1)
| Hunt | Name | Type | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | 1st choice 2025 | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L18 | Alsea | 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 (6)
| 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 |
| 218A * | N Alsea | Any legal weapon | Jan 1–Mar 31 | One antlerless elk | 38 | 317 | This unit only |
| 218B * | S Alsea | Any legal weapon | Jan 1–Mar 31 | One antlerless elk | 38 | 364 | This unit only |
| 218C * | Central Alsea | Any legal weapon | Jan 1–Mar 31 | One antlerless elk | 44 | 329 | This unit only |
| 218R | Alsea Unit Late Bow | Archery | Nov 28–Dec 13 | One antlerless elk | 550 | 119 | This unit only |
| 218T | Alsea Unit Youth | Youth only | Aug 15–Dec 31 | One antlerless elk | 16 | 90 | This unit only |
Premium elk, M hunts (1)
| Hunt | Name | Type | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | 1st choice 2025 | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M18 | Alsea | 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 |
Spring bear, 2026 hunts (2)
| Hunt | Name | Type | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | 1st choice 2025 | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 717A * | Alsea – Stott Mtn | Any legal weapon | Apr 1–May 31 | — | 273 | 586 | 17, 18 |
| 717T * | Alsea-Stott Mtn Youth | Youth only | Apr 1–May 31 | — | 55 | 30 | 17, 18 |
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.
What else opens in the Alsea Unit
Western Oregon units keep general seasons, and the Alsea Unit has 9 general big game rows: deer, elk, black bear and cougar. For elk without a draw: Archery elk – Western Oregon, Western Oregon Coast bull elk – 1st season and Western Oregon Coast bull elk – 2nd season.
Big game without a draw (9)
| Species | Season | Tag | Area | Dates | Bag | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | General archery – Western Oregon deer | General tag | Units 10, 17, 18 and 20 | Aug 29–Sep 27 Nov 21–Dec 13 | One buck with visible antler | |
| Deer | General Western Oregon buck deer – Any legal weapon | General tag | Units 10-30 | Oct 3–Nov 6 | One buck with visible antler | |
| Deer | Youth extension – Western Oregon general buck deer | General tag | Units 10-30 | Nov 7–8 | One buck with visible antler | |
| Elk | General season antlerless elk damage | General tag | Biggs Unit; Columbia Plateau; Maupin Unit; Melrose; Evans Creek; Willamette Valley; Chetco | Aug 1–Mar 31 2027 | One antlerless elk | |
| Elk | General archery elk – Western Oregon | General tag | Units 11, 12, 14, 17, 18 and 27 | Aug 29–Sep 27 | One bull elk | |
| Elk | General Western Oregon Coast bull elk – 1st season | General tag | Coast (Units 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 23, 28) | Nov 14–17 | One bull elk | |
| Elk | General Western Oregon Coast bull elk – 2nd season | General tag | Coast (Units 11, 15, 17, 18, 23, 28) | Nov 21–27 | One bull 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 |
The 20 rows in the second table need licenses, validations or permits rather than big game tags. 13 pursuit and falconry rows are omitted here.
License and validation seasons (20)
| Species | Season | Tag | Area | Dates | Bag | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Turkey | Fall wild turkey | General tag | WMUs 14-30 | Sep 1–Jan 31 2027 | Two wild turkeys of either sex | |
| Wild Turkey | Beardless wild turkey permit season | Permit | Private lands in WMUs 37 | Oct 1–Feb 28 2027 | 3 hen turkeys and/or turkeys without a visible beard per day; season limit 9 (3 permits) | |
| 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.
How 2025 hunters did in the Alsea Unit
ODFW's 2025 estimates put 1,346 animals in the buck deer, any weapon column for hunts in the Alsea Unit, from 4,375 hunters.
In buck deer, any weapon, about 31 in 100 hunters scored (1,346 of 4,375). In elk, any weapon, about 17 in 100 hunters scored (534 of 3,074).
Eastern deer rows for 2025 use units; the 2026 Deer Hunt Areas came later.
| Report | Hunt | People | Taken | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buck deer, any weapon | General Any Legal Weapon Western Oregon w/ 119A | 69 | 29 | 42% |
| Buck deer, any weapon | General Western Deer | 4,306 | 1,317 | 31% |
| Deer, archery | Early Bow Deer | 235 | 15 | 7% |
| Deer, archery | Late Bow Deer | 207 | 21 | 10% |
| Antlerless deer | 618 Alsea Unit | 104 | 50 | 48% |
| Antlerless deer | 618T Alsea Unit Youth | 44 | 24 | 54% |
| Elk, any weapon | 215A Willamette Plus | 5 | 5 | 100% |
| Elk, any weapon | 218A N Alsea | 110 | 76 | 69% |
| Elk, any weapon | 218B S Alsea | 91 | 70 | 77% |
| Elk, any weapon | 218C Central Alsea | 85 | 65 | 77% |
| Elk, any weapon | 218T Alsea Unit Youth | 13 | 7 | 55% |
| Elk, any weapon | Coast 1st season | 1,208 | 166 | 14% |
| Elk, any weapon | Coast 2nd season | 1,562 | 145 | 9% |
| Elk, archery | 200R Oregon Youth Bow | 5 | 1 | 25% |
| Elk, archery | 218R Alsea Unit Late Bow | 184 | 16 | 9% |
| Elk, archery | Western General Bow Elk w/ 216R1 | 5 | 3 | 67% |
| Elk, archery | Western General Bow Elk w/ 217R | 4 | 0 | 0% |
| Elk, archery | Western General Bow Elk w/ 218R | 135 | 35 | 26% |
| Elk, archery | Western General Bow Elk w/ 219R | 7 | 0 | 0% |
| Elk, archery | Western Elk Archery | 718 | 117 | 16% |
| Elk damage tags | General Season Antlerless Elk Damage | 41 | 19 | 46% |
| Black bear | 717A Alsea – Stott Mtn | 108 | 30 | 28% |
| Black bear | 717T Alsea-Scott Mtn Youth | 14 | 6 | 40% |
| Black bear | Additional Fall Bear | 31 | 5 | 15% |
| Black bear | Fall Bear | 1,082 | 67 | 6.2% |
| Cougar | Additional Cougar | 8 | 2 | 20% |
| Cougar | Cougar | 878 | 21 | 2.4% |
ODFW 2025 harvest estimates: Buck deer, any weapon, Deer, archery, Antlerless deer, Elk, any weapon, Elk, archery, Elk damage tags, Black bear, Cougar; checked November 8, 2026.
Mapped ground inside the Alsea Unit
12 public land pages on this site reach into the Alsea Unit: 2 ODFW wildlife areas, 2 national forest or ranger district records, 3 BLM units and 3 private-land access areas. Statewide programs that also reach it: Bureau of Land Management Oregon public lands.
Willamette Private Timberlands Law Enforcement Project
Siuslaw National Forest
Lincoln County Forest Patrol Project
Mid Coast Access Area
BLM Siuslaw Field Office
BLM Marys Peak Field Office
E.E. Wilson Wildlife Area
Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Tami Wagner Wildlife Area
Only in WMU 18
BLM Northwest Oregon District
Other ODF state forestlands (West Oregon, Western Lane, Coos and Southwest districts)
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.
When hunting light starts in the Alsea Unit
Deer, elk, bear and cougar hunters around the Alsea Unit follow the mammal window; grouse, quail, chukar, pheasant, ducks and geese follow the bird table.
| When | Event | First sun | Last sun | Big game window | Bird window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 29, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:33 a.m. | 8:00 p.m. | 6:03 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. | Not in table |
| Oct 3, 2026 | General buck opener | 7:14 a.m. | 6:54 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 7:24 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 6:44 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Duck opener and upland opener | 7:22 a.m. | 6:41 p.m. | 6:52 a.m. to 7:11 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 6:31 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:48 a.m. | 4:38 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 5:08 p.m. | 7:15 a.m. to 4:37 p.m. |
| Apr 15, 2027 | Spring turkey | 6:33 a.m. | 7:58 p.m. | 6:03 a.m. to 8:28 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.
Around the Alsea Unit
For fuel, food and a room near the Alsea Unit, look at Corvallis, Newport and Florence.
- CorvallisBenton County
- NewportLincoln County
- FlorenceLane County
- WaldportLincoln County
- BellfountainBenton County
- BlodgettBenton County
- Lincoln BeachLincoln County
- MapletonLane County
- AlbanyLinn County
- DallasPolk County
- Lincoln CityLincoln County
- VenetaLane County
Units around the Alsea Unit:
| WMU | Shared | Sq mi | Hunts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stott Mtn Unit | Lincoln, Polk | 497 | 11 |
| Siuslaw Unit | Lane | 1,513 | 10 |
| McKenzie Unit | Lane | 2,642 | 12 |
| Trask Unit | Lincoln, Polk | 1,317 | 18 |
| Willamette Unit | Benton, Lane, Polk | 2,893 | 6 |
| Indigo Unit | Lane | 1,939 | 25 |
| Melrose Unit | Lane | 958 | 21 |
| Upper Deschutes Unit | Lane | 1,400 | 16 |
Towns and their units from Census places and the ODFW unit layer; checked November 8, 2026.
Alsea Unit in brief
How many square miles is the Alsea Unit?
1,955 square miles (1,253,496 acres) on the ODFW layer.
Is there a deadline for the elk damage tag?
No.
What big game can I buy over the counter for the Alsea Unit?
Deer, elk, black bear and cougar.
How many 2026 tags do hunts in the Alsea Unit carry?
1,508 tags across 12 hunts, some shared with other units.
Are any roads closed in the Alsea Unit during hunting season?
Yes, 2 cooperative travel management areas.
What is the cougar quota around WMU 18?
180 for Zone A.
What towns lie within the Alsea Unit?
Corvallis, Newport, Florence and Waldport.
Is any national forest inside the Alsea Unit?
Yes, 2 forest or ranger district records.
Who manages wildlife in the Alsea Unit?
The ODFW Mid Coast district, from Newport.
Does ODFW publish harvest for the Alsea Unit?
Yes, by hunt within each unit in its 2025 reports.
Answers drawn from the ODFW sources cited on this page; checked November 8, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Nick Varvel (CC BY 2.0).