Oregon › Hunting seasons › Units › Santiam Unit
ODFW West Region · 3,327 sq mi
Hunting the Santiam Unit (16) in Oregon
3,327 square miles of Western Oregon, 14 hunt numbers and 18 public land pages, managed from the Clackamas office.
Photo: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Mapping the Santiam Unit
Measured on the ODFW Wildlife Management Unit layer, unit 16 runs to 2,133,362 acres, mostly in Clackamas County (41%), and it sits in Western Oregon. The Santiam Unit crosses into 7 counties. By area the split runs Clackamas 41%, Linn 33%, Marion 19%, Multnomah 6%, Wasco 0.9%, Jefferson 0.2% and Hood River under 0.1%. Treat the Wasco, Jefferson and Hood River overlap as a boundary sliver (below 2% of the unit).
| County | Sq mi in unit | Share of unit | Share of county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clackamas County | 1,363.4 | 41% | 73% |
| Linn County | 1,090.9 | 33% | 47% |
| Marion County | 644.1 | 19% | 54% |
| Multnomah County | 191.3 | 6% | 42% |
| Wasco County | 30.3 | 0.9% | 1% |
| Jefferson County | 6.9 | 0.2% | 0.4% |
| Hood River County | 0.1 | under 0.1% | — |
Call 971-673-6028 for the Clackamas biologists, who manage the largest part of the Santiam Unit (55%).
| District | Based in | Phone | Unit % |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Willamette – Cascade Unit | Clackamas | 971-673-6028 | 55% |
| Mid Willamette | Corvallis | 541-757-4186 | 44% |
| Mid Columbia | The Dalles | 541-296-4628 | 1% |
1 closed place overlap the Santiam Unit, among them Warm Springs Reservation.
| Name | Closed because |
|---|---|
| Warm Springs 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.
Santiam Unit unit-level rules
- Zone A (Coast/North Cascade) takes in WMU 16 and 15 other units under a quota of 180. The 2025 cougar report credits the unit with 9 animals.
- Western Oregon general buck deer runs from October 3 to November 6 across Units 10-30, so an over-the-counter tag works in the Santiam Unit.
- The centerfire rifle restriction covers WMU 16 during West Cascade Bull Elk.
- No cooperative travel management area is printed for the Santiam Unit.
- ODFW maps the Willamette Valley antlerless elk damage area across WMU 16.
- County-based goose zones touching WMU 16: Northwest Permit Zone (Clackamas, Linn, Marion, Multnomah). Read the duck and dove zone from the ODFW map.
- Game bird hours table zone for this unit: Zone A (Clackamas, Linn, Marion, Multnomah) and Zone B (Wasco, Jefferson, Hood River).
- Testing continues statewide and no chronic wasting disease has been confirmed in Oregon.
| When rifles are limited |
|---|
West Cascade Bull Elk (Nov. 7 – Nov. 13) |
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.
Santiam Unit hunt numbers
Apply for any of these 14 hunts to carry a drawn tag in the Santiam Unit. Tag counts total 6,353, though multi-unit hunts spread them wider. The most-requested hunt touching the unit is 710A NW Oregon, with 1,749 first-choice applicants in 2025 for 1,430 tags this year. 616A1 has the worst odds here, near 22 first-choice applicants for every tag. Hunts with * (11) are limited to part of the area named.
Results came out by June 12. Sheep, goat and premium hunts are drawn fully at random, with no preference points. Read each row as 2026; 2027 hunts come with the next booklet.
Buck deer, 100 series (1)
| Hunt | Name | Type | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | 1st choice 2025 | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 119A * | W High Cascade | Any legal weapon | Sep 12–20 | One buck with visible antler | 3,300 | 1,311 | 16, 19, 21, 22, 30, 31, 77 |
Antlerless deer, 600 series (4)
| Hunt | Name | Type | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | 1st choice 2025 | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 616A1 * | NW Santiam | Any legal weapon | Oct 3–Nov 6 | One antlerless deer | 50 | 1,093 | This unit only |
| 616A2 * | SW Santiam | Any legal weapon | Oct 3–Nov 6 | One antlerless deer | 55 | 695 | This unit only |
| 616T1 * | SW Santiam Youth | Youth only | Nov 14–25 | One deer | 53 | 140 | This unit only |
| 616T2 * | NW Santiam Youth | Youth only | Nov 14–25 | One deer | 33 | 161 | This unit only |
Premium deer, L hunts (1)
| Hunt | Name | Type | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | 1st choice 2025 | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L16 | Santiam | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200M * | Cascade Muzzleloader | Muzzleloader | Nov 21–27 | **One elk outside all USFS lands **One bull elk inside all USFS lands | 990 | 300 | 16, 19, 21, 22, 29, 30 |
| 200R * | Oregon Youth Bow | Youth only | Aug 29–Sep 27 | One elk | 330 | 124 | 62 units |
| 216B * | SW Santiam | Any legal weapon | Dec 1–Mar 31 2027 | One antlerless elk | 11 | 157 | This unit only |
| 216D * | NW Santiam | Any legal weapon | Dec 1–Mar 31 2027 | One antlerless elk | 22 | 222 | This unit only |
| 216R1 | Santiam Unit Traditional Bow (Traditional Bow Only) | Archery | Sep 28–Oct 2 | **One elk outside all USFS lands **One bull elk inside all USFS lands | 55 | 10 | This unit only |
| 216T * | Santiam Unit Youth | Youth only | Aug 15–Dec 31 | One antlerless elk | 22 | 86 | This unit only |
Premium elk, M hunts (1)
| Hunt | Name | Type | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | 1st choice 2025 | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M16 | Santiam | 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 (1)
| Hunt | Name | Type | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | 1st choice 2025 | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 710A * | NW Oregon | Any legal weapon | Apr 1–May 31 | — | 1,430 | 1,749 | 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 19 |
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.
Seasons open in the Santiam Unit
Buy-and-go hunting in the Santiam Unit: 8 general season rows for deer, elk, black bear and cougar. General elk options here: Archery elk – Western Oregon and West Cascade bull elk.
General big game (8)
| Species | Season | Tag | Area | Dates | Bag | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer | General archery – Western Oregon deer | General tag | Units 15, 16, 19 and the northern portion of Unit 21 | Aug 29–Sep 27 Nov 21–Dec 13 | One deer | |
| 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 16, 19, 21, 22, 29 and 30 | Aug 29–Sep 27 | One bull elk, except one elk outside of USFS lands | |
| Elk | General West Cascade bull elk | General tag | West Cascade (Units 16, 19, 21, 22, 29, 30) | Nov 7–13 | 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 |
Non-big-game hunting in the Santiam Unit runs to 20 season rows, from grouse and turkey to raccoon and otter. The table skips 13 falconry and pursuit seasons.
Game birds and furbearers (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.
Last season in the Santiam Unit
8,520 hunters took 2,707 buck deer, any weapon in the Santiam Unit in 2025, the top line in the table.
8,520 buck deer, any weapon hunters took 2,707. 1,706 elk, any weapon hunters took 186.
Figures are ODFW estimates from mandatory hunter reports, by hunt within the unit.
| ODFW report | Hunt | Hunters | Animals | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buck deer, any weapon | 119A W High Cascade | 400 | 42 | 10% |
| Buck deer, any weapon | General Any Legal Weapon Western Oregon w/ 119A | 387 | 136 | 35% |
| Buck deer, any weapon | General Western Deer | 7,733 | 2,529 | 33% |
| Deer, archery | Late Bow Deer w/ 123R1 | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Deer, archery | Early Bow Deer | 651 | 80 | 12% |
| Deer, archery | Late Bow Deer | 926 | 174 | 19% |
| Antlerless deer | 616A1 NW Santiam | 74 | 43 | 58% |
| Antlerless deer | 616A2 SW Santiam | 53 | 32 | 61% |
| Antlerless deer | 616T1 SW Santiam Youth | 64 | 40 | 61% |
| Antlerless deer | 616T2 NW Santiam Youth | 26 | 21 | 80% |
| Elk, any weapon | 216B SW Santiam | 23 | 17 | 73% |
| Elk, any weapon | 216D NW Santiam | 72 | 29 | 40% |
| Elk, any weapon | 216T Santiam Unit Youth | 13 | 8 | 64% |
| Elk, any weapon | West Cascade | 1,598 | 132 | 8% |
| Elk, archery | 200R Oregon Youth Bow | 7 | 1 | 17% |
| Elk, archery | 216R1 Santiam Unit Traditional Bow | 10 | 0 | 0% |
| Elk, archery | 216R2 Santiam Unit Late Bow | 55 | 1 | 2% |
| Elk, archery | Western General Bow Elk w/ 216R1 | 10 | 2 | 17% |
| Elk, archery | Western General Bow Elk w/ 216R2 | 58 | 10 | 18% |
| Elk, archery | Western General Bow Elk w/ 217R | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Elk, archery | Western General Bow Elk w/ 218R | 5 | 0 | 0% |
| Elk, archery | Western General Bow Elk w/ 219R | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Elk, archery | Western Elk Archery | 838 | 97 | 12% |
| Elk, muzzleloader | 200M Cascade Muzzleloader | 73 | 6 | 8% |
| Elk damage tags | General Season Antlerless Elk Damage | 62 | 12 | 19% |
| Black bear | 710A NW Oregon | 201 | 31 | 15% |
| Black bear | Additional Fall Bear | 25 | 2 | 6.2% |
| Black bear | Fall Bear | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Black bear | Fall Bear | 1,564 | 100 | 6.4% |
| Cougar | Additional Cougar | 7 | 0 | 0% |
| Cougar | Cougar | 1,086 | 9 | 0.8% |
ODFW 2025 harvest estimates: Buck deer, any weapon, Deer, archery, Antlerless deer, Elk, any weapon, Elk, archery, Elk, muzzleloader, Elk damage tags, Black bear, Cougar; checked November 8, 2026.
Land records in the Santiam Unit
These 18 lands share ground with the Santiam Unit; open each for camping, vehicle and parking rules. Add Bureau of Land Management Oregon public lands and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lands in Oregon to the list for WMU 16.
Willamette National Forest
Willamette Private Timberlands Law Enforcement Project
Mt. Hood National Forest
McKenzie River Ranger District (Willamette National Forest)
Clackamas River Ranger District (Mt. Hood National Forest)
Only in WMU 16
Sisters Ranger District (Deschutes National Forest)
Detroit Ranger District (Willamette National Forest)
Linn County Forest Patrol Project
Zigzag Ranger District (Mt. Hood National Forest)
Hood River Ranger District (Mt. Hood National Forest)
BLM Cascades 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.
Legal hours around the Santiam Unit
Spring turkey hunters near the Santiam Unit start half an hour before sunrise but must stop at sunset, earlier than deer and elk hunters on the same evening.
| Day | Why it matters | Sun up | Sun down | Deer and elk | Upland and ducks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 29, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:26 a.m. | 7:54 p.m. | 5:56 a.m. to 8:24 p.m. | Not in table |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Eastern buck rifle | 6:42 a.m. | 7:28 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 7:58 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 7:22 p.m. |
| Oct 3, 2026 | General buck opener | 7:07 a.m. | 6:48 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 7:18 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 6:44 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Duck opener and upland opener | 7:16 a.m. | 6:35 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 7:05 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 6:31 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:43 a.m. | 4:30 p.m. | 7:13 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | 7:15 a.m. to 4:37 p.m. |
| Apr 15, 2027 | Spring turkey | 6:26 a.m. | 7:52 p.m. | 5:56 a.m. to 8:22 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.
Towns and units near the Santiam Unit
The largest place inside WMU 16 is Sweet Home. Within 10 miles: Gresham, Woodburn, Happy Valley and Sandy.
- Sweet HomeLinn County
- GatesMarion County
- DetroitMarion County
- Mount Hood VillagesClackamas County
- GreshamMultnomah County
- WoodburnMarion County
- Happy ValleyClackamas County
- SandyClackamas County
- Black Butte RanchDeschutes County
Units that share a county with the Santiam Unit, closest first:
| Unit | Counties shared | Size, sq mi | Hunts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Willamette Unit | Clackamas, Linn, Marion, Multnomah | 2,893 | 6 |
| Metolius Unit | Jefferson, Linn | 666 | 12 |
| Hood Unit | Clackamas, Hood River | 376 | 15 |
| White River Unit | Clackamas, Hood River, Wasco | 938 | 19 |
| McKenzie Unit | Linn | 2,642 | 12 |
| Maupin Unit | Jefferson, Wasco | 528 | 24 |
| Grizzly Unit | Jefferson, Wasco | 1,684 | 19 |
| Biggs Unit | Wasco | 1,970 | 29 |
Towns and their units from Census places and the ODFW unit layer; checked November 8, 2026.
Questions on the Santiam Unit
Which ODFW district handles WMU 16?
North Willamette – Cascade Unit, Mid Willamette and Mid Columbia.
Is the Santiam Unit a good unit?
It depends on the hunt; in 2025 the buck deer, any weapon report shows 2,707 taken.
How big is WMU 16, and where is it?
3,327 square miles over 7 counties, mostly Clackamas.
Can I hunt antlerless elk on a damage tag in the Santiam Unit?
Yes, inside the mapped damage area.
Is there a general buck deer season in the Santiam Unit?
Yes, October 3 to November 6, with a youth extension on November 7 and 8.
How many controlled hunts include the Santiam Unit?
14: 6 elk, 4 antlerless deer, 1 buck deer, 1 spring bear, 1 premium deer and 1 premium elk.
Are centerfire rifles restricted in the Santiam Unit?
Yes, during West Cascade Bull Elk, unless you carry a valid big game tag.
When is cougar season in WMU 16?
January 1 to December 31 on a general tag, until Zone A hits 180.
What towns lie within the Santiam Unit?
Sweet Home, Gates, Detroit and Mount Hood Villages.
Is any national forest inside the Santiam Unit?
Yes, 11 forest or ranger district records.
Answers drawn from the ODFW sources cited on this page; checked November 8, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Bureau of Land Management (CC BY 2.0).