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Wildlife Management Unit 41
White River Unit (41): tags, seasons and 2025 harvest
Everything ODFW prints for WMU 41: 19 drawn hunts, 3 general big game rows and how the 2025 seasons went across Wasco County and Hood River County.
Photo: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
White River Unit size and offices
ODFW's unit layer gives the White River Unit 938 square miles (601,275 acres) on the Eastern Oregon side of the Cascade split, and 83% of it is in Wasco County. A hunter in the White River Unit can be standing in any of 3 counties, with Wasco the largest at 775 square miles. Clackamas shows up with under 2% of the White River Unit; check the ODFW unit map there.
| County | Square miles | Of the unit | Of the county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wasco County | 775.0 | 83% | 33% |
| Hood River County | 158.1 | 17% | 30% |
| Clackamas County | 4.4 | 0.5% | 0.2% |
1 ODFW wildlife district reach into the White River Unit; the phone numbers below are the district offices.
| District | Based in | Phone | Unit % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid Columbia | The Dalles | 541-296-4628 | 100% |
Plan around Warm Springs Off-Reservation Trust Land and Warm Springs Reservation: no state-licensed hunting is allowed there.
| Area | Status |
|---|---|
| Warm Springs Off-Reservation Trust Land | Tribal land |
| 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.
Special areas and limits in the White River Unit
- The general cougar tag works all year, but Zone A closes once 180 cougars are reported from its 16 units. 359 cougar hunters took 11 here in 2025.
- For deer, read the hunt area codes: Mid Columbia (MC: MC01, MC02) cover parts of the White River Unit.
- During Eastern Buck Deer, Rocky Mtn Bull Elk 1st Season and Rocky Mtn Bull Elk 2nd Season, a centerfire rifle is legal in the White River Unit only with a matching big game tag, used or unused.
- ODFW lists no travel management area inside WMU 41.
- The White River Unit touches Northwest Permit Zone (Clackamas) for geese; the Zone 1 and Zone 2 duck line is drawn only on a map.
- Game bird shooting hours come from ODFW's printed table: Zone A (Clackamas) and Zone B (Wasco, Hood River).
- Chronic wasting disease has not been detected in Oregon; ODFW listed 3,682 deer and 1,607 elk results as not detected on October 15, 2026.
| Rifle-restricted season |
|---|
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) |
| Herd range | Code | Deer Hunt Areas |
|---|---|---|
| Mid Columbia | MC | MC01, MC02 |
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.
Controlled hunts in the White River Unit
The White River Unit sits inside 19 hunt areas: 8 elk, 6 buck deer, 2 antlerless deer, 1 spring bear and 1 premium deer. Hunt 741A drew 474 first choices in 2025, the most of any hunt here; it has 363 tags for 2026. The tightest hunt is 241B, about 5 applicants per tag. ODFW added 9 of these hunts for 2026, so they have no 2025 applicant count. The * on 13 hunts means a partial hunt area.
Each series takes one application with up to five choices; points and the random pool apply only to the first choice. These are 2026 tags and dates.
Buck deer, 100 series (6)
| Hunt | Name | Type | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | 1st choice 2025 | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MC101 new | Mid-Columbia 01 | Any legal weapon | Oct 3–14 | One buck with visible antler | 1,265 | — | 40, 41, 43 |
| MC101-1 new * | Early Mid-Columbia 01 | Any legal weapon | Sep 12–20 | One buck with visible antler | 55 | — | This unit only |
| MC101-2 new | Late Mid-Columbia 01 | Any legal weapon | Nov 15–29 | One buck with visible antler | 10 | — | 40, 41, 43 |
| MC101M new | Mid-Columbia 01 Muzzleloader | Muzzleloader | Oct 17–25 | One buck with visible antler | 22 | — | 40, 41, 43 |
| MC101R new | Mid-Columbia 01 Bow | Archery | Aug 29–Sep 27 | One buck with visible antler | 385 | — | 40, 41, 43 |
| MC101T new * | Mid-Columbia 01 Youth | Youth only | Nov 14–25 | One buck with visible antler | 7 | — | This unit only |
Antlerless deer, 600 series (2)
| Hunt | Name | Type | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | 1st choice 2025 | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MC601 new * | The Dalles Orchard | Any legal weapon | Aug 29–Sep 6 | One antlerless deer | 22 | — | This unit only |
| MC601T new * | Mid Columbia 01 Youth | Youth only | Nov 21–Jan 2 2027 | One antlerless deer | 11 | — | 40, 41, 43 |
Premium deer, L hunts (1)
| Hunt | Name | Type | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | 1st choice 2025 | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LMC01 | Mid-Columbia 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 | — | 41, 43, 40 |
Elk, 200 series (8)
| 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 |
| 241A * | The Dalles Watershed | Any legal weapon | Oct 28–Nov 1 | One elk | 33 | 135 | This unit only |
| 241B * | White Rvr – Hood | Any legal weapon | Nov 21–29 | One antlerless elk | 55 | 298 | 41, 42 |
| 241C * | White Rvr Private | Any legal weapon | Aug 1–Dec 31 | One antlerless elk | 231 | 258 | This unit only |
| 241R new * | The Dalles Watershed Bow | Archery | Aug 29–Sep 27 | One elk | 5 | — | This unit only |
| 241T * | White Rvr – Hood Youth | Youth only | Aug 15–Dec 31 | One antlerless elk | 40 | 53 | 41, 42 |
| 241X * | White Rvr – Hood No. 1 | Any legal weapon | Oct 28–Nov 1 | One bull elk | 550 | 310 | 41, 42 |
| 241Y * | White Rvr – Hood No. 2 | Any legal weapon | Nov 7–15 | One bull elk | 1,210 | 379 | 41, 42 |
Premium elk, M hunts (1)
| Hunt | Name | Type | Dates | Bag | Tags 2026 | 1st choice 2025 | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M41 | White River | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 741A * | White Rvr – Hood | Any legal weapon | Apr 1–May 31 | — | 363 | 474 | 41, 42 |
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.
White River Unit hunts without a draw
Over-the-counter big game in the White River Unit means elk, black bear and cougar; mule deer hunting needs a controlled tag. Elk seasons open to general tag holders in the White River Unit: Archery elk – Eastern Oregon.
General tags (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 |
18 bird and furbearer rows also apply here. Not shown: 13 falconry or pursuit rows.
Birds and small game (18)
| Species | Season | Tag | Area | Dates | Bag | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 – North-Central Oregon | License | Units 34, 35, 39, 41 and 42 | Sep 15–Oct 31 | 3 daily, 6 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.
White River Unit harvest in 2025
The 2025 table for the White River Unit lists 24 hunt rows; buck deer, any weapon tops it at 405.
Unit total, buck deer, any weapon: 405 animals, 836 hunters. Unit total, elk, any weapon: 166 animals, 1,297 hunters.
Rows with no hunters and no harvest are left out of the table.
| Kind | Hunt | Hunters | Taken | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buck deer, any weapon | 141A Hood-White River | 28 | 11 | 38% |
| Buck deer, any weapon | 141B White River Unit No. 1 | 788 | 376 | 48% |
| Buck deer, any weapon | 141C White River Unit No. 2 | 15 | 13 | 86% |
| Buck deer, any weapon | 141T The Dalles Watershed Youth | 5 | 5 | 100% |
| Deer, archery | 141R Hood – White Rvr Bow | 276 | 80 | 29% |
| Deer, muzzleloader | 141M Hood- N White Rvr Muzzleloader | 15 | 13 | 85% |
| Antlerless deer | 640T Mid-Columbia Private Youth | 7 | 7 | 100% |
| Antlerless deer | 641A The Dalles Orchard | 23 | 21 | 90% |
| Antlerless deer | 641B Wamic Bench | 3 | 1 | 50% |
| Elk, any weapon | 241A The Dalles Watershed | 27 | 2 | 9% |
| Elk, any weapon | 241B White Rvr – Hood | 36 | 3 | 9% |
| Elk, any weapon | 241C White Rvr Private | 181 | 50 | 28% |
| Elk, any weapon | 241T White Rvr – Hood Youth | 20 | 0 | 0% |
| Elk, any weapon | 241X White Rvr – Hood No. 1 | 310 | 47 | 15% |
| Elk, any weapon | 241Y White Rvr – Hood No. 2 | 723 | 64 | 9% |
| Elk, archery | Eastern General Bow Elk w/ 216R2 | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Elk, archery | Eastern General Bow Elk w/ 217R | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Elk, archery | Eastern General Bow Elk w/ 218R | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Elk, archery | Eastern Elk Archery | 222 | 33 | 15% |
| Black bear | 741A White Rvr – Hood | 120 | 11 | 9% |
| Black bear | Additional Fall Bear | 14 | 2 | 11.1% |
| Black bear | Fall Bear | 459 | 15 | 3.2% |
| Cougar | Additional Cougar | 7 | 0 | 0% |
| Cougar | Cougar | 352 | 11 | 3% |
ODFW 2025 harvest estimates: Buck deer, any weapon, Deer, archery, Deer, muzzleloader, Antlerless deer, Elk, any weapon, Elk, archery, Black bear, Cougar; checked November 8, 2026.
White River Unit wildlife areas and forests
8 land records cross into WMU 41, including 0 Access and Habitat or Open Fields areas. The unit also holds Bureau of Land Management Oregon public lands land.
Mt. Hood National Forest
Hood River Ranger District (Mt. Hood National Forest)
Barlow Ranger District (Mt. Hood National Forest)
Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area
White River Wildlife Area
Only in WMU 41
Crates Point Wildlife Area
Only in WMU 41
BLM Prineville District
BLM Deschutes 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 White River Unit sunrise and shooting times
Oregon clocks fall back on November 1, 2026 and spring forward on March 14, 2027, so the the White River Unit times below jump an hour across those dates.
| Date | Opener | Rise | Set | Mammal hours | Bird table |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 29, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:22 a.m. | 7:51 p.m. | 5:52 a.m. to 8:21 p.m. | Not in table |
| Sep 12, 2026 | Eastern buck rifle | 6:39 a.m. | 7:25 p.m. | 6:09 a.m. to 7:55 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. to 7:14 p.m. |
| Oct 3, 2026 | General buck opener | 7:04 a.m. | 6:44 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 7:14 p.m. | 6:38 a.m. to 6:34 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Duck opener and upland opener | 7:13 a.m. | 6:31 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 7:01 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 6:22 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:41 a.m. | 4:25 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. | 7:15 a.m. to 4:37 p.m. |
| Apr 15, 2027 | Spring turkey | 6:22 a.m. | 7:49 p.m. | 5:52 a.m. to 8:19 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.
White River Unit towns and neighbours
Towns tied to the White River Unit: The Dalles, Dufur, Pine Grove, Sportsmans Park and Hood River.
- The DallesWasco County
- DufurWasco County
- Pine GroveWasco County
- Sportsmans ParkWasco County
- Hood RiverHood River County
- ParkdaleHood River County
If tags in the White River Unit run short, these units share its counties:
| Neighbour | Same counties | Sq mi | Hunt numbers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maupin Unit | Wasco | 528 | 24 |
| Hood Unit | Clackamas, Hood River | 376 | 15 |
| Biggs Unit | Wasco | 1,970 | 29 |
| Santiam Unit | Clackamas, Hood River, Wasco | 3,327 | 14 |
| Grizzly Unit | Wasco | 1,684 | 19 |
| Fossil Unit | Wasco | 1,407 | 34 |
| Willamette Unit | Clackamas | 2,893 | 6 |
Towns and their units from Census places and the ODFW unit layer; checked November 8, 2026.
Questions on the White River Unit
Is elk hunting in the White River Unit general or controlled?
Both. General tags cover Archery elk – Eastern Oregon, and 9 controlled or premium elk hunts reach it.
Which cougar zone takes in the White River Unit?
Zone A, Coast/North Cascade.
Are any roads closed in the White River Unit during hunting season?
None are listed.
Is any national forest inside the White River Unit?
Yes, 3 forest or ranger district records.
Which towns make a good base for the White River Unit?
The Dalles, Dufur, Pine Grove and Sportsmans Park.
Is the White River Unit a good unit?
It depends on the hunt; in 2025 the buck deer, any weapon report shows 405 taken.
Where is the nearest ODFW office to the White River Unit?
The Dalles hosts the main district office.
Can I buy a general buck tag for WMU 41?
No; Eastern Oregon buck deer is controlled only.
Which counties does the White River Unit cross?
Wasco, Hood River and Clackamas; Wasco County holds 83% of its 938 square miles.
Which drawn hunts are valid in WMU 41?
19 hunt numbers (8 elk, 6 buck deer, 2 antlerless deer, 1 spring bear, 1 premium deer and 1 premium elk); the table lists each one.
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).