Unit 14 Trask
Big Tillamook State Forest timber from McMinnville's farms out to the Salmon River coast — general Roosevelt elk and blacktail on a logging-road maze.
West Oregon — Northern Coast Range · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,326
sq mi
Public land
42%
approx.
Elevation
0–3,400
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
The Trask Unit (Unit 14) covers roughly 1,300 sq mi of the Northern Coast Range, running from the Willamette Valley edge near McMinnville and the Yamhill farm country southwest over forested mountains to the Pacific near Neskowin and the Salmon River. About 42% is public — dominated by Oregon Department of Forestry's Tillamook State Forest with scattered BLM and a slice of Siuslaw National Forest — the rest private industrial timber and valley farmland. It is a general-season Roosevelt elk and Columbian blacktail unit accessed almost entirely by an extensive gravel logging-road grid, so hunter effort and getting behind gates matter more than tags. Public land is very unevenly distributed: the Central Trask core is about 95% public while West Trask near the coast is only about 25% public.
Terrain
Sea-level bays and coastal flats and interior valley farmland climb into steep, deeply dissected Coast Range mountains cut by the Trask, Nestucca, and Tualatin drainages. Relief tops out near 3,400 ft around Trask Mountain. Terrain is broken, brushy, and rain-soaked with limited long-range visibility.
Cover: Coastal temperate forest of Douglas fir, western hemlock, western red cedar, and Sitka spruce near the coast, over alder-choked draws and a heavy understory of salmonberry, salal, sword fern, and berry brush. A shifting mosaic of active and regenerating clearcuts provides the critical big-game forage edge.
Landmarks: Trask River and Trask River Road · Nestucca River corridor · Trask Mountain (unit high point) · Edwards Butte / Gold Creek area (Central Trask) · Hebo Lake and Mt. Hebo (Siuslaw NF) · Murphy Camp / North Fork Trask · Neskowin and Salmon River (southwest coastal boundary)
Access
About 42% public but very unevenly split — Central Trask is roughly 95% public state forest while West Trask toward the coast is only about 25% public. Tillamook State Forest allows free dispersed camping and open foot/bike/horse travel; ODF gates and signs selected roads seasonally to reduce motorized pressure. The Cascade Head–Lincoln City Special Area (shared with Unit 17) restricts hunting to archery and shotgun-with-slug only — no centerfire rifles, muzzleloaders, or handguns. Fire-season closures can shut roads and camps in late summer.
Managers: Oregon Dept. of Forestry - Tillamook State Forest, Private industrial timber companies, Bureau of Land Management - Northwest Oregon District, USFS - Siuslaw National Forest (Mt. Hebo area), Private valley farmland (Yamhill/Willamette edge)
Access points: State Hwy 6 (Wilson River Hwy, north boundary corridor) · US Hwy 101 (western coastal access) · State Hwy 22 / Three Rivers Hwy near Hebo · Trask River Road (main interior artery) · Nestucca River Road / Blaine · Tillamook State Forest road grid off Hwy 6 and Trask River Rd
Species notes
Roosevelt Elk
common opportunityRoosevelt elk are the unit's marquee general-season draw, spread through the state-forest timber in herds that shift with logging activity. Mature bulls exist but are heavily pressured; this is an effort-driven opportunity hunt, not a trophy unit.
- →Hunt the edges where fresh and replanted clearcuts meet mature timber — elk feed the openings at first and last light and bed in dark second-growth
- →Get behind seasonal ODF gates on foot or bike; pressure drops sharply where trucks can't follow
- →Focus the Central Trask public core (Trask River, Gold Creek, Edwards Butte, Murphy Camp) where public land is nearly continuous
- →Still-hunt slow and quiet in wet timber — the rainforest rarely gives long glassing lanes; cut and follow fresh sign, trails, and wallows
- →During the rut, locate bugling bulls along drainage heads and ridge benches between feeding units
Blacktail Deer
common opportunityColumbian blacktail are widespread and stable across the unit's timber and rural fringe. Heavy access and pressure keep most bucks young, but mature bucks survive in thick brush and along the private farm/timber edge.
- →Work clearcut and regrowth edges at dawn and dusk, then still-hunt salmonberry and salal cover through the day
- →Hunt the transition between valley farmland and timber on the east side where bucks feed on ag and retreat to cover
- →Expect close-range jump shooting in brush rather than open spotting
- →Rifle hunters should slow down and cover ground quietly; the late seasons and rut move bigger bucks
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bear are common throughout the coastal timber and take a spring general tag (Northwest Oregon) plus fall opportunity. Densities are solid in the wet, berry-rich Coast Range.
- →Spring: glass green-up on south-facing clearcuts and road cuts where bears feed on new grass and forbs
- →Fall: key on salmonberry, huckleberry, and other berry patches
- →Drive and glass the logging-road network at first and last light covering fresh clearcut openings
Pro tips
- →Concentrate on the Central Trask public block — West Trask near the coast is mostly private and only ~25% public
- →Learn the seasonal ODF gate closures and hunt the walk-in country behind them
- →Confirm you are outside the Cascade Head–Lincoln City Special Area or switch to archery/shotgun-slug
- →Scout clearcut ages ahead of season — 2 to 10-year regrowth holds the most forage and animals
- →Carry an ODF Tillamook State Forest road map and a saw for blowdown
Watch out for
- !Public land is patchy and interfingered with private timber — verify ownership before shooting near boundaries
- !Cascade Head–Lincoln City Special Area weapon restrictions (no centerfire rifle) in the coastal corner
- !Seasonal gate and fire-danger closures can lock out roads and camps
- !Steep, brushy, wet terrain and washed-out spur roads — plan for slow travel and recovery
- !Heavy pressure near paved corridors and the Portland/Valley population
Logistics
Tillamook, McMinnville, and Sheridan/Willamina offer full services, fuel, and lodging on the unit's edges. Free dispersed camping is available on Tillamook State Forest; expect wet, muddy road conditions and carry recovery gear. A gazetteer or ODF motor-vehicle-use map is essential for the road maze, and cell coverage is spotty in the interior drainages.
Nearest towns: Tillamook, McMinnville, Willamina, Hebo, Beaver, Grand Ronde, Sheridan
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Oregon sources:
Research sources: ODFW Trask Unit 14 · ODFW Big Game Unit boundary map · Oregon eRegulations — Elk Hunt Descriptions
FAQ
- How big is Unit 14 in Oregon?
- Unit 14 (Trask) covers about 1,326 square miles, ranging from roughly 0 to 3,400 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 14?
- Approximately 42% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: Oregon Dept. of Forestry - Tillamook State Forest, Private industrial timber companies, Bureau of Land Management - Northwest Oregon District, USFS - Siuslaw National Forest (Mt. Hebo area), Private valley farmland (Yamhill/Willamette edge). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 14?
- Roosevelt Elk, Blacktail Deer, Black Bear. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Oregon agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 14 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.