Unit 22 Dixon
North Umpqua timber country from Shady Cove to Toketee — heavily public Umpqua National Forest with blacktail, Roosevelt elk, bear, and cougar.
West Oregon — West Cascades (North Umpqua) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,560
sq mi
Public land
77%
approx.
Elevation
1,000–6,000
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
Unit 22 (Dixon) is a steep, forested west-Cascade unit of roughly 1,560 sq mi in the North Umpqua drainage, running from Shady Cove and the upper Rogue up to Toketee along the North Umpqua River. At about 77% public it is one of the most accessible general-season units in southwest Oregon, taking in the Umpqua National Forest, the northern edge of the Rogue River National Forest, and Medford–Roseburg BLM ground. It carries Columbian blacktail, Roosevelt elk, black bear, and cougar across a deep logging-road grid on rugged, timbered slopes above the famous North Umpqua River.
Terrain
River corridors along the North Umpqua and upper Rogue give way to steep, densely timbered Cascade foothills and mountains climbing toward the crest. Relief runs from roughly 1,000 ft in the canyons to around 6,000 ft on the higher eastern ridges; slopes are steep, brushy, and cut by countless side drainages.
Cover: West-Cascade mixed conifer — Douglas fir, western hemlock, incense cedar, and true firs upslope, over vine maple, madrone, manzanita, rhododendron, salal, and huckleberry. Active and regrowing clearcuts on the national-forest and BLM ground form the primary big-game feeding edges.
Landmarks: North Umpqua River and Hwy 138 corridor (northern boundary) · Toketee Falls / Toketee area (northeast corner) · Steamboat and the North Umpqua canyon · Upper Rogue River and Shady Cove (southwest corner) · Hwy 227 / Tiller and the Days Creek country (western boundary)
Access
At roughly 77% public and largely contiguous national forest, Dixon offers easy general-access hunting compared with the private-timber coast units, with free dispersed camping across the forest. Lower-elevation BLM parcels are checkerboarded with private industrial timber — confirm boundaries before crossing. Higher forest roads are gated or snow-closed seasonally, and early-fall fire danger can trigger closures.
Managers: USFS Umpqua National Forest, USFS Rogue River National Forest (northern edge), Bureau of Land Management (Medford and Roseburg districts, O&C checkerboard), Private industrial timber, Private land along the North Umpqua and upper Rogue corridors
Access points: State Hwy 138 (North Umpqua Hwy) — main northern access to Steamboat and Toketee · State Hwy 62 and Hwy 230 (southeast, upper Rogue) · State Hwy 227 through Tiller / Days Creek (western boundary) · Umpqua NF road network off Hwy 138 (e.g., Steamboat and Little River drainages)
Species notes
Blacktail Deer
common opportunityColumbian blacktail are the primary general-season deer, spread through the clearcut mosaic and brushy slopes above the river corridors. Pressure keeps most bucks young, but the big timber blocks and steep back-country hold a few mature bucks.
- →Glass fresh and regrowing clearcuts at first and last light before deer move into cover
- →Still-hunt slowly through second-growth and madrone/manzanita brush on quiet, wet mornings
- →Hunt behind gates and up the steep side drainages away from the Hwy 138 crowd
- →Late season, key on the rut and storm fronts that move bucks in daylight
- →Work south-facing slopes and mid-elevation benches as snow builds up high
Roosevelt Elk
common opportunityRoosevelt elk use the national-forest timber and clearcut openings throughout the unit, favoring dark second-growth for security and cuts for feed. Mature bulls exist in the back-country but are hard-earned; treat this as an opportunity hunt.
- →Hunt clearcut edges at dawn and dusk where elk feed, then bed in adjacent dark timber
- →Get well behind gates on foot — herds shift to roadless pockets under pressure
- →During the rut, locate bugling bulls along drainage heads and benches between feeding units
- →Work fresh sign, trails, and wallows in the wet timber where glassing is limited
- →Focus on the Steamboat, Little River, and upper North Umpqua drainages
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bear are abundant across the North Umpqua country, well fed by berry crops and lush regrowth. Both spring green-up and fall berry seasons offer good spot-and-stalk hunting.
- →Glass green clearcuts and roadside cuts in spring as bears feed on new grass and forbs
- →In late summer/fall key on huckleberry, blackberry, and manzanita berry patches
- →Spot-and-stalk from logging-road vantage points across drainages early and late
- →Hunt the same clearcut edges as deer and elk
Cougar
common opportunityCougars are common and shadow the deer and elk herds through the timbered drainages. Most are taken incidentally or by tracking fresh snow.
- →Cut roads and ridgelines for tracks after fresh snow
- →Hunt where deer and elk concentrate
- →Glass open slopes and clearcuts at first light
- →Try predator calling near recent kills or dense cover
Pro tips
- →Use the high public-land percentage to hike past road hunters into steep side drainages
- →Follow the snow line down — animals concentrate on mid-elevation benches and south slopes as high country whitens
- →The North Umpqua canyon walls and roadless pockets shelter the least-pressured mature animals
- →Verify BLM/private checkerboard boundaries on the lower-elevation edges
- →Glass clearcut edges across drainages from logging-road vantage points
Watch out for
- !Lower-elevation BLM is checkerboarded with private industrial timber — confirm boundaries
- !Early-season fire danger can close industrial and public forest ground
- !Higher roads gate or snow-close seasonally; late storms can strand vehicles
- !Very steep, brushy terrain makes access and pack-outs demanding
- !Heavy recreation traffic on the Hwy 138 North Umpqua corridor concentrates hunters near the road
Logistics
Roseburg is the main supply hub, with Glide and Idleyld Park offering closer fuel and basics along Hwy 138 toward the hunting country; Shady Cove serves the southeast corner. Free dispersed camping is available across the Umpqua NF, with developed campgrounds along the North Umpqua. Fuel up before heading up-mountain and carry chains and recovery gear for steep, wet, seasonally snowy roads.
Nearest towns: Glide, Idleyld Park, Roseburg, Shady Cove, Canyonville
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Oregon sources:
Research sources: ODFW Dixon Unit 22 · ODFW Western Oregon Big Game Unit Map · USFS Umpqua National Forest
FAQ
- How big is Unit 22 in Oregon?
- Unit 22 (Dixon) covers about 1,560 square miles, ranging from roughly 1,000 to 6,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 22?
- Approximately 77% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Umpqua National Forest, USFS Rogue River National Forest (northern edge), Bureau of Land Management (Medford and Roseburg districts, O&C checkerboard), Private industrial timber, Private land along the North Umpqua and upper Rogue corridors. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 22?
- Blacktail Deer, Roosevelt Elk, Black Bear, Cougar. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Oregon agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 22 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.