Unit 24 Tioga
Steep sea-to-3,200-ft coastal timber around Coos Bay — blacktail and Roosevelt elk on the Elliott State Forest and a checkerboard of private timber.
ODFW Southwest — Coast Range / Coos · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,535
sq mi
Public land
35%
approx.
Elevation
0–3,200
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
The Tioga (Unit 24) is a large coastal Coast Range unit in Coos and Douglas counties, wrapped around Coos Bay and running from the surf line and the Umpqua/Winchester Bay estuary inland to the Coquille and Melrose foothills. It is classic close-cover blacktail and Roosevelt elk country — steep, densely forested ridges cut by the Millicoma and Coos river systems, rising from sea level to roughly 3,200 feet. Public land is only about 35 percent of the unit, anchored by the Elliott State Forest and Coos Bay BLM ground, with the balance a heavy mix of industrial private timber. Success is a cover game: hunt clearcut edges and regrowth, not open glassing slopes.
Terrain
Steep, heavily dissected Coast Range topography running from tidewater and coastal dunes up through a maze of timbered ridges and river canyons to about 3,200 feet on the interior high points. The Millicoma and West Fork Millicoma, Coos, and Umpqua drainages carve the unit into brushy, hard-to-glass folds; there is very little open country.
Cover: Dense Douglas-fir, western hemlock, and western redcedar with heavy salal, sword fern, salmonberry, and blackberry understory. The landscape is a mosaic of mature timber and clearcuts in every stage of regrowth — recent cuts and reprod units explode with forbs, grass, and brush that pull deer, elk, and bear to feed.
Landmarks: Coos Bay estuary (north/west boundary) · Elliott State Forest · Millicoma River / West Fork Millicoma · Umpqua River & Winchester Bay (northeast boundary) · Golden and Silver Falls State Natural Area · Loon Lake area · Coquille River / Coquille (south boundary)
Access
Public ground totals only ~35% and is concentrated in the Elliott State Forest and scattered Coos Bay BLM parcels; the rest is industrial private timber and valley farmland. A dense logging-road network reaches most non-wilderness ground, but private timber is increasingly gated, permit-only, or closed — confirm access before you hunt and expect seasonal fire/industrial closures. Maps are available from ODF (Elliott) and Coos Bay BLM.
Managers: Oregon Dept. of Forestry - Elliott State Forest, BLM - Coos Bay District, Private industrial timber (Weyerhaeuser, Roseburg Resources, Lone Rock and others), Private ranch/farmland (lower valleys)
Access points: Coos Bay / Coquille (Hwy 42 and US 101 gateways) · Millicoma / West Fork Millicoma road system into the Elliott · Loon Lake / Ash Valley access off Hwy 38 · Coos Bay BLM road systems east of the bay · Reedsport / Winchester Bay (northeast corner)
Species notes
Blacktail Deer
common opportunityColumbian blacktail are the backbone of the unit and the reason most tags sell. Deer are widespread but live in thick coastal timber, so you rarely see them in the open outside of feed on cut edges. Mature bucks exist, especially where you can get onto lightly hunted private timber, but consistent success means hunting cover and edges hard.
- →Hunt the edges of recent clearcuts and reprod units at first and last light — regrowth forbs, blackberry, and grass are the only reliable places blacktails step into the open
- →Still-hunt slowly into the wind through mature timber benches and creek bottoms midday; blacktails bed in heavy cover and hold tight
- →After coastal rain, cut skid roads and soft grades for fresh tracks and move quietly
- →Late season, when weather pushes deer to lower south-facing slopes, hunt the transition between cuts and standing timber
Roosevelt Elk
common opportunityA genuine Roosevelt elk unit — herds work the timbered mid-slopes and clearcut mosaics of the Elliott and surrounding private timber. Numbers and coastal cover support a real opportunity hunt; mature bulls are present for hunters willing to grind steep, wet, brushy ground away from the roads.
- →Locate herds around clearcut/old-growth edges and north-facing timbered draws that hold both feed and security cover
- →Glass larger reprod units and meadow openings at dawn from across a canyon, then move in on located animals
- →Work benches and saddles that connect drainages — elk use them to travel between feeding cuts and bedding timber
- →During archery rut, hunt timbered slopes near water and wallows; bulls answer but hang up in the brush
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bear are common throughout the coastal timber. The regenerating clearcuts, berry fields, and creek bottoms that feed deer and elk concentrate bears, and spring green-up brings them to roadside grass and cuts.
- →Glass green clearcuts, reprod units, and roadside forb flushes at dawn and dusk in spring
- →In fall, key on berry patches, skunk-cabbage bottoms, and mast pockets
- →Cover ground on logging roads glassing open cuts across drainages
- →Watch for bears feeding low in bottomland brush and creek corridors
Cougar
common opportunityCougars are present wherever the deer and elk are — the dense Coast Range timber holds a healthy lion population. Most are taken incidentally by deer and elk hunters.
- →Carry a tag while deer/elk hunting and watch muddy logging roads for fresh tracks
- →Use a predator call in steep timbered canyon country and near fresh kills
- →Hunt the same cover edges and rim breaks that concentrate deer
- →Cut roads and ridgelines after rain to locate and follow tracks
Pro tips
- →Prioritize legal access first — with only 35% public, a confirmed permit or open-gate private-timber block often out-produces the public ground
- →Learn the Elliott State Forest road system before season; it is the largest public anchor and gets pressure, so hunt away from the mainline roads
- →Hunt cut edges at light and slip into timber to still-hunt midday — this is cover country, not glassing country
- →Use rain events: fresh tracks in soft ground and quiet footing are your best tools here
- →Glass clearcuts across canyons at first light for both elk and spring bear before committing to a stalk
Watch out for
- !Private industrial timber is increasingly gated, permit-only, or closed — never assume access, and check current company travel/permit programs
- !Elliott State Forest management is transitioning (Elliott State Research Forest) — verify current public-access rules before relying on it
- !The Umpqua/Douglas County lowlands hold protected Columbian white-tailed deer — know the difference before shooting a whitetail-looking deer
- !Summer/early-fall industrial fire closures can lock private-timber roads with little notice
- !Steep, wet, brushy terrain and soft roads make recovery and travel slow — plan pack-outs accordingly
Logistics
Coos Bay/North Bend is the full-service hub with fuel, groceries, motels, and gear; Coquille and Reedsport round out the smaller gateways. Camp on Elliott State Forest and Coos Bay BLM ground or use state-park and coastal campgrounds. Expect gravel logging roads, log-truck traffic on weekdays, and frequent coastal fog and rain — carry recovery gear and rain protection.
Nearest towns: Coos Bay, North Bend, Coquille, Reedsport, Winchester Bay, Lakeside
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Oregon sources:
Research sources: ODFW — Tioga Unit 24 · ODFW — Tioga Unit boundary map (PDF) · GOHUNT — Oregon Unit 24 Tioga profile
FAQ
- How big is Unit 24 in Oregon?
- Unit 24 (Tioga) covers about 1,535 square miles, ranging from roughly 0 to 3,200 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 24?
- Approximately 35% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: Oregon Dept. of Forestry - Elliott State Forest, BLM - Coos Bay District, Private industrial timber (Weyerhaeuser, Roseburg Resources, Lone Rock and others), Private ranch/farmland (lower valleys). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 24?
- 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 24 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.