Unit 26 Powers
South Fork Coquille and Wild Rogue high country — one of Oregon's best units for mature Roosevelt bulls, with trophy blacktail on nearly half public land.
ODFW Southwest — South Coast Range / Siskiyou · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
828
sq mi
Public land
49%
approx.
Elevation
200–4,300
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
The Powers (Unit 26) sits in the rugged southern Coast Range and Siskiyou country of Coos, Curry, Douglas, and Josephine counties, drained by the South Fork Coquille and reaching south to the Rogue River and the Wild Rogue Wilderness. It is steep, densely vegetated mountain timber climbing from around 200 feet in the river bottoms to roughly 4,300 feet on the interior ridges. Powers is a strong Roosevelt elk and Columbian blacktail unit that has produced trophy-size bulls and bucks; tight controlled-tag limits make it one of the better places in Oregon to hunt a mature Roosevelt bull. Public land is high for a coastal unit — about 49 percent, mostly Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest with BLM mixed in.
Terrain
Steep, deeply cut Siskiyou/Coast Range mountains ranging from about 200 feet in the river canyons to roughly 4,300 feet on the high ridges. The South Fork Coquille and Rogue drainages carve challenging, thickly vegetated terrain with limited visibility and few easy glassing points.
Cover: Dense Douglas-fir, hemlock, and mixed-conifer forest with heavy brush understory, transitioning to drier mixed forest and hardwoods toward the Rogue and Siskiyou interior. Clearcuts and reprod units on the timbered ground provide the forb, grass, and brush feed that concentrates elk, deer, and bear.
Landmarks: South Fork Coquille River · Rogue River / Wild Rogue Wilderness (south boundary) · Coquille River Falls · Iron Mountain / Barklow Mountain · Powers (town) and Powers Highway corridor · Grave Creek / Illahe area · Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest — Powers Ranger District
Access
About 49% public, the highest of the three southwest coast units, anchored by the Rogue River-Siskiyou NF around the South Fork Coquille and BLM ground checkerboarded through the lower country. Forest Service and BLM logging-road networks reach much of the non-wilderness terrain, but roads are steep, remote, and navigation is genuinely challenging. The Wild Rogue Wilderness on the south boundary is non-motorized. Contact the Roseburg ODFW office (541-440-3353) for unit-specific access.
Managers: USFS - Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest (Powers RD), BLM - Coos Bay / Medford / Roseburg Districts, Private industrial timber, Private ranch land (valleys)
Access points: Powers Highway / town of Powers (northern gateway into the NF) · South Fork Coquille River Road (FS road system south of Powers) · Rogue River / Illahe road access (south) · Coos Bay and Medford/Roseburg BLM road systems · Grave Creek area (southeast)
Species notes
Roosevelt Elk
common trophyPowers is one of the better places in Oregon to hunt a mature Roosevelt bull. Controlled-tag limits keep bull age structure high, and the unit has produced trophy-size animals. Herds use the timbered mid-slopes and clearcut mosaic of the national-forest and BLM ground; the payoff goes to hunters who scout hard and grind the steep, remote cover.
- →Scout before the season to learn the home ranges of the bigger bulls — mature Roosevelts are patternable but live in nasty terrain
- →Hunt the clearcut-and-old-growth edges where elk feed, then work the security timber they bed in
- →Focus on remote, rough terrain away from the mainline roads where bulls escape pressure
- →During archery rut, work timbered slopes near water and wallows and expect hung-up bulls in thick cover
Blacktail Deer
common qualityColumbian blacktail are widespread and the unit has produced trophy-size bucks. Deer live in thick mountain timber and are hard to spot; the better bucks come from hunters willing to work remote cover and cut edges rather than roadside glassing.
- →Hunt clearcut and reprod-unit edges at first and last light
- →Still-hunt timber benches and creek bottoms into the wind midday
- →Get deep and remote — pressured bucks hold in the roughest, thickest terrain
- →After rain, cut soft roads and skid trails for fresh tracks
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bear are common throughout the timbered Siskiyou/Coast Range habitat — hunters are advised to carry a bear tag. Regenerating cuts, berry fields, and creek bottoms concentrate bears.
- →Glass green clearcuts and roadside forb flushes at dawn and dusk in spring
- →Key on berry patches and mast pockets in late summer and fall
- →Cover ground on logging roads glassing cuts across drainages
- →Watch bottomland brush and creek corridors for feeding bears
Cougar
common opportunityCougars are present unit-wide wherever the deer and elk are; the dense mountain timber holds a healthy population. Most are taken incidentally by big-game hunters.
- →Carry a tag and watch muddy roads for fresh tracks
- →Use a predator call in steep timbered canyon country and near kills
- →Hunt the cover edges and rim breaks that concentrate deer
- →Track after rain along roads and ridgelines
Pro tips
- →This is a mature-Roosevelt-bull unit — treat the controlled tag as a trophy opportunity and scout multiple weekends before season
- →Nearly half the unit is public, so build your hunt around the Rogue River-Siskiyou NF and BLM ground rather than chasing private access
- →Get remote and off the mainline roads; the biggest bulls and bucks live where pressure can't reach
- →Carry a bear tag — bruins are common and often show while you glass for elk
- →Plan navigation carefully; steep terrain and thick cover make it easy to get turned around
Watch out for
- !Terrain is steep, remote, and thickly vegetated with limited visibility — navigation and self-rescue are real concerns
- !Wild Rogue Wilderness on the south boundary is non-motorized hike/horseback only
- !BLM ground is checkerboarded with private timber — know the ownership boundaries before crossing
- !Inland early-season fire closures can shut national-forest roads and areas
- !Long, steep pack-outs from remote canyons — plan meat care and recovery in advance
Logistics
Powers is the closest small gateway with limited services; Myrtle Point, Coquille, and Coos Bay to the north and Grants Pass/Gold Beach to the south/east provide fuel, groceries, and lodging. Camp on Rogue River-Siskiyou NF ground along the South Fork Coquille (developed FS campgrounds) or BLM sites. Roads are steep, remote gravel — carry navigation backup, recovery gear, and plan for slow travel.
Nearest towns: Powers, Myrtle Point, Coquille, Gold Beach, Grants Pass
Nearby units
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Oregon sources:
Research sources: ODFW — Powers Unit 26 · GOHUNT — Oregon Unit 26 Powers profile
FAQ
- How big is Unit 26 in Oregon?
- Unit 26 (Powers) covers about 828 square miles, ranging from roughly 200 to 4,300 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 26?
- Approximately 49% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS - Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest (Powers RD), BLM - Coos Bay / Medford / Roseburg Districts, Private industrial timber, Private ranch land (valleys). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 26?
- Roosevelt Elk, Blacktail Deer, 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 26 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.