Unit 31 Keno
Cascade east-slope timber from Klamath Falls to Mt. McLoughlin — blacktails, Roosevelt elk, and a rugged transition landscape.
ODFW Southwest — East Cascade Slope · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,045
sq mi
Public land
41%
approx.
Elevation
4,100–9,495
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Keno Unit 31 covers roughly 1,045 sq mi on the east side of the Cascade Mountains, west of Klamath Falls in Klamath County, running from the California line north to the Crater Lake National Park boundary. ODFW rates it about 41% public land, primarily Fremont-Winema National Forest, laced with private timber (including Green Diamond holdings) and BLM ground. It is a transition unit — Cascade forest grading into the drier Klamath country — that supports blacktail deer and Roosevelt elk in the timbered core, with hunters keying on weather-driven elevational movements as animals drop to lower ground in cold months. Mt. McLoughlin anchors the high, rugged western skyline.
Terrain
From the Klamath basin floor around 4,100 ft, the unit rises west and north into heavily forested Cascade slopes, crowned by 9,495-ft Mt. McLoughlin — the highest peak in the southern Oregon Cascades — on the Pacific Crest Trail crest. Terrain is a mix of timbered ridges and benches, glacial lake basins, and rougher volcanic country, with more open, brushy ground on the drier eastern fringe toward Klamath Falls.
Cover: Mixed conifer forest — ponderosa and lodgepole pine, Douglas-fir, and true firs — dominates the mid and high elevations, with meadows, clearcuts, and lakeshore openings mixed in. The drier eastern edge grades into more open pine, brush, and grass toward the Klamath valley.
Landmarks: Mt. McLoughlin (9,495 ft) · Fourmile Lake · Pacific Crest Trail (west/north crest) · Crater Lake National Park boundary (north) · Upper Klamath Lake basin (east) · Dead Indian Memorial Road country · US Hwy 66 / Keno corridor
Access
The forested core is Fremont-Winema National Forest with a good logging-road network, but private timberland and scattered BLM parcels intermix, so public access is checkerboarded in places. Some private timber participates in ODFW Access & Habitat walk-in agreements; confirm current access, gates, and any permit/fee requirements before hunting, and verify ownership boundaries with a mapping app.
Managers: USFS Fremont-Winema National Forest, Private corporate timber (incl. Green Diamond), BLM Lakeview District
Access points: State Hwy 140 west from Klamath Falls over the Cascades (main corridor) · US Hwy 66 through Keno on the south side · Dead Indian Memorial Road from the Ashland side · Fourmile Lake and forest road grid off Hwy 140 · US Hwy 97 / Klamath Falls access on the east edge
Species notes
Blacktail Deer
common opportunityThe Keno Unit lies on the Cascade east slope and carries western-Oregon black-tailed deer (100-series buck hunts) through its timbered core. Hunters emphasize keying on seasonal movement — deer shift to lower elevations as cold weather sets in.
- →Hunt the timber-to-opening edges — clearcuts, meadows, and brush fields at first and last light
- →Still-hunt slowly through mixed-conifer stands and draws where blacktails hold tight to cover
- →Follow the weather: early fronts and snow up high push deer down onto lower benches and the drier eastern fringe
- →Get off the main forest roads into roadless timber pockets for mature bucks
- →Glass more open pine and brush on the eastern edge toward the Klamath valley
Roosevelt Elk
limited opportunityElk are managed through controlled hunts (200-series). West of the Cascade crest these are Roosevelt elk; numbers are more localized than in the wetter west-slope units, so scouting to find resident herds matters.
- →Locate elk in fresh clearcuts and meadow openings at dawn and dusk, then push into adjacent timber where they bed
- →Work shaded north slopes and benches in warm early seasons
- →Hunt away from the road grid into undisturbed timber that holds resident herds
- →During the rut, bugle and cow-call along timber-to-opening transitions
- →Late-season snow up high concentrates elk on lower ground
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bear are common in the Cascade timber and brush, with spring (controlled 700-series) and fall general opportunity across the unit.
- →Spring: glass green-up on south-facing slopes and meadow/roadside grass where bears feed
- →Fall: focus berry fields and brushy clearcuts with soft mast
- →Cover ground and glass openings from vantage points
- →Check new clearcut grass and old skid roads early morning
Cougar
common opportunityCougar are present throughout the unit, following the deer and elk prey base. Available on a general statewide tag.
- →Hunt where deer and elk concentrate — timbered draws, clearcut edges, and lower winter benches
- →After fresh snow, cut roads and ridgelines for tracks
- →Use predator calls in broken timber and brush
- →Use the road network to cover ground and cut sign
Bighorn Sheep
limited trophyODFW lists a bighorn sheep controlled hunt intersecting the Keno area — a once-in-a-lifetime tag with extremely low draw odds. Sheep are highly localized to rocky rim and rimrock habitat, not the timbered forest interior.
- →Treat it as a once-in-a-lifetime tag — scout heavily and consider professional help if drawn
- →Concentrate on rugged rim, rimrock, and rocky breaks rather than timbered interior
- →Glass long from vantage points and plan for steep, physical terrain
Pro tips
- →This is a weather-driven unit — deer and elk key on elevation, dropping to lower ground as cold sets in; time later hunts to the first real snow up high
- →Public land is only ~41% and checkerboarded with private timber and BLM parcels — verify ownership before hunting and check for gate closures
- →Some private timber runs ODFW Access & Habitat walk-in agreements; confirm current terms, don't assume access
- →Mt. McLoughlin and the PCT crest form the rugged western wall — the huntable ground is the timbered east slope, not the alpine crest itself
- →The drier eastern edge toward Klamath Falls offers more open glassing for deer than the dense Cascade interior
Watch out for
- !Checkerboarded private timber and BLM parcels can landlock public ground — map boundaries carefully
- !Timber-company gate closures and access-program terms change by owner and year
- !High forest roads get slick after rain and can snow shut late season — carry chains and recovery gear
- !Crater Lake National Park (north boundary) and the PCT corridor carry hunting/access restrictions — stay on the huntable side
- !Bighorn is a true once-in-a-lifetime draw with minimal realistic opportunity — don't plan a trip around it
Logistics
Klamath Falls is the practical basecamp — full services, lodging, and a regional airport (Klamath Falls/LMT) — with the ODFW Klamath office (541-883-5732) a good stop for local information. Keno and Ashland offer additional fuel and supplies along the Hwy 66 and Hwy 140 corridors; services thin quickly once you're on the forest roads. Dispersed and developed camping is available on the Fremont-Winema National Forest, including around Fourmile Lake.
Nearest towns: Klamath Falls, Keno, Ashland, Chiloquin, Fort Klamath
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Oregon sources:
Research sources: ODFW Keno Unit 31 · GoHunt — Oregon Unit 31 Keno Profile · ODFW Access & Habitat — Green Diamond application (Keno area)
FAQ
- How big is Unit 31 in Oregon?
- Unit 31 (Keno) covers about 1,045 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,100 to 9,495 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 31?
- Approximately 41% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Fremont-Winema National Forest, Private corporate timber (incl. Green Diamond), BLM Lakeview District. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 31?
- Blacktail Deer, Roosevelt Elk, Black Bear, Cougar, Bighorn Sheep. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Oregon agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 31 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.