Unit 38 Grizzly
A big, mostly private draw unit of high-desert plains and river canyons between Madras and Mitchell where quality lives on private ground.
Central Oregon — Crooked/Deschutes/John Day Country · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,689
sq mi
Public land
27%
approx.
Elevation
1,900–6,000
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Unit 38 sprawls across roughly 1,690 sq mi north of Redmond and Prineville, running from open high-desert plains and juniper foothills in the west to steep, broken canyon country along the Crooked, Deschutes, and John Day rivers, up to the timbered Ochoco Mountains and Mill Creek Wilderness in the southeast. It is a predominantly private unit — only about 27-28% is public — and ODFW notes that private land, with its more diverse browse and lower pressure, produces the better elk, mule deer, and pronghorn hunting. Public opportunity concentrates in the Ochoco NF block and scattered BLM canyon lands. All big-game tags are controlled draw.
Terrain
The west is open, gently rolling high-desert plain and juniper foothills around Grizzly Mountain, Gray Butte, and the Culver/Madras farm country. The land breaks hard into rimrock canyons along the Crooked and Deschutes rivers (down toward Lake Billy Chinook) and the John Day River near Clarno, then rises into the timbered Ochoco Mountains and Mill Creek Wilderness in the southeast corner. Relief ranges from flat cropland to steep, rocky river breaks.
Cover: Western juniper, big sagebrush, bitterbrush, and bunchgrass across the plains and foothills, with irrigated cropland in the Culver/Madras basin; rimrock and sparse grass/shrub on the canyon walls; and ponderosa pine and mixed conifer up in the Ochoco/Mill Creek high country.
Landmarks: Grizzly Mountain · Gray Butte · Mill Creek Wilderness (Ochoco NF) · Crooked River / Deschutes River canyons · Lake Billy Chinook · John Day River at Clarno · Haystack Reservoir · Ashwood
Access
Only about 27-28% of the unit is public, and it is heavily private ranch and farm land — access is the defining challenge here. The largest reliable public block is the Ochoco National Forest and Mill Creek Wilderness in the southeast; BLM parcels along the Crooked, Deschutes, and John Day canyons add scattered public ground. Knocking on doors, leased access, or drawing a private-land hunt is often the route to the best animals. The Warm Springs Indian Reservation forms part of the boundary along the Deschutes — its land is closed to non-tribal hunting, so a GPS/mapping app is essential near the river.
Managers: Private ranches and farms (majority), U.S. Forest Service (Ochoco National Forest — Mill Creek Wilderness area), Bureau of Land Management (Prineville District — canyon lands)
Access points: US Hwy 26 corridor near Mitchell into the Ochoco/Mill Creek high country · US Hwy 97 and Hwy 197 on the west/north edges · BLM canyon access along the Crooked and lower Deschutes rivers · Hwy 218 to Ashwood and the John Day River at Clarno
Species notes
Mule Deer
common qualityMule deer are the unit's headline, and ODFW notes the private ranch land — with better browse and lower pressure — grows the better bucks. Public hunters work the Ochoco/Mill Creek timber and the BLM canyon breaks. Drawn through the controlled hunt.
- →On public ground, hunt the Ochoco/Mill Creek timber edges and the steep Crooked/Deschutes canyon rims where bucks escape pressure
- →Glass juniper-sage transitions and open slopes at first and last light
- →Work the rimrock breaks and mahogany pockets — mature bucks use the roughest, least-accessed ground
- →Pursue private-land access or private-land hunts for the unit's best deer
- →Late-season storms concentrate deer on lower winter range along the river breaks
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityRocky Mountain elk are present unit-wide, but ODFW notes the better elk hunting is on private land where habitat is more diverse and pressure lower. Public elk concentrate in the Ochoco National Forest and Mill Creek Wilderness block. Controlled draw.
- →Focus public effort on the Ochoco/Mill Creek timber — benches, north slopes, and drainage heads
- →Glass timber-meadow edges at dawn and dusk, then push into cover
- →Hunt the roadless heart of Mill Creek Wilderness on foot for less-pressured elk
- →Where you can secure private access, the ranch valleys hold the better bulls
- →Locate rutting bulls in the timber-to-park transition during early archery
Pronghorn
common opportunityPronghorn use the open western high-desert plains and juniper foothills; ODFW notes private ground produces the better antelope hunting. A tough tag to draw, with much of the best country in private hands.
- →Hunt the open plains and grassy benches west of the canyons — Grizzly Mountain/Gray Butte country
- →Spot-and-stalk with quality glass; locate bands from high points and use folds to approach
- →Secure private-land permission where possible — much of the prime antelope ground is private
- →Watch water and feed edges in warm early-season conditions
Bighorn Sheep
limited trophyCalifornia bighorn inhabit the rimrock and rocky breaks of the Crooked, Deschutes, and John Day river canyons — the once-in-a-lifetime-caliber controlled tag is extremely hard to draw. Confirm the exact hunt boundary and sheep locations if drawn.
- →Concentrate on the rimrock and rocky canyon breaks along the rivers — not the plains or timber
- →Glass long from canyon vantage points; plan steep, physical stalks
- →Scout heavily before the season and treat it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
Black Bear
limited opportunityBlack bear occur mainly in the timbered Ochoco/Mill Creek high country in the southeast; the dry western plains hold few. Available on the spring controlled and fall framework, with modest densities.
- →Glass green-up south slopes and meadow edges in the Ochoco/Mill Creek country in spring
- →Work berry- and forb-rich conifer pockets in fall
- →Concentrate on the forested southeast — the desert west offers little bear opportunity
Cougar
common opportunityCougar range throughout, following the deer and elk into the canyon breaks and Ochoco timber. Available on the general statewide tag; the canyon country and river breaks hold good prey concentrations.
- →Hunt where deer and elk winter — the river breaks and Ochoco timber draws
- →After fresh snow, cut roads, rimrock, and ridgelines for tracks
- →Use predator calls in broken canyon and timber country
Pro tips
- →Access is everything in Unit 38 — only ~27% is public, and ODFW says the better deer, elk, and antelope live on private ground; line up permission or apply for private-land hunts
- →Your reliable public options are the Ochoco NF / Mill Creek Wilderness block in the southeast and scattered BLM lands in the river canyons
- →The Warm Springs Reservation borders the Deschutes — its land is closed to non-tribal hunting, so run a mapping app near the river to avoid trespass
- →Hunt the rimrock and canyon breaks for pressured public-land bucks — the roughest ground holds the mature animals
- →Mill Creek Wilderness is foot/horse only — use the roadless core to escape pressure
Watch out for
- !Predominantly private unit — much of the map is closed without permission; verify every boundary
- !Warm Springs Indian Reservation land along the Deschutes is closed to non-tribal hunters — GPS is essential
- !All big game is controlled-draw; bighorn (500-series) and pronghorn tags are very hard to draw
- !River-canyon roads are steep, rough, and slick after rain; high Ochoco roads can snow shut late season
- !Bear opportunity is confined to the forested southeast — don't plan a bear trip around the desert west
Logistics
Madras, Redmond, and Prineville ring the unit with full services, fuel, lodging, and groceries; the ODFW Prineville office (541-447-6111) handles the district for maps and road/access questions. Redmond has the nearest commercial airport (RDM). Public camping is limited given how much of the unit is private — the Ochoco National Forest and Mill Creek Wilderness in the southeast, plus BLM canyon lands and reservoir sites (Haystack Reservoir), offer the main dispersed options. Line up private access ahead of the hunt if that's your plan.
Nearest towns: Madras, Prineville, Redmond, Culver, Ashwood, Mitchell
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Oregon sources:
Research sources: ODFW Grizzly Unit 38 · GoHunt — Oregon Unit 38 Grizzly Profile · Ochoco National Forest — About the Area (USFS) · ODFW Eastern Oregon Deer Hunts
FAQ
- How big is Unit 38 in Oregon?
- Unit 38 (Grizzly) covers about 1,689 square miles, ranging from roughly 1,900 to 6,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 38?
- Approximately 27% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: Private ranches and farms (majority), U.S. Forest Service (Ochoco National Forest — Mill Creek Wilderness area), Bureau of Land Management (Prineville District — canyon lands). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 38?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Pronghorn, Bighorn Sheep, 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 38 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.