How big is Unit 49 in Oregon?

Unit 49 (Ukiah) covers about 873 square miles, ranging from roughly 1,100 to 6,800 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.

What species does the catalog list for Unit 49?

Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Whitetail 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.

Unit 49 Ukiah

Pendleton-to-the-Blues elk country anchored by the Bridge Creek winter range and the North Fork John Day Wilderness.

Blue Mountains — Ukiah / Umatilla NF (Northeast) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12

Bull elk standing at the edge of dark timber

Area

873

sq mi

Public land

35%

approx.

Elevation

1,100–6,800

feet

Motorized

moderate

access

Overview

Ukiah (Unit 49) runs roughly 873 square miles south of Pendleton, from the Umatilla River foothills and Mount Emily up onto the forested Blue Mountains plateau, taking in the North Fork John Day Wilderness in its southeastern corner. About 35 percent of the unit is public — the southern half is mostly Umatilla National Forest, with Wallowa-Whitman National Forest and Vale BLM ground on the edges, while the northern foothills mix private ranch and farm land. This is strong elk country: the Bridge Creek Wildlife Area near Ukiah was set aside in 1961 as elk winter range and holds well over 1,000 wintering Rocky Mountain elk. Mule deer and a few whitetail round out the deer hunting, with black bear and cougar throughout.

Terrain

A wide elevation band from the low Umatilla River foothills and desert flats near Pendleton (roughly 1,100-2,000 ft) up onto the forested Blue Mountains plateau and into the North Fork John Day Wilderness in the southeast, where ridges reach well above 6,000 feet. Mount Emily rises on the northeast side; the North Fork John Day River forms the southern boundary with steep canyon country.

Cover: Lower foothills carry bunchgrass, sagebrush, scattered juniper and dryland farm edges. The plateau and high country are ponderosa pine, larch, Douglas fir and mixed conifer with meadows, grassy ridges and the roadless wilderness timber of the North Fork John Day. Riparian corridors along Camas Creek, Bridge Creek and the North Fork John Day hold willow, aspen and forbs.

Landmarks: Bridge Creek Wildlife Area (elk winter range near Ukiah) · North Fork John Day Wilderness (southeast corner) · North Fork John Day River (south boundary) · Mount Emily (northeast) · Camas Creek · Umatilla National Forest plateau · Starkey country (eastern edge)

Access

ODFW lists the unit at about 35 percent public, concentrated in the southern half on the Umatilla National Forest with Wallowa-Whitman and Vale BLM ground on the margins. The northern foothills toward Pendleton are largely private ranch and farm land requiring permission. The Bridge Creek Wildlife Area near Ukiah is open to hunting from April 15 through November 30, with vehicles restricted to designated roads — a key public-land anchor and winter-range concentration point. The North Fork John Day Wilderness in the southeast is foot/stock access only.

Managers: Umatilla National Forest (USFS), Wallowa-Whitman National Forest (USFS), Bureau of Land Management (Vale District), Bridge Creek Wildlife Area (ODFW), private ranches and farms (northern foothills)

Access points: Ukiah (south-central hub, US 395 / Bridge Creek area) · Pendleton (north, I-84 / US 395 supply hub) · Pilot Rock (north, US 395 toward the forest) · Mount Emily exit off I-84 (northeast) · Umatilla NF North Fork John Day and Camas Creek road networks (south)

Species notes

Rocky Mountain Elk

abundant quality

The unit's marquee species. Ukiah is prime Blue Mountains elk country, and the Bridge Creek Wildlife Area near town winters more than 1,000 Rocky Mountain elk that summer across the surrounding Umatilla National Forest. Hunters take five- and six-point bulls, with the roadless North Fork John Day Wilderness holding older, less-pressured animals.

→Hunt the timbered Umatilla National Forest plateau and drainage heads — bulls hold in north-slope timber and thick security cover.
→For mature bulls, pack into the North Fork John Day Wilderness in the southeast where motorized pressure disappears.
→Work meadow and timber edges at dawn and dusk; still-hunt bedding timber mid-day.
→During the rut, locate bugling bulls in the roadless heads of drainages.
→Scout the Bridge Creek winter range to understand herd movement, but expect elk to be spread across summer range on the forest during fall hunts.

Mule Deer

common opportunity

Mule deer are distributed from the foothill breaks up through the forested plateau. Bucks are pressured on accessible public ground; the roughest and least-roaded country holds the older animals.

→Glass sage/grass and juniper breaks above the foothills at first and last light.
→Hunt timber edges and ridge systems on the Umatilla National Forest for public-land bucks.
→Work steep canyon breaks along the North Fork John Day for less-pressured deer.
→Late-season snow pushes deer down toward the Bridge Creek winter range and lower foothills.

Whitetail Deer

limited opportunity

A small number of whitetail deer occur in the unit, mostly in riparian bottoms and lower valley/farm edges — an incidental opportunity rather than a target species.

→Focus on brushy riparian corridors, creek bottoms and agricultural edges in the lower country.
→Hunt field-edge cover at first and last light where whitetails move between feed and thick bedding brush.
→Much of the best whitetail bottom ground is private — secure permission.

Black Bear

common opportunity

Black bears are well distributed through the forested Umatilla National Forest portions; a spring hunt is offered.

→In spring, glass green-up slopes, old cuts and creek bottoms where bears feed on fresh forage.
→In fall, key on berry patches and riparian draws in the mid-elevation timber.
→Cover open slopes with optics at dawn and dusk — glassing country, not bait country.

Cougar

common opportunity

Cougars follow the abundant deer and elk herds throughout the unit; harvest is typically incidental or opportunistic.

→Hunt where deer and elk concentrate — the Bridge Creek winter range breaks and forest/foothill transition.
→After fresh snow, cut and follow tracks in drainages and along game trails.
→Be ready to take a cougar opportunistically while pursuing deer or elk.

Pro tips

→This is one of the stronger Blue Mountains elk units — for mature bulls, plan a backpack or stock hunt into the North Fork John Day Wilderness where motorized pressure ends.
→Use the Bridge Creek Wildlife Area as a public-land anchor and to understand winter herd movement, but expect fall elk to be spread across summer range on the surrounding forest.
→Vehicles on Bridge Creek are restricted to designated roads — respect the travel rules and plan to hunt on foot there.
→The northern foothills toward Pendleton are largely private; concentrate public hunting in the southern Umatilla National Forest half.
→Whitetail and the best low-country deer ground sit on private bottoms — line up permission early if that is your target.

Watch out for

!The North Fork John Day Wilderness is closed to motor vehicles — the southeast corner is foot/stock access only and genuinely remote.
!Northern foothill ground toward Pendleton is mostly private; verify boundaries with a mapping app.
!Bridge Creek Wildlife Area restricts vehicles to designated roads and has a defined open season (Apr 15-Nov 30) — know the rules before hunting it.
!Early snow in the high country can strand camps and close upper forest roads; the wilderness is committing terrain.
!Cell coverage is limited off the highways — carry navigation, recovery gear and a plan for packing animals out.

Logistics

Pendleton (I-84 / US 395) is the main regional supply hub with full services and the ODFW Pendleton district office (541-276-2344). Ukiah, a small town on US 395 in the south-central part of the unit, is the closest base to the forest and the Bridge Creek Wildlife Area, with limited services. US 395 is the north-south spine from Pendleton through Pilot Rock to Ukiah; the Umatilla National Forest road network off US 395 and the North Fork John Day corridor provides access to the high country. Dispersed camping is available on the Umatilla National Forest; the North Fork John Day Wilderness is foot/stock access only.

Nearest towns: Ukiah, Pendleton, Pilot Rock, Meacham, Dale

Nearby units

Hunt Area NB-01 · North Blues (NB-01) Hunt Area FX-01 · Fox (FX-01) Unit 52 · Starkey Hunt Area EH-02 · Elkhorn (EH-02)

Seasons & regulations

This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Oregon sources:

Research sources: ODFW — Ukiah Unit 49 · ODFW — Bridge Creek Wildlife Area Visitors' Guide · GoHunt — Oregon Unit 49 Ukiah Profile · Umatilla National Forest / North Fork John Day Wilderness (USFS)

FAQ

How big is Unit 49 in Oregon?: Unit 49 (Ukiah) covers about 873 square miles, ranging from roughly 1,100 to 6,800 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
How much public land is in Unit 49?: Approximately 35% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: Umatilla National Forest (USFS), Wallowa-Whitman National Forest (USFS), Bureau of Land Management (Vale District), Bridge Creek Wildlife Area (ODFW), private ranches and farms (northern foothills). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
What species does the catalog list for Unit 49?: Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Whitetail 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.

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