Unit 52 Starkey
La Grande's home unit and the famous Starkey Experimental Forest — heavy pressure, controlled-hunt elk and mule deer, with an active USFS elk-and-deer research area at its core.
Blue Mountains · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
809
sq mi
Public land
67%
approx.
Elevation
3,400–7,500
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
The Starkey Unit (Unit 52) lies southwest of La Grande in Union and Umatilla counties, running from I-84 near North Powder up through the Anthony Lakes country, west along the Granite-Ukiah Road to Tower Mountain, and northeast to Kamela. Roughly 67 percent of the unit is public, mostly Wallowa-Whitman National Forest with Vale BLM and Oregon Dept of Forestry parcels. Its defining feature is the Starkey Experimental Forest and Range — a high-fenced USFS Pacific Northwest Research Station area studying elk, deer, and cattle interactions, where hunts are managed to research objectives and elk numbers have been deliberately reduced. This is Rocky Mountain elk and mule deer country (with a scattering of whitetail), plus bear and cougar. As the closest unit to a population center, it gets heavy pressure, but a few elk and mule deer still reach trophy size.
Terrain
Timbered Blue Mountains uplands and foothills between roughly 3,400 feet along the Grande Ronde and I-84 corridor and 7,000-plus feet toward the Elkhorn fringe near Anthony Lakes. Rolling forested ridges, meadow parks, and logged units dominate, with the fenced Starkey research area occupying a distinctive block of the interior.
Cover: Ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir, grand fir, western larch, and lodgepole with interspersed grassy meadows, forest openings, and managed timber stands. Lower and drier margins carry bunchgrass and shrub-steppe; riparian stringers and old cuts create feed and edge for deer and elk.
Landmarks: Starkey Experimental Forest and Range (high-fenced) · Tower Mountain · Grande Ronde River valley / La Grande · Anthony Lakes area (northeast) · Granite-Ukiah Road corridor · Kamela / Mount Emily fringe
Access
About 67 percent public with good forest-road access, but the unit is subdivided into numerous hunt series (general 252A, private-land 252B, experimental-forest 252C1/C2, bow 252R, youth 252T, Starkey-Ukiah 752A) — know which hunt and area your tag covers. The Starkey Experimental Forest is high-fenced with its own access rules and research-driven hunt management. Being La Grande's home unit, pressure is high near roads. ODFW La Grande office: 541-963-2138.
Managers: USFS - Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, BLM - Vale District, Oregon Department of Forestry, Private ranch and timber
Access points: Interstate 84 between La Grande and North Powder · Granite-Ukiah Road (Forest Road 51/52 corridor) · Anthony Lakes Road (northeast) · Starkey / Meadow Creek area forest roads · Kamela and Mount Emily-area access
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityRocky Mountain elk are the marquee species. Herds use the timbered ridges and meadow parks, and mature bulls are taken despite heavy pressure. Elk numbers inside the Starkey Experimental Forest have been intentionally reduced for research, and hunts there are managed to study objectives, but the broader unit still supports quality controlled-hunt bull opportunity.
- →Hunt security timber and north slopes bordering meadows and logged openings
- →Get away from the road system to escape the unit's heavy pressure
- →Glass forest parks and old cuts at first and last light
- →Know exactly which hunt series and boundary your tag covers, especially near the Starkey fence
Mule Deer
common opportunityMule deer are well distributed through the forested ridges and foothill margins. Pressure is significant given proximity to La Grande, but bucks are available and a few reach trophy class for hunters who work less-accessible ground.
- →Glass meadow edges, cuts, and timber openings at dawn and dusk
- →Still-hunt timbered benches and ridge saddles midday
- →Push into steeper, road-poor country to find older bucks
- →Watch transition zones as weather moves deer between summer and winter range
Whitetail Deer
limited opportunityA scattering of whitetail deer occupy the lower valley bottoms and riparian corridors, particularly along the Grande Ronde drainage, mixed in with the mule deer population.
- →Focus on brushy river bottoms and agricultural edges
- →Hunt riparian corridors and creek thickets at dawn and dusk
- →Watch field edges and cover transitions on low ground
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bear inhabit the timbered drainages and berry country, offering spring and fall hunting alongside deer and elk.
- →Glass green south slopes and logged units in spring
- →Hunt berry patches and riparian brush late summer into fall
- →Watch meadow and burn edges at dawn and dusk
Cougar
common opportunityCougar range throughout the unit following deer and elk and may be taken on a general tag while hunting other game.
- →Cut fresh tracks on snow along forest roads and ridges
- →Hunt near deer and elk concentrations
- →Call in timbered draws and canyon country in winter
Pro tips
- →This is a controlled-hunt-heavy unit with many sub-hunts — read your tag's exact series and area boundaries before you go
- →The Starkey Experimental Forest is high-fenced and research-managed; don't assume normal access or elk densities there
- →Escape the heavy road pressure by hiking into steeper, road-poor timber for better bulls and bucks
- →Being La Grande's backyard means fast, easy resupply — use that to hunt hard and stay out longer
- →Check lower river bottoms for the unit's uncommon whitetail if you want a mixed-species hunt
Watch out for
- !Heavy hunting pressure as the closest unit to La Grande — crowded near roads
- !Complex hunt-series and boundary structure (252A/B/C/R/T, 752A) is easy to get wrong
- !Starkey Experimental Forest fence and research rules restrict and modify access and hunts
- !Private ranch and timber inholdings require permission — verify boundaries
- !Early snow can close higher roads toward the Elkhorn/Anthony Lakes fringe
Logistics
La Grande is a full-service town for fuel, lodging, and supplies right on I-84 at the unit's edge, making Starkey one of the more logistically easy Blue Mountains units. Dispersed forest camping is available on the Wallowa-Whitman; motels and services line the I-84 corridor. Cell coverage is good near La Grande and the interstate but fades in the interior timber.
Nearest towns: La Grande, North Powder, Ukiah, Kamela, Baker City
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Oregon sources:
Research sources: ODFW Starkey Unit 52 · USFS PNW Research Station — The Starkey Project · GoHunt Oregon Unit 52 Starkey profile
FAQ
- How big is Unit 52 in Oregon?
- Unit 52 (Starkey) covers about 809 square miles, ranging from roughly 3,400 to 7,500 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 52?
- Approximately 67% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS - Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, BLM - Vale District, Oregon Department of Forestry, Private ranch and timber. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 52?
- 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.
Put Unit 52 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.