Hunt Area AD-01 Aldrich (AD-01)
Aldrich Mountain and Murderers Creek mule deer country south of the John Day River — high public-land access, a herd ODFW rates at extreme concern.
ODFW Central/Northeast — John Day country, Malheur National Forest (Aldrich herd range) · Last reviewed 2026-07-17
Area
2,192
sq mi
Public land
66%
approx.
Elevation
2,560–7,366
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
Aldrich (AD-01) is one of the new 2026 ODFW Deer Hunt Areas that replaced the old Wildlife Management Unit hunts in eastern Oregon. It covers roughly 2,190 square miles of the Aldrich mule deer herd range south of the John Day River, from John Day and Prairie City south to Seneca and the Silvies River. It stitches together the heart of the legacy Murderers Creek Unit (146) plus large slices of the old Ochoco (137) and Silvies (172) units and a sliver of Beulah (165) — so hunters who used to draw '146 Murderers Creek' should think of AD-01 as its successor. About two-thirds of the area is public (Malheur National Forest and BLM, anchored by the Phillip W. Schneider/Murderers Creek Wildlife Area), which makes it one of the more accessible deer areas in the region. ODFW moved to herd-range management because GPS-collar work showed deer routinely cross old unit lines between summer and winter range; the Aldrich herd sits below population objective and is managed at an 'extreme concern' level, so tags were trimmed and expectations should be realistic. It is primarily a mule deer area, with a small but real whitetail presence in the river bottoms (the reason a late Aldrich 01 whitetail bow hunt exists).
Terrain
An east-west mountain range rising steeply south of the John Day River valley: rolling grassland benches and juniper-sage foothills near the South Fork John Day and Murderers Creek climb into timbered ridges topping out at Fields Peak (7,366 ft). Deep, steep canyons cut north to south, and the country hunts big and vertical — glass the open faces and burns, then work the timber pockets and canyon heads.
Cover: High-desert grassland, big sagebrush, and western juniper on the low south-facing slopes and canyon bottoms, grading up through ponderosa pine into mixed Douglas-fir/true-fir on the higher north slopes and ridgetops. Post-fire brush and forb regeneration from the 2015 Canyon Creek Complex, Rail Ridge, and Monument Rock burns is a major forage draw for deer.
Landmarks: Aldrich Mountains / Fields Peak (7,366 ft) · John Day River (north boundary) · South Fork John Day River · Murderers Creek · Silvies River (south) · Emigrant Creek · Phillip W. Schneider (Murderers Creek) Wildlife Area · US 26 (John Day–Prairie City) · US 395 (Seneca corridor) · Buck Point Road / Forest Road 12
Access
Access is a strength here — about two-thirds of AD-01 is public. The Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area (about 25,000 acres of ODFW-deeded ground plus roughly 27,000 acres of BLM, adjoining some 64,000 acres of Malheur National Forest) provides a large, walk-in-friendly public block along the eastern/southern John Day and Murderers Creek country, but it requires an ODFW wildlife-area parking permit ($10 daily / $30 annual) and has been subject to seasonal and post-fire closures — verify it is open before you go. Travel-management restrictions (the Flagtail area has historically closed a large road network during hunting season) mean a lot of good ground is boots-only; use those closures to hunt away from road-hunters. Private ranch inholdings are scattered through the valleys and along the rivers, so carry a current ownership map and respect posted boundaries.
Managers: Malheur National Forest (USFS), Bureau of Land Management, ODFW — Phillip W. Schneider (Murderers Creek) Wildlife Area, Private ranch inholdings
Access points: US 26 corridor through John Day, Mount Vernon, and Dayville (north-side access) · US 395 south toward Seneca (east side) · County Road 63 / South Fork John Day River Road (Dayville toward Murderers Creek) · Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area entrances (parking permit required) · Malheur NF forest roads off Buck Point Road / FR 12 and the Seneca–Silvies country
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunityThe Aldrich herd is the reason this area exists, but it sits below ODFW's population objective and is managed at an 'extreme concern' level with reduced tags. Buck ratios have generally held at or above objective even as overall numbers lag, so there are mature bucks for hunters who cover country — recent seasons ran above the regional average in the old Murderers Creek unit. Plan on a work-for-it hunt, not a target-rich one.
- →Glass the open sage-grass faces, canyon heads, and recent burn scars (Canyon Creek Complex, Rail Ridge, Monument Rock) at first and last light — post-fire forage pulls deer.
- →Hunt the elevation transition: deer bed in the timbered north slopes and feed onto the grassy south-facing benches morning and evening.
- →Use the Flagtail-area and other travel-management road closures to your advantage — walk in past the gates to reach lightly pressured pockets.
- →Work the Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area and adjoining BLM/Malheur NF ground, but confirm it's open and carry the parking permit.
- →Later in the season, cold and early snow push deer down toward the John Day and South Fork John Day winter range — follow the migration downhill.
Whitetail Deer
limited opportunityColumbia whitetail-type/expanding whitetail deer occupy the John Day and South Fork John Day river bottoms and adjacent ag ground in small numbers — enough that ODFW offers a dedicated late Aldrich 01 whitetail bow hunt. This is a specialty, low-density opportunity, not a numbers hunt.
- →Focus on the river bottoms, brushy creek corridors, and irrigated valley edges along the John Day and South Fork John Day rather than the high timber.
- →Hunt the transition between cover and feed at dawn and dusk; whitetails here stay tight to brush.
- →Glass alfalfa and hay ground margins near public/private boundaries and get permission where needed.
- →Late-season timing overlaps the whitetail rut window — watch for bucks moving and cruising doe groups.
Pro tips
- →Think of AD-01 as the successor to the old '146 Murderers Creek' hunt — it's built around that same country plus parts of the Ochoco and Silvies units.
- →Buy the ODFW wildlife-area parking permit if you'll hunt the Phillip W. Schneider (Murderers Creek) unit, and confirm it isn't under a post-fire or seasonal closure first.
- →Prioritize the recent burns — Canyon Creek Complex, Rail Ridge, and Monument Rock scars grow the forage that concentrates deer.
- →Let the travel-management road closures work for you: hunt on foot beyond the gates where pressure drops off.
- →This herd is at 'extreme concern' with reduced tags — bring realistic expectations and be ready to earn a mature buck by covering steep country.
- →Carry water and plan for vertical: the Aldrich Mountains rise thousands of feet off the John Day, and the canyons are deceptively rugged.
Watch out for
- !The Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area has closed for fire and seasonal reasons in recent years — verify it's open before building a trip around it, and buy the required parking permit.
- !Private ranch inholdings are threaded through the valleys and along the rivers; boundaries aren't always obvious, so carry a current ownership map.
- !Fire danger and active/recent burns can close forest roads and areas well into fall.
- !The Aldrich herd is below objective (extreme concern) with cut tags — deer densities are not high across much of the area.
- !Steep, remote canyon country with poor cell coverage; a solo backcountry mishap can be serious — carry a satellite messenger.
- !Travel-management closures make much of the best ground walk-in only; plan for the miles and don't count on driving to the deer.
Logistics
Base out of John Day/Canyon City or Prairie City on US 26 for motels, fuel, and groceries, or Dayville for the western John Day River access; Seneca on US 395 anchors the south end. Malheur National Forest and BLM offer abundant dispersed camping, with developed sites scattered on the forest. Fuel up in town before heading into the backcountry — services thin out fast south of the highway. Cell coverage is spotty to nonexistent once you drop into the canyons; carry paper/offline maps and a satellite communicator. The area is a long haul from any metro: roughly 3.5 hours from Bend and 4.5 from Boise.
Nearest towns: John Day, Canyon City, Dayville, Prairie City, Seneca, Mount Vernon
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Oregon sources:
Research sources: ODFW — Aldrich Hunt Area AD-01 (66% public land; boundary from John Day via US 26/US 395 to Seneca and the Silvies River) · ODFW — Wildlife Management Units to Deer Hunt Areas Transition Guide (AD101 overlaps WMUs 137 Ochoco 24%, 146 Murderers Creek 52%, 165 Beulah 4%, 172 Silvies 20%; AD101 late whitetail hunt) · ODFW — Phillip W. Schneider (Murderers Creek) Wildlife Area (25,127 ac deeded + 27,200 ac BLM adjoining 64,515 ac Malheur NF; mule deer winter range; parking permit) · ODFW — 2025 Big Game Hunting Forecast (Murderers Creek/Northside deer below objective, buck ratios at/above objective; post-fire forage scouting on Aldrich Mountain) · Wikipedia — Aldrich Mountains (bounded by South Fork John Day, Murderers Creek, Canyon Creek; Fields Peak 7,366 ft; elevation range) · ODFW — ODFW reminds Oregon mule deer hunters about big changes in 2026 (herd-range rationale; extreme/very high concern levels; ~9% tag reduction)
FAQ
- How big is Hunt Area AD-01 in Oregon?
- Hunt Area AD-01 (Aldrich (AD-01)) covers about 2,192 square miles, ranging from roughly 2,560 to 7,366 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Hunt Area AD-01?
- Approximately 66% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: Malheur National Forest (USFS), Bureau of Land Management, ODFW — Phillip W. Schneider (Murderers Creek) Wildlife Area, Private ranch inholdings. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Hunt Area AD-01?
- Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Oregon agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Hunt Area AD-01 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.