Hunt Area CR-01 Crooked River (CR-01)
Ochoco and Maury Mountain mule deer country east of Prineville — a Crooked River herd ODFW rates at extreme concern.
ODFW Central — Ochoco/Maury Mountains and the Crooked River drainage (Crooked River herd range) · Last reviewed 2026-07-17
Area
2,301
sq mi
Public land
54%
approx.
Elevation
3,200–6,900
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
Crooked River (CR-01) is one of the new 2026 ODFW Deer Hunt Areas that replaced the old Wildlife Management Unit hunts across eastern Oregon. It covers roughly 2,300 square miles of the Crooked River mule deer herd range east and southeast of Prineville, taking in the Ochoco and Maury Mountains and the upper Crooked River drainage. It is built mainly from the legacy Maury Unit (136) plus a large slice of the old Ochoco Unit (137) and reaches east toward the Silvies Unit (172), so hunters who used to draw '136 Maury' or the southern Ochoco should think of CR-01 as the successor. About 54% of the area is public — Ochoco National Forest, the Crooked River National Grassland, and BLM ground — mixed with substantial private ranchland along the valleys. ODFW switched to herd-range management after collar studies showed deer crossing old unit lines between seasonal ranges; the Crooked River herd is below population objective and managed at an 'extreme concern' level, so tags were reduced. It is a mule deer area first and last.
Terrain
The southward extension of the Blue Mountains: juniper-and-sage foothills and open Crooked River benchland climb into forested ridges around Lookout Mountain and the Maury Mountains. It hunts as a mix of open, glassable high-desert country low down and timbered ridge-and-canyon country up high — read the elevation and aspect and you'll find the deer.
Cover: Big sagebrush, mountain big sagebrush, bitterbrush, and encroaching western juniper on the lower and south-facing ground, grading into ponderosa pine on the warm slopes and mixed Douglas-fir/ponderosa on the cooler north aspects. Bunchgrass parks and riparian bottoms along the Crooked River drainages break up the timber.
Landmarks: Ochoco Mountains / Lookout Mountain · Maury Mountains · Crooked River and South Fork Crooked River · Ochoco National Forest · Crooked River National Grassland · Ochoco Reservoir · US 26 (Ochoco Highway east of Prineville) · Paulina–Suplee Highway · State Highway 27 (Crooked River Highway) · Beaver Creek / Wolf Creek
Access
A bit over half the area is public, anchored by the Ochoco National Forest and Crooked River National Grassland with BLM filling in the lower country. That public land is well roaded and generally open, which makes CR-01 one of the more accessible central-Oregon deer areas — but it also means road-hunting pressure, so plan to walk away from the mainlines. Large private ranches hold much of the valley bottom and some key low-elevation winter range; boundaries are a checkerboard in places, so carry a current ownership map and get permission before crossing private. Some Forest Service travel-management areas restrict motorized use to protect security cover — use those to find quieter deer.
Managers: Ochoco National Forest (USFS), Crooked River National Grassland (USFS), Bureau of Land Management, Private ranchland
Access points: US 26 (Ochoco Highway) east from Prineville past Ochoco Reservoir to the Ochoco Ranger Station · Forest Road 42 and the Ochoco Ranger Station Road network · Paulina–Suplee Highway toward Paulina and the Maury Mountains · State Highway 27 (Crooked River Highway) south from Prineville · BLM and county roads into the South Fork Crooked River / Maury foothills
Species notes
Mule Deer
common opportunityThe Crooked River herd is below ODFW's population objective and managed at an 'extreme concern' level, with tags cut for 2026 — the whole reason the area was carved out of the old units. Buck ratios in the Maury/Ochoco country have generally run at or above objective even as overall numbers stay low, so mature bucks exist but densities are modest. Expect a scouting-and-hiking hunt rather than seeing deer around every corner.
- →Hunt the elevation and aspect break: deer bed in the timbered north-facing ponderosa/fir and feed onto the open sage-bitterbrush benches at dawn and dusk.
- →Scout the classic pockets — Lookout Mountain and upper Bridge Creek in the Ochocos, and the Maury Mountains, Salt Creek, and South Fork Crooked River country to the south.
- →Glass long from high points across the open juniper-sage country low down, then still-hunt the timber edges once deer bed.
- →Get off the well-roaded Ochoco/Grassland mainlines and into travel-management or walk-in ground to escape the road-hunting crowd.
- →Late-season cold and snow push deer down toward the Crooked River drainages and lower winter range — follow them downhill.
Pro tips
- →Think of CR-01 as the successor to the old '136 Maury' hunt plus the southern Ochoco — same country, new name and boundary.
- →Because the public land is well roaded, the deer that survive are the ones away from roads — plan to hike past the mainlines.
- →Split your time by elevation: glass open juniper-sage benches low, then hunt the ponderosa/fir north slopes for bedded bucks.
- →Key scouting zones: Lookout Mountain and upper Bridge Creek (Ochoco side); Maury Mountains, Salt Creek, and South Fork Crooked River (Maury side).
- →This herd is at 'extreme concern' with reduced tags — set realistic expectations and be patient for a mature buck.
- →Watch the private-land checkerboard in the valleys; carry a current ownership map and secure permission before crossing.
Watch out for
- !The Crooked River herd is below objective (extreme concern) with cut tags — deer densities are modest, not high.
- !Well-roaded public land means real road-hunting pressure, especially opening weekend on the Ochoco and Grassland.
- !Private ranchland holds much of the valley bottom and some winter range; boundaries checkerboard with public — don't assume open ground.
- !Fire danger and recent burn scars can close forest roads and areas into fall.
- !Water is limited in the low juniper-sage country during warm early seasons; plan your hunt and your deer's movement around it.
- !Cell coverage fades fast in the Maury Mountains and back drainages — carry offline maps and a backup communicator.
Logistics
Prineville is the hub for motels, fuel, and groceries and sits right at the western edge of the area on US 26; Redmond adds the nearest airport and full services a short drive west. Paulina and Post are tiny outposts to the southeast — top off fuel in Prineville before heading out. The Ochoco National Forest and Crooked River National Grassland offer plentiful dispersed camping plus developed campgrounds (Ochoco Reservoir and the Ochoco/Wildwood corridor). Cell coverage is decent near Prineville and along US 26 but drops off in the Maury Mountains and the back drainages — carry offline maps.
Nearest towns: Prineville, Paulina, Post, Mitchell, Redmond
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Oregon sources:
Research sources: ODFW — Crooked River Hunt Area CR-01 (54% public; boundary from Prineville via US 26/Ochoco Ranger Station through Maury/Ochoco country back to Hwy 27) · ODFW — Wildlife Management Units to Deer Hunt Areas Transition Guide (CR101 overlaps WMUs 136 Maury 48%, 137 Ochoco 30%, 172 Silvies 23%) · Ochoco National Forest & Crooked River National Grassland — About the Area (Maury/Ochoco Mountains, Lookout Mountain ~3,800–5,600 ft, juniper-sage to ponderosa; drained by Crooked/Deschutes) · ODFW — 2025 Big Game Hunting Forecast (Maury/Ochoco/Grizzly deer below objective, high buck ratios; scout Maury Mtns, Salt Creek, South Fork Crooked River, Lookout Mtn, upper Bridge Creek) · ODFW — ODFW reminds Oregon mule deer hunters about big changes in 2026 (herd-range rationale; extreme/very high concern; ~9% tag reduction)
FAQ
- How big is Hunt Area CR-01 in Oregon?
- Hunt Area CR-01 (Crooked River (CR-01)) covers about 2,301 square miles, ranging from roughly 3,200 to 6,900 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Hunt Area CR-01?
- Approximately 54% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: Ochoco National Forest (USFS), Crooked River National Grassland (USFS), Bureau of Land Management, Private ranchland. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Hunt Area CR-01?
- Mule 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 CR-01 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.