Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Umatilla County one of Oregon’s best elk hunting areas?
The Blue Mountains section of Umatilla County contains some of Oregon’s most productive elk habitat in units 49, 50, and 54, which include portions of the Umatilla National Forest and surrounding private ranch land. The combination of ponderosa pine forest, bunchgrass open hillsides, riparian draws, and adjacent wheat fields creates ideal conditions for elk to feed, bed, and travel within compact distances.
Umatilla County bull elk reach impressive sizes from the mineral-rich agricultural soils and native vegetation. Private land south of Pendleton bordering national forest boundaries concentrates elk movement because animals move from forest cover to private agricultural feeding areas at dawn and dusk, making private land stand sites at these transition zones the most productive hunting locations in the county.
What other wildlife can be hunted on Umatilla County private land?
Umatilla County has one of the most diverse wildlife hunting rosters of any Oregon county. Mule deer are abundant in the Blue Mountains dryland areas and in the Columbia Plateau wheat field edges. Whitetail deer have expanded their range into the county’s timber-edge and agricultural areas over the past two decades.
Upland bird hunting is excellent: chukar partridge on the steep basalt rimrock drainages in the lower-elevation western portion of the county attract dedicated hunters, while Hungarian partridge thrive on the wheat field and CRP grass transition areas above Pendleton. Pheasants are present near irrigated ground in the Hermiston area. California bighorn sheep have been restored to specific rimrock areas and provide limited permit hunting in the county.
What does hunting land cost per acre in Umatilla County and is hunting lease income common?
Umatilla County hunting land prices depend on whether the parcel has Blue Mountains elk hunting character or lower-elevation wheat belt upland bird character. Blue Mountains foothill properties with documented elk presence and national forest adjacency run $1,500 to $3,000 per acre. Lower-elevation wheat and range land with deer and upland bird hunting but without primary elk habitat runs $900 to $1,800 per acre.
Hunting lease income on Umatilla County properties is less formally structured than in the South or Midwest, but informal leasing arrangements covering elk and deer hunting are common on ranch properties. More formal paid hunting club arrangements have been developing on premium elk properties as out-of-state buyer interest has increased.
How do Oregon’s draw system and general season tags affect hunting on Umatilla County private land?
Elk hunting in the Blue Mountains portions of Umatilla County falls within limited-entry controlled hunt units where bull tags require the preference point drawing system. Non-resident bull elk tags in units 49 and 50 may require 5 to 12 years of accumulated points. General season antlerless elk tags and some spike elk tags are more accessible.
Mule deer in most Umatilla County areas are a general season with over-the-counter tags. Chukar partridge, Hungarian partridge, and pheasants have general upland bird seasons that open in October and do not require drawing. Private landowners benefit from hunting their own land during any open general season. Buyers specifically purchasing for elk hunting should investigate whether the specific unit covering the property has any Landowner Preference allocations that could improve annual tag access.
