The Pine Creek and Upper John Day Conservation Lands Programs offer limited hunting access to the Conservation Areas, including Pine Creek Conservation Area, the mainstem Forrest Conservation Area in Prairie City, and the Oxbow, Middle Fork Forrest, and Dunstan Conservation areas along the upper Middle Fork John Day River. Because of the limited permits offered for each hunt, a lottery is held to randomly select hunters from among the applications. Hunters may submit applications starting on June 21st, and all applications must be received by July 31st. Results will be announced on August 3rd.
Check back soon for information about the application process and draw procedures. For specific hunting questions for Oxbow/Forrest/Dunstan, please contact Erik Rook, and for Pine Creek, contact Troy Johnson
STARTING THIS YEAR: hunters wishing to apply for an access permit MUST apply through this website, see Hunting Permits.
For 2020, there is no hunting being allowed on the Willamette Conservation Areas (Red Hills, Little Sweden, and Austin Hot Springs).
See Hunting and Fishing for more information.
| Game Unit | Permits | Hunting Dates | ||||
| PROPERTY | Hunt # | SEASON (HUNT #) | Allowed Harvest | Tribal / Public | ||
| OXBOW CONSERVATION AREA | General Bow | Refer to ODFW regulations for allowed deer and elk harvest in Game Unit(s) | N/A | 2/2 | Aug. 29 – Sept. 27 | |
| 147 | Buck Deer Rifle (147) | One buck with visable antler | Northside | 1/1 | Oct. 3 – Oct. 14 | |
| 150 | Buck Deer Rifle (150) | One buck with visable antler | Desolation | 1/1 | Oct. 3 – Oct. 15 | |
| 647B | One Antlerless White-tailed Deer (647B) | One antlerless white tail deer | N/A | 12/12 | Oct. 17 – Oct. 25 | |
| General Elk Rifle- 2nd season | Refer to ODFW regulations for allowed deer and elk harvest in Game Unit(s) | Desolation | 1/1 | Nov. 7 – Nov. 15 | ||
| 247C | One Elk Rifle (247C) | One Elk | E. Northside | 1/1 | Nov. 7 – Nov. 16 | |
| 250X | Bull Elk Rifle (250X) | One bull elk | Desolation | 1/1 | Oct. 28 – Nov. 1 | |
| 247X | Bull Elk Rifle (247X) | One bull elk | Northside | 1/1 | Oct. 28 – Nov. 2 | |
| 247 | Antlerless Elk Rifle (247) | One antlerless elk | Northside | 1/1 | Nov. 21 – Nov. 29 | |
| FORREST CONSERVATION AREA MIDDLE FORK PARCEL | General Bow | Refer to ODFW regulations for allowed deer and elk harvest in Game Unit(s) | N/A | 2/2 | Aug. 29 – Sept. 27 | |
| 147 | Buck Deer Rifle (147) | One buck with visable antler | Northside | 1/1 | Oct. 3 – Oct. 14 | |
| 150 | Buck Deer Rifle (150) | One buck with visable antler | Desolation | 1/1 | Oct. 3 – Oct. 15 | |
| 647B | One Antlerless White-tailed Deer (647B) | One antlerless white tail deer | N/A | 12/12 | Oct. 17 – Oct. 25 | |
| 247X | Bull Elk Rifle (247X ) | One bull elk | Northside | 1/1 | Oct. 28 – Nov. 2 | |
| 250X | Bull Elk Rifle (250X) | One bull elk | Desolation | 1/1 | Oct. 28 – Nov. 1 | |
| 247C | One Elk Rifle (247C ) | One Elk | E. Northside | 1/1 | Nov. 7 – Nov. 16 | |
| 247 | Antlerless Elk Rifle (247) | One antlerless elk | Northside | 1/1 | Nov. 21 – Nov. 29 | |
| DUNSTAN CONSERVATION AREA MIDDLE FORK PARCEL | General Bow | Refer to ODFW regulations for allowed deer and elk harvest in Game Unit(s) | N/A | 2/2 | Aug. 29 – Sept. 27 | |
| 147 | Buck Deer Rifle (147) | One buck with visable antler | Northside | 1/1 | Oct. 3 – Oct. 14 | |
| 647B | One Antlerless White-tailed Deer (647B) | One antlerless white tail deer | N/A | 12/12 | Oct. 17 – Oct. 25 | |
| 247X | Bull Elk Rifle (247X ) | One bull elk | Northside | 1/1 | Oct. 28 – Nov. 2 | |
| 247C | One Elk Rifle (247C ) | One Elk | E. Northside | 1/1 | Nov. 7 – Nov. 16 | |
| 247 | Antlerless Elk Rifle (247) | One antlerless elk | Northside | 1/1 | Nov. 21 – Nov. 29 | |
| FORREST CONSERVATION AREA MAINSTEM PARCEL | General Bow | Refer to ODFW regulations for allowed deer and elk harvest in Game Unit(s) | N/A | 2/2 | Aug. 29 – Sept. 27 | |
| 147 | Buck Deer Rifle (147) | One buck with visable antler | Northside | 1/1 | Oct. 3 – Oct. 14 | |
| 247C | One Elk Rifle (247C) | One Elk | Northside | 1/1 | Nov. 7 – Nov. 16 | |
| 247 | Antlerless Elk Rifle (247) | One antlerless elk | Northside | 1/1 | Nov. 21 – Nov. 29 | |
| PINE CREEK CONSERVATION AREA | General Bow | Refer to ODFW regulations for allowed deer and elk harvest in either Game Unit | E. Biggs | 10/10 | Aug 24-Sept 22 | |
| S. Fossil | ||||||
| 145 | Fossil Unit No. 1 | 1 Buck with visible antler | S. Fossil | 15 / 15 | Oct 3 – 14 | |
| 145A | Fossil Unit No. 2 | 1 Buck with visible antler | S. Fossil | 2/2 | Nov 21 – 29 | |
| 143A | E Biggs | 1 Buck with visible antler | E. Biggs | 5/5 | Oct 3 – 14 | |
| 143C | John Day Canyon | 1 Buck with visible antler | E. Biggs | 1/1 | Nov 21 – 29 | |
| 245B1 | S. Fossil Private No. 1 | 1 Bull Elk | S. Fossil | 10/10 | Oct 28 – Nov 1 | |
| 245X | Fossil Unit No. 1 | 1 Bull Elk | Fossil | Oct 28 – Nov 1 | ||
| 245B2 | S. Fossil Private No. 2 | 1 Elk | S. Fossil | 10/10 | Nov 7 – 15 | |
| 245Y | Fossil Unit No. 2 | 1 Bull Elk | Fossil | Nov 7 – 15 | ||
| 643 | Antlerless Deer Rifle: | 1 Antlerless Deer | E. Biggs | 2/2 | Oct 17-25 | |
| (Tribal permits are reserved for ceremonial hunting) | ||||||
| 645 | Fossil Unit | 1 antlerless deer | Fossil | 6/6 | Oct 17 – 25 | |
| Elk Extended Rifle: R.Mt.Elk1st | 1 Elk Oct. 23 – Nov. 30; | E. Biggs | 3/3 | Oct 23-Nov. 29* | ||
| 1 Antlerless Elk Dec. 1-30 | ||||||
| 245C | Fossil Unit | 1 Antlerless Elk | Fossil | 6/6 | Nov 21 – 29 | |
| 245E | Fossil Unit Private | 1 Antlerless Elk | Fossil | 6/6 | Aug 1 – Nov. 29* | |
| 245T | Fossil Unit Youth Hunt | 1 Antlerless Elk | Fossil | 6/6 | Aug 1-Nov. 29 *does not include the lieu periods between other S. Fossil elk seasons listed above |
* – Denotes season access permit ending earlier than ODFW season end date; all big game hunting access on Conservation Areas ends on Nov. 29, 2020.