Hunters considering Unit 52 in Starkey, Oregon for a DIY archery elk hunt should anticipate significant hunting pressure, especially due to its proximity to Union County's largest town and as a spillover area from limited entry units. Many note that elk tend to be in dense cover away from roads, making scouting crucial. While there is variability in harvest success, some hunters recommend focusing efforts around the headwaters of Sheep Creek for better results. For those planning a hunt, aligning schedules with available state data updates on harvest and tag numbers in the summer can aid in better preparation.
| species | general Size | trophy potential |
|---|---|---|
| Mule Deer | 140"-160" | 170"+ |
| Whitetail Deer | 90"-100" | 110"+ |
| Elk | 280"-310" | 320"+ |
High
Low
Southwest of La Grande, this unit has mule deer, whitetail deer and elk and is largely in the Blue Mountains of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. It includes the Starkey Experimental Forest and Range, which is almost all high-fenced.
This unit gets a lot of pressure but a few elk and mule deer still manage to reach trophy sizes. Hunters take mostly spike and forkhorn mule deer.
Most land is composed of rolling hills and low mountains that are cut by dozens of streams and their tributaries that drain into bottomlands and between flattened ridges. The higher mountainous land ranges mostly between 4,500 and 6,000 feet above sea level and is mostly forested. The lower land is mostly open and fairly flat, ranging primarily from 3,100 to 4,000 feet or so in elevation. There’s some flat farm land near La Grande in the northeast and near North Powder in the southeast.
Cottonwoods, willows, alders, bulrushes, cattails and bushes grow in bottomlands and along creeks and in and near marshes. Farm land is mostly irrigated hay. Low foothills are mostly covered with bunchgrasses with buckbrush, wildflowers and various shrubs on the sides and in draws. Forests are filled with ponderosa pines, Douglas firs, larches, grand firs, yews and spruces. Invasive cheatgrass is common on south and west slopes at low to middle elevations.
Roughly 808 square miles
64% public land
Elevations from 2,700-7,200 feet
Some roads on public land have restrictions on motor vehicles. Before hunting, review Umatilla National Forest road use maps and Wallowa-Whitman National Forest road use maps. The approximately 41-square-mile Meacham Travel Management Area has travel restrictions that start three days before bow season and continue through big game seasons. Parking and entry permits are required to hunt in the Elkhorn Wildlife Area, where motor vehicles are allowed only on open roads and ATVs are prohibited. The Roth Tract is closed to hunting. Hunters may not use snowmobiles or ATVs. Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area is open to youth hunters who draw tags for short-range weapons seasons. Shooting of centerfire rifles or archery equipment is not allowed inside a posted quarter-mile-wide buffer zone on national forest land surrounding the experimental forest enclosure. The main study area is open to hunting of other species during authorized seasons. The 12-foot right-of-way along each side of all 8-foot-high perimeter and internal game fences is closed to motorized travel. Public entry is allowed only through the main gate. Big game auction and raffle tag holders are not eligible to hunt in the Starkey experimental forest. The Dry Beaver-Ladd Travel Management Area has some areas that are closed to vehicle access to promote quality hunting. Click here to see TMA maps.
La Grande has many lodging options, including La Grande Inn. Many campgrounds are in the Wallowa-Whitman and Umatilla National Forests. Hunters with permits may camp in the Starkey experimental forest but only near open roads.