At a Glance
1,974Square Miles
12%Public Land
200 - 3,700Elevation Range
Quick Tips
- Heritage Landing State Park offers walk-in Deschutes River fishing
- Excellent smallmouth bass fishing in the John Day River
Hunters commenting on Unit 43 in Biggs, Oregon, highlight diverse terrain as a key feature, making it essential for hunters to understand the landscape to navigate effectively for elk and deer. Many users suggest scouting ahead of time is crucial due to the unit's changing environmental conditions, which also affects game behavior. Seasonal weather patterns significantly influence animal movement, so timing your hunt with weather forecasts can improve odds of success. Additionally, hunters note that securing permission for private land access can enhance your hunting experience in this unit.
Except for state and federal lands along the Deschutes and John Day Rivers, this land is virtually all private land. The unit borders Washington and holds good numbers of mule deer, a few hundred elk, some of the healthiest California bighorn sheep herds in the state as well as antelope.
This unit is mostly private wheat fields and rangeland that is divided by canyons, including the Deschutes and John Day Rivers and their tributaries. Hunters take a good number of mature mule deer and California bighorn sheep along with a few big elk and antelope.