For generations, hunters across Oregon have loaded up their trucks, headed to familiar spots in Eastern and Central Oregon, and chased mule deer through the same units their dads and granddads knew. But come 2026, that's all set to change in a big way. The state's Fish and Wildlife Commission just greenlit a overhaul that's got folks talking—from biologists crunching numbers on deer movements to longtime hunters wondering how it'll hit their traditions and tag draws. This isn't some minor tweak; it's the most sweeping shift in mule deer boundaries since the current setup was locked in decades ago. And while this year's seasons roll on without a hitch, with archery already underway and rifle hunts kicking off in early October, the future looks different for anyone who lives for those crisp fall mornings in deer country.
The push for these changes stems from a hard look at why mule deer numbers are dipping statewide. Experts at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) point to a mix of culprits: more predators on the landscape, shifting weather patterns tied to climate change, and habitats getting chewed up by development or poor land management. It's not just talk—the agency's 2024 mule deer management plan lays it out clear, calling for a smarter way to handle hunts and populations. Instead of sticking to those old wildlife management units drawn up back in the 1950s, they're switching to something called "herd ranges." These are basically the real-world territories where deer hang out year-round, including their summer spots, winter grounds, and the paths they migrate along.
Josh Smith, ODFW's mule deer coordinator out of the La Grande office, explains it like this: Deer don't care about lines on a map. They've got their own routines, and the old units often didn't match up. Take the winter counts ODFW does every year to gauge populations—they happen when deer are hunkered down in certain areas, but come hunting season in summer and early fall, those same deer might be miles away in different units. That mismatch? It means tag numbers have been off-base in places. For example, in the Desolation unit over in Grant County, it's mostly summer range, so winter counts show low numbers, leading to fewer tags than the area could probably handle during hunt time. Flip it around in spots like the Ochoco, Silvies, Fossil, or Grizzly units, where winter crowds the deer in, and you end up with too many tags issued for the lighter populations during the seasons that matter to hunters.
To nail this down, ODFW didn't just guess. They collared and tracked about 1,400 mule deer from 2005 through 2020, mapping out their travels. What they found? Deer migrations cross those old unit borders all the time. "Surprise, surprise," Smith says with a laugh, "mule deer don't follow geopolitical boundaries." The data showed clear mismatches, so the fix is to redraw the map around 22 distinct herd ranges east of the Cascades. That shakes out to 43 new hunt areas, all tailored to where the deer actually are when hunters are out there. Every spot that's open now stays open, but the boundaries are redone to fit the animals' habits better.
This revamp is mule deer-specific for now. Rocky Mountain elk hunts? They're sticking with the traditional units, at least until more data comes in. Smith's team has been collaring elk too, but those big boys are more wandering types—nomadic, he calls them—with less predictable moves. Down the road, though, there could be similar tweaks for elk boundaries if the patterns hold up. Other big game like antelope, bighorn sheep, and mountain goats? No changes on the horizon.
Hunters aren't taking this lying down, and groups like the Oregon Hunters Association (OHA), the biggest in the state, have weighed in heavy. Mike Totey, OHA's conservation director, calls it the most significant mule deer shift in ages. The group backs the herd-range approach because it lines up with real deer behavior—where they live and when. But Totey's got worries, and they're the kind that hit home for anyone who's spent years in the same camp. "Hunters are mostly traditionalists," he points out, "hunting and camping in the same place for decades." Big changes like this could stir up confusion, especially with how folks use their preference points to draw tags.
One big fear: Crowding. The new areas mash together chunks of old units, so what if everyone piles into one hot spot? Smith gets that and says ODFW's playing it safe early on. For 2026 and 2027, tag numbers will be conservative to keep pressure down and avoid overwhelming any single area. By 2028, with fresh data from counts, applications, and hunter reports, they can adjust and spread things out better. Overall, the commission's plan drops total mule deer tags by about 9%—from around 61,000 this year to 55,423 in 2026. But it's not a blanket cut; some areas might even see more tags if the data shows they're under-hunted now, like that Desolation example.
On preference points, nothing's changing in the system itself, but expect some fog for a bit. Take the Warner unit in Lake County—right now, it's split north and south, with 17 points needed for the north but just three for the south. Under the new setup, it's one combined area, so it'll take a few seasons for hunters to figure out the point math. ODFW's own release puts it straight: "Hunters should expect a period of uncertainty" on draws and points. Smart advice? Think hard about how you play your points over the next couple years.
The maps themselves are getting a facelift too. Gone are names like Desolation or Starkey; now it's alphanumeric codes like SW-01 or NB-02. In Baker County, SW-01 pulls in most of Lookout Mountain, Keating, Pine Creek, and Catherine Creek units. Up in Umatilla and Morrow counties, NB-02 grabs parts of Columbia Basin, Ukiah, and Heppner. Some spots, like the old Starkey turning into SP-02, stay pretty much the same shape where the data allowed it. Smith stresses they tried to keep consistency where possible, knowing how many families have deep roots in specific units. "We recognize that many people have hunted the same unit for decades," he notes.
At the end of the day, this is about getting hunting right—aligning tags and areas with where the deer are, to sustain populations and keep the experience solid for the long haul. Totey sums it up: "This is going to take several years to shake out." But if it works, it could mean better odds, healthier herds, and hunts that feel more in tune with the land. For now, hunters can check out the details and maps online, plan their 2025 seasons as usual, and start wrapping their heads around 2026. It's a reminder that even in the backcountry, things evolve, and staying adaptable might just be the key to bagging that buck of a lifetime.
