South of Pendleton, this unit has mule deer, elk and a few whitetail deer. It varies from desert flats and foothills to forested mountains in the Umatilla National Forest, including the North Fork John Day Wilderness in the southeastern corner.

Mature bucks and bulls can be hard to find in this unit because hunting pressure is often intense near roads and sometimes away from roads. Hunters who hike into secluded canyons or have access to private land have a fair chance of finding good bull elk and buck deer.

Forested regions feature ponderosa pine, larch, Douglas fir, aspens, spruce, oakbrush and many other species of trees and shrubs. The arid parts of the area are mostly covered with grasses and shrubs, including sagebrush, bitterbrush and bluebunch wheatgrass. Thick stands of willows and cottonwoods are found along creeks.

The southern half of the unit is mostly Forest Service land in the Umatilla National Forest. Roads provide access to much of the National Forest though some roads are closed all year and others seasonally. Click here for Umatilla National Forest road use maps. Hunting is allowed on Bridge Creek Wildlife Area April 15-Nov. 30. Vehicles there are restricted to designated roads. Many elk and deer live primarily on private land, which produces some trophy-size bucks and bulls. McKay Creek Refuge is closed to deer and elk hunting. Meacham Travel Management Area has travel restrictions that start three days prior to opening of archery season and through May 31. That area occupies about 41 square miles of land in this unit as well as in Units 52 and 54. Umatilla Indian Reservation is closed to public hunting.

Most of this unit consists of arid terrain varying from flat crop and rangelands to rolling hills and rugged canyons. The eastern part of the southern half is composed of forested mountains, which include the North Fork John Day Wilderness. Part of the Umatilla Indian Reservation occupies the northern end. Blue Mountain Forest State Scenic Corridor and Battle Mountain Forest State Scenic Corridor are state lands that were bought to protect mature trees.

Umatilla National Forest maintains a variety of campgrounds, including Lane Creek Campground 11 miles east of Ukiah. Motels are in Pendleton and Ukiah, including Rugged Country Lodge in Pendleton and Antlers Inn in Ukiah (phone: 541-427-3492).