Oregon offers four types of elk tags. You must have a specific tag to legally hunt elk. This section explains the differences between each tag and how to get them. It’s important to know that in any given year, you can only have one elk tag within the 200 series. To get more than one, you’ll need to have the luck or money needed to get a raffle or auction tag. More on that below.
The 200 Series tag elk tag is Oregon’s bread and butter elk tag. Most hunts are for bull elks, but there’s a surprising number of tags available for spikes only or cow elk. For a full list of season dates and available tags, check out the Elk Seasons section of the Oregon Big Game Regulations. There are general and controlled hunt opportunities within the 200 series.
Premium Hunts offer a chance for hunters to draw an additional deer, elk or pronghorn tag with a months-long season. This is a limited-entry tag run as a pure lottery where each hunter can purchase a single entry for that year’s draw. No preference points accumulate, and there are no party hunts as with controlled hunts. ODFW issues just one tag for every Premium Hunt. If you win, this is truly a once-in-a-lifetime type of hunt. Odds are slim, but the payoff is huge. Check out the resource link below for a breakdown of what Premium Hunts are available around the state and how to apply.
RESOURCE ODFW Premium Hunts
Raffle Tags
Since 1995, ODFW’s Access & Habitat program has raffled exclusive tags that offer hunters another opportunity besides controlled and general season tags. Hunters who win a raffle tag are allowed to use any legal weapon for the entire allotted season, have extended season dates of August 1 – November 30, and can still purchase a controlled or general season tag for that species in that year. This is a traditional raffle where tickets are put into a pot and one winner per hunt is pulled based on a seed number. Buying a single ticket can win you the hunt of a lifetime. Of course, more tickets will increase your odds. For a breakdown of raffle hunt odds and instructions, see the resource link below. Proceeds from raffle tag sales fund wildlife conservation on habitat enhancement in Oregon.
Auction Tags
Big game auction tags are for big spenders. Major wildlife conservation groups support a handful of world class, once-in-a-lifetime hunts across the state each year. These hunts are truly for people with a lot of money to spend, but they end up benefitting all hunters because most of the money fuels key wildlife conservation and habitat enhancement work. At this time, Oregon Hunters Association (OHA) supports three big game auction tags. If you have the money, you can pay to play and support Oregon’s wildlife with these auction tags.
RESOURCE ODFW Raffle and Auction Hunts