WELCOME
TO GRANT COUNTY
IN THE HEART OF EASTERN OREGON
Grant County is a popular spot for bow and rifle hunters, with eight of the northeastern
big game units located either partially or fully within its borders. At certain times, the Phillip
Schneider Wildlife Area is also a hunting setting. Controlled hunting seasons are staggered
throughout the year. Tag drawings determine when and where hunters may hunt.
There are controlled seasons for bighorn sheep, rocky mountain goat, black bear,
pronghorn antelope, deer and elk. There are also general seasons for deer or elk bow
hunting, and black bear and cougar hunts.
Bird hunters take part in pursuit of upland game birds, including grouse, chukar,
California quail, mountain quail and migratory game birds, including duck and geese.
For more information, see the Oregon Big Game and Game Bird regulations booklets,
or view them at www.dfw.state.or.us.
In Grant County, you’ll find the pace
slow, the people friendly, the scenery
spectacular and, hopefully, the hunting
successful.
Grant County borders the most counties
— eight — in the state. It’s a great place to
unwind and get back in touch with nature.
Grant County was established Oct. 14,
1864, from parts of Wasco and Umatilla
counties, and was named for General
Ulysses S. Grant. Grant was assigned to
help protect the early settlers in Oregon in
the 1850s before becoming famous for
leading the Union Army to victory in the
Civil War.
The county is 4,528 square miles of
mostly mountain country and rangeland,
and is drained primarily by the four forks of
the John Day River, which eventually flow
into the Columbia River.
Gold was discovered in Canyon Creek
in June 1862. The towns of Canyon City
and John Day were born during this time,
with Canyon City named as the county seat
when Grant County was formed two years
later.
To learn more about how the area was
developed, visit any of the museums in the
county, including the Grant County Ranch
& Rodeo Museum in John Day, the DeWitt
Museum at Depot Park in Prairie City, the
Grant County Historical Museum in
Canyon City and the Kam Wah Chung
Chinese Heritage Museum and Visitors
Center in John Day.
There are several campgrounds in the
area — the Malheur National Forest has 21
of them — and there are two major
national wilderness areas — Strawberry
MyEagleNews.com
Mountain and Monument Rock —
within easy reach of John Day.
For more information on the county,
visit the Grant County Chamber of
Commerce, 301 W. Main St., in John Day;
800-769-5664; www.gcoregonlive.com. They
have brochures and good advice for all
newcomers to the area.
Prairie City is 13 miles east of John
Day along the John Day River. It is near
Beulah, Northside, Malheur, Desolation
and East Murderers Creek units.
Dayville is on Highway 26, 32 miles
west of John Day. The Northside,
Murderers Creek and Ochoco hunting
units intersect at Dayville, and the area is
popular throughout the state for deer,
sheep and elk hunting, as well as upland
game birds.
Mt. Vernon is 8 miles west of John
Day on Highway 26. The area has
premier mule deer and Rocky Mountain
elk hunting, as well as terrific trout
fishing in local rivers, lakes and ponds.
Monument is on the North Fork of the
John Day River, approximately 120
miles southwest of Pendleton and 60
miles northwest of John Day. The area is
known for its fishing, hunting and
whitewater rafting.
Seneca is 26 miles south of John Day.
It is a popular jump-off for the Murderers
Creek, Malheur and Silvies units. The
area is great for pronghorn, Rocky
Mountain elk and mule deer.
Long Creek is about 45 miles north of
John Day. This area is known for trophy
mule and whitetail deer, along with
Rocky Mountain elk.
Grant County’s
HUNTING
JOURNAL
THE HUNT: LOCAL HUNTER PHOTOS.......................5, 6, 30
BOWHUNTING ELK................................................................8
MEMORIES: A POEM BY A.K. MOSS ....................................9
A PRONGHORN HUNT 17 YEARS IN THE MAKING..........10
WILDLIFE POPULATION AFTER RECENT WILDFIRES .......13
HUNTING TROPHIES AT MILLS HARDWARE .....................16
RECIPES BY TIFFANY HAUGEN...........................................20
THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF MOUNTS ...............................23
A BUTCHER’S WIFE’S PERSPECTIVE...................................24
LITTLE THINGS: A POEM BY A.K. MOSS............................24
HUNTING GRANT COUNTY MAP.......................................26
BEAR CREEK RIFLE RANGE ADDS ARCHERY ....................29
Published by the
Blue Mountain Eagle
2016
Advertiser Index
1st Choice Auto Body..................................................................22
Andy’s Plumbing & Sports .......................................................28
Austin House......................................................................................27
Blue Mountain Chiropractic....................................................12
Blue Mountain Hospital .............................................................31
Blue Mtn. Mini Market .................................................................25
Boyd Britton Welding Company .........................................12
Burnt River Market..........................................................................19
Dale Store..............................................................................................11
Dayville Mercantile.........................................................................27
Depot RV Park....................................................................................19
DP Home Entertainment Radio Shack...........................22
Duke Warner Realty.......................................................................18
Eastern Oregon Realty ................................................................12
Echanis Distributing......................................................................25
Ed Staub & Sons...............................................................................19
Ed’s Fast Break .......................................................................................9
El Cocinero Mexican Restaurant..........................................11
Gibco Ag & Industrial ...................................................................25
Grant County Chamber of Commerce..........................28
Grant County Economic Development........................15
Grant County Fairgrounds & RV Park ..................................9
Grant County Snowballers.......................................................27
Grubsteak Mining Co...................................................................12
Historic Hotel Prairie......................................................................22
Hodgen Distributing....................................................................14
Huffman’s Select Market...............................................................4
Java Jungle & Tropical Tan........................................................21
John Day Auto NAPA....................................................................14
John Day Hardware True Value................................................4
John Day Polaris..................................................................................2
John Day River Trading Post ...................................................19
John Day River Veterinary Center.......................................21
John Day Trailer Park, RV Park & Laundromat............12
Len’s Drug.................................................................................................9
Les Schwab Tire Center ..............................................................32
Malheur Lumber Company....................................................14
Mills Building Supply....................................................................11
Mobile Glass...........................................................................................7
Morrow County OHV Park........................................................27
Mossy Oak Properties Cupper Creek
Land Company...................................................................................7
Muzzy’s 1 2 3 Dollar Store.........................................................14
Nydam’s ACE Hardware..............................................................21
Oregon State Parks.........................................................................18
Oregon Trail Electric Co-op .....................................................19
Outpost Pizza, Pub & Grill..........................................................22
Prairie Hardware & Gifts..............................................................28
Prairie Trading Post.........................................................................22
Prospector Ice.......................................................................................7
Riley Store..............................................................................................11
Russell’s Custom Meats & Deli..................................................4
Silvies Valley Ranch ........................................................................27
Squeeze In Restaurant ................................................................19
Subway ...................................................................................................18
T&H Automotive..............................................................................27
Thomas Orchards............................................................................12
Wright Chevrolet.............................................................................22
ON THE COVER:
Inside:
THE
HUNT
Photographs of locals and
their kills
Page 5, 6, 30
BOWHUNTING
ELK
By local hunter Greg Dyson
Page 8
PRONGHORN
HUNT
17 year wait for Jupiter Unit
tag
Page 10
Brad Armstrong with the Pronghorn he killed after a
17-year wait to get an antelope tag for the Juniper Unit.
VISIT US ONLINE: www.MyEagleNews.com
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EMAIL US: office@bmeagle.com
WRITE TO US: 195 N. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845
WILDLIFE
POPULATIONS
Remain strong despite
recent ires
Page 13
Grant County’s Hunting Journal by the Blue Mountain Eagle
Copyright © 2016 Blue Mountain Eagle • All rights reserved. • EO Media Group
GRANT COUNTY HUNTING JOURNAL 2016 • 3