Manulife Exits ODFW Access Program June 1, Closing 270,000 Acres

Manulife, owner of roughly 270,000 acres in northeastern Oregon, will remove those lands from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Access and Habitat program effective June 1, 2026. The change means areas long open to free public hunting and recreation will require permission or a permit to enter, altering access for hunters, ranchers, and outdoor users across Union, Wallowa and Umatilla counties and trimming the statewide enrolled acreage.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced the decision on Jan. 21. “Hunters will need permission from Manulife to enter its property as of June 1, 2026,” the announcement said. Manulife also plans to withdraw 12,400 acres in Jackson County. “Manulife has informed ODFW that they intend to launch a fee permit program where hunters or other recreationists can purchase a permit to access their lands. More information about the program should be available from Manulife in coming weeks, prior to the May 15 controlled hunt application deadline.”

Manulife’s holdings include timberland previously managed by Hancock Forest Management and, before 2017, Forest Capital Partners. Those lands have been part of the Access and Habitat program for decades, providing predictable public access in units important to Baker County anglers and hunters, including the Sled Springs unit where Manulife property makes up about 33 percent of the unit. Manulife parcels also factor into Catherine Creek, Mount Emily, Starkey, Sumpter, Ukiah, Walla Walla and Wenaha units. Using the new mule deer hunt area designations, Manulife lands fall in NB-01, NE-02, NE-03, NE-04, NE-05, NE-06 and SW-02.

The Access and Habitat program is funded by a $4 surcharge on hunting licenses and by auction and raffle proceeds from special deer and elk hunts. ODFW pays private landowners to keep property open to public hunting and recreation; the program currently enrolls about 2.2 million acres statewide and will shrink after Manulife’s exit. Manulife’s decision will free up roughly $1.1 million over three years from the program’s budget, and the Access and Habitat Board will consider adding other properties to offset the loss.

For Baker County residents, the change will affect familiar access routes, spring scouting and plans for summer range checks. Hunters planning controlled hunts should note the May 15 application deadline mentioned by Manulife, and all recreational users should seek permission before venturing onto former Access and Habitat lands after June 1 unless Manulife’s fee permit details indicate otherwise.

This shift in access reflects broader tensions over private timber ownership and public recreation in eastern Oregon; watch for Manulife’s permit rollout in coming weeks and for Access and Habitat Board moves to identify replacement parcels that could restore local opportunities.