Upland Hunting in Oregon

two hunters hunting on the range

Oregon’s Highland Hills Ranch is by all measures a legendary wingshooting lodge. When you book a hunt at this 3,000-acre sporting estate, you are practically assured of having a hunt you will never forget. An interview with HHR co-owner Mindi Macnab illustrates what goes into making a visit to the ranch such an amazing experience.

Where is your lodge located?

The ranch is located on 3,000 acres of remote, scenic high prairie in northeast Oregon about 50 miles south of the Columbia River Gorge. It’s about a 2½-hour drive from Portland to our lodge. Our area is the perfect place for escaping the chaos of everyday life.

landscape with fields and blue skies scattered with clouds

What bird species do you offer, and what is the limit?

Highland Hills is famous for its lineup of pheasants, chukar, Hungarian partridge and valley quail. We call it a grand slam when hunters bag all four. Our personal favorite is chukar, because our region is known as one of the better places on Earth to pursue this species. There is no shortage of birds here, so we do not impose limits on our hunters.

What is your hunter-to-guide ratio?

Guests will always hunt only with friends from their group. Depending on the circumstances and the number of shooters per group, we can customize the ratio. Generally we hunt two to three people with a guide for our walk-up hunts.  

What are the terrain and cover like?

Highland Hills is very lucky to have an excellent mix of habitat. We have lower-elevation farm fields and food plots for the pheasants, Huns and quail and classic high-desert rimrock and grassy flats for the chukar. Birds often trade back and forth between these areas, meaning that you can still see pheasants in the chukar habitat and vice versa.

bronze fields stretching to the horizon

Do you hunt with pointing or flushing dogs? Can a hunter bring and hunt with his/her dog—and if so, where will the dog stay?

We hunt with both pointers and flushers. All the dogs perform at a very high level. If you notice a lot of cockers, it is because we are head over heels in love with this wonderful breed! We love all dogs, but we are downright fanatical about cockers! For guests bringing their own dogs, we have a kennel area at the lodge where we can accommodate them.

dog in a field

Do you welcome non-hunting spouses—and if so, what is there for them to do?

We get a lot of non-shooting guests every year, and we are always happy to have them. One of the biggest non-shooter attractions is the lodge itself. It’s huge, lavishly decorated and extremely comfortable. One would be hard pressed to find a better place to read a good book than the couch that sits in front of the fireplace in our great room. For those who want to make a day trip from the lodge, we are only a short drive from some great wine country.

How is your lodging managed?

Between the lodge and our cabins, we have 12 bedrooms with 24 beds. All of our rooms have private bathrooms. The cabins offer an extra level of privacy, scenic views and wildlife watching. Both the lodge rooms and cabins are very well appointed, so you can’t go wrong with either option. Our standard offering is based on double occupancy, but arrangements can be made for single.

Highland Hills Ranch is a full-service Shooting Sportsman Endorsed Lodge. To learn more or make a reservation, call 541-296-2447, email info@highlandhillsranch.com or visit highlandhillsranch.com.

Photographs courtesy of Highland Hills Ranch.


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