What is Order of the Antelope?

Brothers in conservation since 1932.

The Order of the Antelope (OOTA) started when a band of Lakeview men looked at Hart Mountain, looked at the pronghorn herd, and said, “Let’s fix this.” They bounced up wagon-rut “roads” for the first Trek with grit, humor, and a mission: protect the antelope and the mountain they call home.

Four years later, that passion helped set the stage for the creation of Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge, established on December 20, 1936 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt “…as a range and breeding ground for the antelope and other species of wildlife.” Today, refuge management focuses on conserving native wildlife and restoring high-desert ecosystems for everyone’s enjoyment, education, and appreciation.

Where Tradition Meets Trail Dust

Every year, Antelopers reunite on the mountain for the Annual Trek—a working reunion with handshakes, hard work, and a healthy dose of brotherhood. We’ve welcomed nearly 30,000 members in good standing since 1932, with plenty of repeat “offenders.”

1. We fund annual big-game surveys—about $10,000 each year—to monitor pronghorn, mule deer, and bighorn sheep so managers have the science to back great decisions.
2. We support the next generation with wildlife scholarships—because good stewards grow more good stewards.
3. We boost Lake County with roughly $70,000 a year in local spending tied to the Trek.
4. We get hands-on: planting trees, clearing brush, painting buildings, and tearing out miles of fence (pro tip: antelope don’t jump fences—they duck under them at speed).

Our Kind of Conservation

OOTA is boots-on-the-ground stewardship—elbows deep in real projects alongside refuge personnel, making Hart Mountain better for critters and visitors alike. It’s fellowship with a purpose: do the work, tell a few tall tales, and leave the mountain stronger than we found it.

About Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge

Hart Mountain rises nearly three-quarters of a mile above Oregon’s Warner Valley in cliffs, ridges, and sweeping sagebrush country. The summit of Warner Peak tops out at 8,017 feet, while the low point near Bluejoint Lake sits at 4,470 feet. The west face is cut by dramatic gorges—Hart, Potter, and DeGarmo—while the east slopes down into rolling sagebrush-grasslands typical of the Great Basin.

This 278,000-acre refuge is home to more than 300 wildlife species, including pronghorn, California bighorn sheep, mule deer, greater sage-grouse, and redband trout. It is also one of the most expansive wildlife habitats in the arid West without domestic livestock.

Proud. Wild. Unbreakable.

We come to the mountain to work hard, laugh loud, and keep a promise made by our founders: protect the land, protect the herd, and raise a glass to both. We’re proud to be Antelopers—always have been, always will be.