QuazyQuinton
Well-known member
I cashed my 21 Oregon elk points this year to draw a rifle tag for the Wxxxxx Unit in the NE part of the state. For those not familiar, this is the highest demand rifle elk tag in the state and the one with the reputation for the biggest bulls. I didn't really start out saving for this unit, but when my point total started getting up there, I decided to go for it since it would be my one chance.
Scouting consisted of hunting the unit for deer last fall, plus a couple of two day scouting trips leading up to the season. I felt somewhat familiar with the unit, but there is a lot of country that is really difficult to access. The northern part of the unit requires either crossing the main river canyon or hiking miles in from trailheads in Washington. Much of the canyon country is steep and cliffy. Seeing elk is one thing, but getting close is a challenge.
I missed the first two days of the season due to work schedule, but then I headed over with the rest of the season ahead of me. I was solo for the first few days, and then a buddy joined me. It didn't take long to realize there were not 400" bulls hiding behind every tree. I was seeing some elk, but every sighting was followed by a map study to see if there was a way to get close in the next 24 hours. One bull that my buddy spotted was probably in the 360-370 range, but it was clearly across the line into Washington. Nothing else we saw was bigger than about 300 inches. The other challenge of the hunt is that there is one main road through the unit. Unless you commit to hiking into one specific canyon, you have a lot of company on the major vantage points.
On the second Saturday morning (day 7 of hunting), we saw a 6x6 with a broken right side walking out the top of a canyon and into the timber. Not particularly big, and no way to find him in the thick stuff above the canyon. We took Sunday off to go visit my dad, uncle, and son hunting an OTC tag in a nearby unit. Monday morning we were back looking in the same area. The same bull showed up on the same finger ridge, but this time he was down lower on an open ridge about 1200 yards from us. We decided to get closer.
We had to hike out away from the elk, drive farther away, and then drive 10 or 15 miles to make a loop to get above that segment of the canyon. Then probably a mile or two of hiking to come out at the location where he had gone into the timber 2 days before. From that vantage point, 700 yards away, we assessed him better and debated if he was a bull I would be happy with. Fortunately, I had the sense to take the opportunity while my buddy was still there to help. I busted down the ridge to get closer and set up for the shot. On my signal, my buddy began cow calling, and the bull stood up. I had ranged it at 294 yards, and the first shot felt good. The bull ran toward me about 40 yards and stopped facing straight on. He was still on his feet, so I put the crosshairs on his chin and shot again. That folded him up, and he slid down the hill. Dying under this log was his final revenge.
Scenic shot with a dead elk
We had known he was broken on the right side, but he turned out to be kind of clubbed and a little palmated. There was a fourth tine on the end that was broken off. He was nowhere close to the size of bull that the unit is supposed to produce, but I really felt pretty happy. We packed the head and backstraps out that night. The next day we got all the meat up to the rim of the canyon and some of it all the way out. On Wednesday we finished the packing and broke camp. Let me tell you I was glad there were two of us and I wasn't working by myself.
So, was it worth 21 points? I certainly will not start out again, even if I knew I could have that tag with 21 points again. That's just too long to wait for one tag. On the other hand, it was one of the coolest trips I have ever been on. Sharing it with a good friend made some great memories. It challenged me more than I thought it would for being such a premium tag, but I'm satisfied that I met the challenge. I'll be looking forward to getting out after them again next fall. And I got to drive home with this view in the mirror.
QQ
Scouting consisted of hunting the unit for deer last fall, plus a couple of two day scouting trips leading up to the season. I felt somewhat familiar with the unit, but there is a lot of country that is really difficult to access. The northern part of the unit requires either crossing the main river canyon or hiking miles in from trailheads in Washington. Much of the canyon country is steep and cliffy. Seeing elk is one thing, but getting close is a challenge.
I missed the first two days of the season due to work schedule, but then I headed over with the rest of the season ahead of me. I was solo for the first few days, and then a buddy joined me. It didn't take long to realize there were not 400" bulls hiding behind every tree. I was seeing some elk, but every sighting was followed by a map study to see if there was a way to get close in the next 24 hours. One bull that my buddy spotted was probably in the 360-370 range, but it was clearly across the line into Washington. Nothing else we saw was bigger than about 300 inches. The other challenge of the hunt is that there is one main road through the unit. Unless you commit to hiking into one specific canyon, you have a lot of company on the major vantage points.
On the second Saturday morning (day 7 of hunting), we saw a 6x6 with a broken right side walking out the top of a canyon and into the timber. Not particularly big, and no way to find him in the thick stuff above the canyon. We took Sunday off to go visit my dad, uncle, and son hunting an OTC tag in a nearby unit. Monday morning we were back looking in the same area. The same bull showed up on the same finger ridge, but this time he was down lower on an open ridge about 1200 yards from us. We decided to get closer.
We had to hike out away from the elk, drive farther away, and then drive 10 or 15 miles to make a loop to get above that segment of the canyon. Then probably a mile or two of hiking to come out at the location where he had gone into the timber 2 days before. From that vantage point, 700 yards away, we assessed him better and debated if he was a bull I would be happy with. Fortunately, I had the sense to take the opportunity while my buddy was still there to help. I busted down the ridge to get closer and set up for the shot. On my signal, my buddy began cow calling, and the bull stood up. I had ranged it at 294 yards, and the first shot felt good. The bull ran toward me about 40 yards and stopped facing straight on. He was still on his feet, so I put the crosshairs on his chin and shot again. That folded him up, and he slid down the hill. Dying under this log was his final revenge.
Scenic shot with a dead elk
We had known he was broken on the right side, but he turned out to be kind of clubbed and a little palmated. There was a fourth tine on the end that was broken off. He was nowhere close to the size of bull that the unit is supposed to produce, but I really felt pretty happy. We packed the head and backstraps out that night. The next day we got all the meat up to the rim of the canyon and some of it all the way out. On Wednesday we finished the packing and broke camp. Let me tell you I was glad there were two of us and I wasn't working by myself.
So, was it worth 21 points? I certainly will not start out again, even if I knew I could have that tag with 21 points again. That's just too long to wait for one tag. On the other hand, it was one of the coolest trips I have ever been on. Sharing it with a good friend made some great memories. It challenged me more than I thought it would for being such a premium tag, but I'm satisfied that I met the challenge. I'll be looking forward to getting out after them again next fall. And I got to drive home with this view in the mirror.
