Oregon

[Zim]

Anybody else apply in Oregon? Gosh I started applying back when it was getting good deer reviews. I think I finally have a chance to draw a tag there. Mt. Emily archery elk with 16 pts. But getting mixed answers on if there is a tag available due to their outfitter deal. It would be nice to get anything out of 17 years of investments. I would not apply there if I was on the ground floor.

 

[HighDesertSage]

I have looked at Oregon a few times, especially when I was living in CA. Beautiful country, but when you look at the stats it wasn't worth it for me. If I remember correctly it takes 3-4 points to draw a mule deer or elk tag and even then the success rates were only 20's and low 30's. I beat that with tags I can obtain every year in CO. All while eating a $150+ license every year....no thanks.

 

[MtnWest]

I've got 5 points, killed a few bulls archery otc but stopped applying 5 or 6 years ago when they raised the fees. The cost on top of the 5% non res allocation got me to cut my losses. Like ishootdasmallones's said the stats until you get to emily, wenaha, etc aren't great, especially living in otc states like Idaho or Colorado.

Main reason I hunted there was I've got family in Bend so it was nice to meet in the middle which is E. Oregon. Don't get me wrong, there is still some great otc archery there and not too difficult rifle tags but just not for me in my situation.

 

[Joe Hulburt]

I did! 27% chance of drawing my Weneha archery elk tag with 16 points. Not much chance of drawing anything else though.

If I was not an Oregon resident I would probably just hunt general season here. There are a few controlled hunts that are reasonable to draw but for the most part the few "premium" hunts are not worth the investment.

An overhaul of the system here that made it appealing for non-residients would be very wise. We need to increase the number of units where hunt quality is a goal and set the fee structure up to greatly increase non-res interest in my opinion.

 

[bmack]

Mt. Emily is getting impacted dramatically by the newer wolf packs that have moved in over the last 3 years. The biologists working the unit said there is 2 packs currently residing in the unit totaling around 10 wolves.

I've hunted the unit my entire life, love it more than any place on earth and it's sad to see it declining. Hard to say what that "premium" tag will look like in a few more years.

Sitting at 9 points I still have a ways to go and I certainly hope it changes for the better in the years to come.

 

[elkrchr]

Burned up my OR elk points last year and hopeful to burn my OR antelope this year. If not, for sure next year I will burn both my OR antelope and deer points. Moving to MT in 2015 and can't wait. I am looking forward to this season's general blacktail rifle hunt as it goes a week later than usual.

 

[LopeHunter]

I have 20+ Oregon elk points. I am that guy at the top of the NR elk point table along with one of my brothers.

Was a resident once. Now not. The best units have 500 or more spike hunters bumping around the woods so not sure I will ever hunt Oregon again. Shot a nice pronghorn years ago. I spend most my time in AZ rather than the NW so is just out of habit that I apply for OR points and would have stopped if was not a sheep fanatic.

My observation, though maybe is wrong, is in the better elk units that the habitat is not improving, predator management is not improving and herd health and size is not improving. I never would have applied in OR except I lived there in the 1990s. Good luck on your hunts.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

I put in for all species as im a resident,,,,but as a fellow non-resident apper in many other states ,i agree that oregons system is not a overly good "bang for the buck" compared to many other states.

 

[WapitiBob]

"My observation, though maybe is wrong, is in the better elk units that the habitat is not improving, predator management is not improving and herd health and size is not improving. I never would have applied in OR except I lived there in the 1990s. Good luck on your hunts."

This would be correct.
Not sure what you're waiting for but things aren't going to dramatically improve until they hit bottom. With our 7 year date cycle you may have missed your best opportunity for a number of years.

 

[Zim]

Black, Ya the way guys are talking I best elk hunt now as it's not going to get any better. Hope I draw.

 

[dmandoes]

hunting illustrated has an article about hart mountain and how bad it is. pretty sad.

 

[Brittany Chukarman]

"My observation, though maybe is wrong, is in the better elk units that the habitat is not improving, predator management is not improving and herd health and size is not improving. I never would have applied in OR except I lived there in the 1990s. Good luck on your hunts."

This would be correct.
Not sure what you're waiting for but things aren't going to dramatically improve until they hit bottom. With our 7 year date cycle you may have missed your best opportunity for a number of years.

That's a good point. Last season bowhunters had a hard time. Rifle hunters were hunting in the peak of the rut and did great.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

Friends don't let friends hunt Oregon.

 

[confused coyote]

Friends don't let friends hunt Oregon.

I had a feeling you were going to say that. That is your go to saying about Oregon.

 

['Ike']

Every year, but hunted the late archery season the most for Blacktails...Wasn't until I got word of the Columbia Whitetail hunts coming to be, that I started putting in for points in 2003 and drew one of the first tags in 06...Then in 09 and again this last year...Took two bucks out of the three seasons...

Started collecting Elk points 10 years ago, but unsure what I want to do...Thought I'd originally use them for a Roos, now I'm not so sure...We'll see!

I'd like to kill a Eastern Oregon Whitetail now, so am looking hard at that...My Deer slam would be all from the West if I pulled that off with the bonus being the Columbia Whitetail!

 

[confused coyote]

Nice pictures. Good luck with your slam.

 

[Steelhead]

I have points from when I was a resident.

11 600 series
8 400
2 200
4 100


It kinda sucks. I spent my 8 elk points on sled springs archery in 2012 and that hunt wasn't really worth it but I was never gonna draw the big 3 and point creep is so bad that Snake River would be just outta reach for years and years...

I put in for a deer hunt this year but after spending so much time in Idaho and knowing that I'm gonna hunt there I know in my heart that an OTC in Idaho will be better than my OR tag if'n I draw it

Whatcha gonna do. I think I'll be spring bear hunting OR next year...

 

[huntRme]

Don't know where all you guys are from, but don't know why anyone would want to fiddle around with accumulating points for a chance to hunt mule deer and Rocky Mtn elk in Oregon if you can do the same with an OTC tag in your home state. Oregon has some big mulies and is one of the top states for elk numbers, but trying to draw a NR tag sounds like a real long shot.

Now, if you want to hunt blacktails or Roosevelt elk it is another matter with OTC tags for all. If you live in Colorado (or wherever) and need a blacktail for your slam it makes sense to come to Oregon, but that us the only reason I'd come.

Fortunately, I already live in Oregon and will be out there the last week of blacktail season doing what I've been doing since 1962 - getting soaking wet and cold, wondering "why am I doing this?" Then, when that shooter buck comes along, I remember why I do it.