Starkey unit #1 rifle elk

[Opportunist]

A buddy of mine is looking at the Starkey unit first season rifle elk, just curious what you guys thought of the unit; bull quality, elk numbers and terrain. I've heard the last few years the bull quality has gotten better. Is this true? He's got 6 points which gives him a chance as a non-res. in 2006, a for sure draw in 2007. thanks

[gottafish]

I have hunted this unit for many years until last year. The number and quality of bulls has dropped a lot. Last year I didn't set foot in starky but my die hard friends went anyway they didn't see anything in a week of hunting but One cow and this was during the rut of elk bow season. So Id say go for it. LOL less points I have to compete with for a good unit.

[Opportunist]

Gottafish, I've heard it's a real zoo during bow, have you guys rifle hunted it?

[gottafish]

No, there is a group of about twenty guys from fort lewis army base that come down every year and slater the elk in the area we hunt. We pack back in about 3 miles befor we even start hunting. It use to be good in the late 90's but as of late it really sucks. Thats where I killed that big cougar in 2004. that was the only big game animal we saw in 4 days of hunting. If I was a rifle hunter Id put in for sled springs lots of bulls in that unit.

[Opportunist]

Gottafish, thanks for the info.

[BIGALSURF]

I hunt by Bear Creek on private and there are tons of elk starkey first rifle, as in I've seen a herd of two thousand, all kegged up in that unit on one private ranch of 6000 acres that is not hunted, or logged. It seems like the elk are getting smarter each year, they split from the public and keg up there, and even the private ranches don't do as well as in the 90's.

I've heard in past years the fish and game would fly over herds like this and drop firecrackers to give better hunting opportunities, but don't know if that's true?

My experience is that if you don't jump them the first morning by scouting and being in position to shoot at first light, you won't see them the rest of the season on public land.

[gottafish]

I've heard in past years the fish and game would fly over herds like this and drop firecrackers to give better hunting opportunities, but don't know if that's true?

Well I can tell you this much, The fish and wildlife office in la Grand has a huge storage area that has signs on it saying warning fireworks on it. I asked whats with all the fire works and He said Oh we just use them around home and stuff like that along with a wink. So you do the math.

[Elkguide]

I have seen them break up the big herds off of the ukiah flats in years past. They were using helicopters and small aircraft to run the animals off private and onto public.


Elkguide

[woolybuggerboy]

I am curious about starkey as well. an old retired friend of mine said that he used to get his elk every year in starkey unit. i think he rifle hunted it in the early 80's. are there certain parts of the unit that have better elk numbers than others? or is everyone just crowded up around the experimeantal forest?

[gottafish]

Well to tell you the truth I have never hunted near the experimental forest. Mostly around sheep creek ranch and the burn area. In 96 we saw elk every day now we don't see many at all. But I am not going to beat my brains out to try and tell you guys. Go out there and scout it. put in for the tags. go ahead. I wouldn't but thats just me. Heck there may be a secert honey hole I don't know about. I think you can stop by sheep creek ranch and talk with John Vey. see how much he's charging this year to hunt In the past its been about 3000.00 but you will kill a elk.

[mtn300]

I saw a picture of a big six point killed in the starkey unit last year on public land. He was a nice bull mid 300's I think. It was the only elk that person saw the whole time. I would pick a better unit if i had that many points. For some reason there is a lot of people putting in for the starkey unit lately. Most of the bulls head for the private ground and get shot. Just my opinion.

[HarpMan]

Opportunist,

Drew Starkey last year with 7 points.. We had been hunting Starkey spike only for years and seeing nice branch bulls every day and getting a spike or two every year.... so we were pumped to get the bull tag and thinking it was going to be a good year. I passed on a spike opening am and it was the only bull we saw for the season very dissapointing year.... the elk were just not around were they had been the 5-7 years prior for whatever reason... This was in the Sheep creek-Tower Mountain local.. I'm not hunting their again!

Plunker

[gottafish]

Opportunist,

Drew Starkey last year with 7 points.. We had been hunting Starkey spike only for years and seeing nice branch bulls every day and getting a spike or two every year.... so we were pumped to get the bull tag and thinking it was going to be a good year. I passed on a spike opening am and it was the only bull we saw for the season very dissapointing year.... the elk were just not around were they had been the 5-7 years prior for whatever reason... This was in the Sheep creek-Tower Mountain local.. I'm not hunting their again!

Plunker

Thats one of the areas I always hunted, in 2004 someguy got a cow in that area After two weeks of hunting in a party of 6 During bow season they only saw about 5 elk in all that time. Its really sad because that use to be such a great place to go. Fish and Game bio I talked to said the biggest problem with that area is not the cougars but the bears killing the calfs as soon as they hit the ground.

[oregonmuley]

Plunker,
I hunt the same exact area you guys do, I've hunted it for about the last 11 or 12 years. Used to see lots of elk, cows, spikes and branch bulls so I put in each year and collected my preference points. In 2004 I got lucky and got my 1st season any elk tag. Hunted hard everyday of the season, never did see a bull and ended up taking a cow the last 5 minutes of the hunt. Hunted same area last year, saw one bunch of elk opening morning, there was a small spike that I shot but I was really lucky, never saw any other elk the rest of the week. Like someone else posted, after opening morning the elk move into the wilderness area or on private. Some folks still get lucky but I think there are better units.
Good luck on your draws though,
Frank

[SandShark]

I've bow hunted the Starkey for the last two years. From what I understand, this unit used to be one of the best in the state. However, the ODF&G gave it a "C" for elk this last season (it used to be an "A") and they gave the unit an "A" for bear and cougar.

Last year, we saw elk every day including several nice bulls - I'd rate that year a B-. This year we saw 0, yes that is Zero elk. The only time in my life I have not seen elk during bow season. So I'd have to give it an F this past season. We did see bear and lots of cougar sign though.

The only way I will hunt Starkey again is if I draw the Exp forest (I have 7 points which I believe gives me about a 50% chance).

[Rank Amateur]

Here's a little data for you guys to ponder, I wish I had it all, because I think it really tells the full story. When did Starkey go to the spike only hunts? I think that is when the Cow harvest went way up. Look how the unit went along fairly nicely for many years with low to moderate Cow harvests, then when the Cow harvest exceeded the bull harvest look what happens. Factor in more predator kills and you have the decline that we are seeing. I remember predicting this decline, when I saw all the Cow tags they were giving out, I believe after the adoption of the spike only hunts (95). Looks like they finally figured it out, the Cow hunts are way cut back now. Hope it isn't too late.

Starkey Elk Harvest

Year Cows Bulls
1969 128 586
1970 303 878
1971 172 677
1972 175 503
1973 312 911
1974 392 481
1975 257 858
1976 295 921
1977 452 1235
1978 481 913
1979 186 751*
1980 541 1235*
1981 1090 819*
1982 248 789*
1983 574 769*
1985 618 918*
1986 356 696*
1987 431 455*
1988 399 859*
1989 358 669*
1990 274 782*
1992 291 528
1996 1449 945
1999 1186 698
2000 941 579
2004 508 399
* this year does not include bow harvest data.

[lentz]

I've been hunting the Johnson lookout tower and sheep creek area with my family and friends for about 21 years. Recently we have concentrated our efforts on sheep creek. This last archery season we saw approximatly 50 or so elk. Granted some of them are probably the same ones, but that is still plenty. I've have noticed a decline, but not to the extreme that i have read about. I also rifle hunt and have seen numerous elk during those hunts. My saying is that you have to go where you think that nobody will be, then you have to go a couple of more miles. I also believe that if you get out of you're vehicle or off the seat of that ATV, then you will see plenty of elk. Sorry about the lecture, but this is just stuff that i have seen over the years.

[gottafish]

Well, I do go the extra mile and I don't think you should tell lies. LOL I don't see squat any more in that area. Do you have them in a pen some where or are you hunting on vey's ranch?

[gottafish]

I stole this from Rank, But it makes a good point as to why these units are not tops in my book any more.

elk calf:cow ratios have declined in Ukiah, Heppner, Starkey, Desolation, and Fossil WMUs
from long-term averages of 35-40 calves per 100 females to less than 20 calves per 100 females I'll go a bit more and say the Bio in La grand told me its more like 5 to 100 in starky.

[Opportunist]

Thanks for all of the info guys. It's great to hear info from hunters on the ground.