2002 Mulie Trips-How did it go?

Fish Hunter · 09-25-2002, 10:38 AM

Will be stepping away from the job for awhile to go hunt NE OR for bucks. Should be a good time hunting the Keating unit, saw plenty of animals in '98 and tagged out the first day. Got a hot GPS point from a bow hunting buddy who saw Mr Big last week. Can't wait to get started. Looking forward to some quality time with friends and family.
Wanted to start a thread for when I get back to check out all your monster bucks. Fire up those cameras and brew up your finest story.
Be back by Oct 6 to see how you did!
Good luck!

skein · 09-25-2002, 10:49 AM

A little info might help us, too. My wife and I both have tags for Northside, and it's our first hunt there - and her first deer hunt! I'm not so much looking for a wall-hanger as I am a successful hunt for her. If anybody was over there during bow season, or has hunted there before and can give some tips, I'd really appreciate it.

We scouted over there on Labor Day, so I have some familiarity with the area, but things can really change when the woods fill up with hunters.

Anyway - wish us luck!

Skein

Bait O' Eggs · 09-25-2002, 10:49 AM

For those headed out for the big buck rifle first weekend, please be careful.

I helped pack a fatal shooting of another hunter off the hill in the early 80's. It wasnt fun or enjoyable.

It still haunts me on opening weekend every year. I will be staying home this weekend and not participating. :depressed: I was just driving by when I saw the crowd and stopped to see what was going on. I wont forget the 2 s h o o t e r s that had shot at a buck, they didnt know which one accidentaly shot the other partner, but both of them were hysterical and bawling.

Please be sure of your target and backdrop before you pull the trigger. You cant bring that bullet back once you dent the primer.

Lets all have a safe season.

Myles · 09-25-2002, 03:57 PM

Skein, there's a program the ODFW runs, Access and Habitat. Long story short, call.
Morgrass Grazing
541-422-7567
~5 miles north of Longcreek off Hwy. 395
~9000 acres Northside/Desolation/Heppner by permission, max 20 hunters per day
never been there, just thought I'd pass on the info

good luck
myles

Flying Roast Beef · 09-26-2002, 03:09 AM

I'm glad you mention safety. I've been scoped way too many times. When I was younger it used to get me mad...now it just scares the hell out of me. Buy some bino's and use em!! Good luck all!

k9jeff · 09-26-2002, 05:02 PM

Im headed out to the Chesnimnus unit with Corlyn and his clan. It sould be a fun time. Im checking my last min list before I leave in the early am.

Everyone have a good time and be careful. I will let you know how we did.... :grin:

Jeff

skein · 09-26-2002, 05:48 PM

Myles,

Thanks for the tip. They were booked full all weekend and most of the week, but we got scheduled in for next Friday. I really appreciate your sharing the info with me. I'll email you some backstrap!

Skein

Myles · 09-27-2002, 07:08 AM

E-mailed backstrap?? A fax might be better, at least I'd have something to chew on. A success story will do just fine.

good luck
myles

blackdog · 09-30-2002, 07:20 AM

This year we found quite a few bucks but nothing really all that big. Even the bucks that were obviously a little older and bigger bodied had smaller racks this year, possibly a result of the area we hunt being in the third year of a serious drought. On another couple of discouraging notes, the fawns this year were tiny and there were also quite a few floppy-eared mulies around. Hopefully the floppy-eared thing isn't a sign of CWD or anything else serious. Otherwise they looked healthy, but I wasn't about to shoot one myself. On a positive note, there seemed to be quite a few chuckars, huns and quail around.

Here's the buck I was able to put the sneak on Saturday afternoon (the biggest and heaviest forked horn I've ever seen in this area)

bigshark · 09-30-2002, 09:02 AM

Blackdog

That is really a nice forky. Is it a youngster or a
older buck that has reverted back? Either way I bet he will be good table fare. :smile:

blackdog · 09-30-2002, 09:34 AM

bigshark - my guess is neither. I know with elk, and I assume with deer as well, water is a key ingredient to antler growth. And with the last few years being extremely dry in this area, I think he just hasn't grown any antlers. With the width and mass he has, I would guess him to be at least 3 1/2 years old. Also, his body size was way bigger than the other forks that were killed in the same area. I'll let the backstraps age a few more days and then get the first table test. My guess is he'll eat just fine.

moman · 09-30-2002, 09:50 AM

I had a similar situation in the W. Biggs unit on Sunday: 19" spread, big bodied and heavy horned but only a 2 X 3. At 375 yards (longest I've ever taken), I was sure it was a 4 X 4. I saw fewer bucks this year than in any I can recall. I had chased his Daddy around the previous day. When I dropped this buck, the big boy was only 100 feet away, I had not glassed the hill as I should have and I watched him prance up and away over the hill, He was more like 30". Next year

chromebright · 09-30-2002, 03:42 PM

moman, where did you hunt in W. Biggs. Do you know someone with a ranch? My dad and I hunted up around macks canyon(from the bottom) this weekend. Worked our tails off and only saw does and Rams. I have now seen 10 rams in 3 days(1 scouting 2 hunting) over there and not one buck. Today we hunted a different spot down lower and my dad had a chance at a little forky but didn't get a shot off. Came back to the rig and a nice 3 point is standing 50 yards away in the wheat stubble. With signs all around . Tomorrow we can hunt a little wheat that the guy has let us hunt does on before. Hopefully we can find a buck on it, but it is small with no hunting all around it.

moman · 10-01-2002, 04:03 PM

Yes, we hunt private wheat along the top of the Canyon, it'd be a heck of a hike up and with everone planting its pretty well monitored (not that you would venture onto private land anyway). Although its a dry year, most ranches have springs that emerge within several hundred feet of the rim and have stock tanks in place. The deer don't have to stray far from food to water, no need to go all the way down. I would think the time to hunt low would be mid-day when they get driven off the wheat by the hunters. We noticed most fed through the night in wheat, then vanished, presumably down toward the river. Best of luck

SureSet · 10-01-2002, 07:29 PM

We did good this year with both of us taking reasonable deer out of John Day. My partner took a 2x3 and mine is pictured below. Jumped him out of bed on a steep side-hill about 3:30 Sat. afternoon. 1 shot @80yds with a .270 win and a 140 Nosler BT did the trick.

SureSet

Boedy · 10-02-2002, 08:27 PM

Hunted the paulina unit near China Hat Butte in the Eaast Fort Rock area for the first time. We ended up taking three bucks A nice 3 by 4 a 3 point and a big spike. Will have some pitcures soon and will post. Only bucks that we saw all trip sure where a lot of Does and fawns running around though. That area sure is dry and dusty dont know how anything makes a living there.

Lovestafish · 10-02-2002, 11:05 PM

Blackdog -
First of all, nice buck. I didn't draw for eastern oregon this year, so it's the west side for me!

Second, you said something about there being a lot of floppy-eared deer; what is that & how is it caused? I've heard of it, but that's all, just heard of it. Also, I've always been told that how big a bucks rack gets is determined by genetics & certain combinations of minerals, vitamins, etc...... does water shortage affect growth that much as well?

blackdog · 10-03-2002, 05:39 AM

lovestafish - I wish I knew what caused the floppy-eared business. It's really scary as probably 1 in 20 deer were in this manner. I've been trying to get in contact with the biologist in the area and hope to have some ideas soon ( I will definitely post when I learn anything factual). Also something new this year, a few of the deer were just starting the process of losing their summer coats and had a much different color than the others. A majority of the deer are a greyish color but those still losing their coats are a lighter brown color. Strange happenings.

chromebright · 10-03-2002, 09:04 AM

I scored this morning before work. Just a little forky but it's meat on the table. Day started out like I was going to be out of luck but quickly turned for the better. I got permission to hunt this little wheat farm. My dad and I have hunted does on it before and it can have a lot of deer on it at times. The problem is that it is small with only a couple little draws and probably 300-500 acres of wheat. So anyway I pulled up to the bottom of the road leading into the main area where I missed a buck on Tues. and right behind me 2 trucks pull up and ask me if I have permission. I say I do and they tell me that they allways hunt on this thurs of the season. Since I was only planning on a 1hr hunt before work and they were going to hunt for the day I told them to go ahead up this area and I would just go to this very small (400 yrds)draw on the other side. It would only take me about 20 minutes to hunt this draw and then I was just going to go home. It seems to never fail just when I feel like I am kinda wasting my time up pops a buck about 300 yards up the draw and only abour 75 yards in front of me. It was going straight away and I only had about 30 yards before it would be over the little ridge so I pulled up between it's shoulders and dropped him with a spine shot. Not my favorate shot but this could have been my last chance to hunt this ranch this season so I did't want to misss out. After the 40 minute drive I was back to my desk for work by 9:15.

Killertraylor · 10-03-2002, 11:20 PM

I shot my fork opening night in the Owyhee unit. 200 yards with .257 Weatherby right in the neck - he dropped dead faster than any deer I've ever shot. I was going to wait for a big buck, but after talking to the park ranger and some guides who had scouted the unit for 2 weeks, decided to shoot the first buck I saw. Turned out to be a good strategy as when I left the unit on Tuesday, there were only 4 deer for over 30 hunters in the campground and only one was a 3 point, the rest were forks and spikes. I'm more into good eating than horn hunting anyway. The last 4 point I shot didn't eat too well - very dry and gamey tasting.

Also - I'm way out of shape. Walked to the top of two of those huge canyon peaks opening morning and it was about all my poor heart could stand! That's some huge country over there. I'm on a diet to lose 10 lbs before elk season starts! Those big desert bucks must hold awfully tight in their beds because lots of guys were out walking for them and nobody that I talked to saw anything bigger than a 3 point.

Anyway, I did see about 40 deer on Friday and Saturday and I saw two of those does with the floppy ear thing. Each one only had one ear that was doing it. First time I've ever seen it, so I'd be interested to know what caused it.

Fish Hunter · 10-07-2002, 07:53 AM

Good to hear of your successes. Nice buck and photo Sureset.

I really enjoyed our trip to Oregon's Keating unit. Nookie Monster, his

S.O. Bright Hen, my folks, and my wife were there for at least part of

our week. Only four of us had tags though.

This was an old sign we found up high near

the Wilderness boundry. The small flat spot it was near was barely big enough for the smallest wall tent. Has

anyone else on the board seen it? If so email me the location. This old

rustic sign almost went home

with me, but thought I'd leave it for the next

guy. An older forest

service guy told me many signs like this were

removed by the USFS from

the wilderness areas years ago to make them

more pristine.

My folks and some of the blue grouse I found willing to stay for

dinner. Glad Mom likes these trips. She hikes some and holds down the

fort. Heck of a camp cook aswell.

Renee on one of our hell hikes. We hunted the opening weekend, Mon and

Tues together. We explored the higher country for Mr. Big. We had a shot at

fork buck we passed on Sunday. We got other hunters into deer opening day and

Sunday based on the shooting going on...your welcome! I'll know the

unit better and do less exploring next time. I sound like a broken record on this subject. The majority of the deer

may have been lower. Seemed to be less deer in our area than in '98. I

did see bucks most days though, just could not get a shot. Really

could'nt get a lucky break. Heard a group from Tillamook did well

camped down river from us. I think I need some deer hunting lessons

from these guys.

The hot GPS point I had for the opener worked out well...for another party. That general area had

a lot going on though that kept me entertained when we hiked up to it, 6500-7200' !!! Veiwed 11

cow elk, 1 spike, 3pt, 5pt, 6pt. Got a glimpse of my first wild cougar. Wednesday I made a successful

stalk on this bear I glassed from a distance and closed in for a 60 yard shot. Measured 5'4" from

nose to tail. It had a really nice coat on it. I'm having a rug made. Took it to Randy Jennings

in Rainier. He backed up my orig. estimate of 180 lbs. He thought the teeth were pretty worn and

thought it was an older animal (sow).Plan on having some sausage made from the meat. Thanks to

Nookie Monster and my Father for helping to pack it out 1000'downhill and 1.3 miles. Dad's still

got it at 65. His Titanium hip is serving him well! Three of us saw bears during this hunt.

NM tipped over this "Oven Roaster" as he called it on the last day. Pictured with him is his golden "Huntley" He is giving us most of the

meat. Yea! Was great to get NM back into lead slinging. He brought some real usefull skills with him. Thanks for staying the whole week Dan.

Where's the rest of you? RJ are you too busy cutting deer to post? :tongue:

Oh well, back to the butchering!

chummer · 10-07-2002, 09:58 AM

Ukiah, 2002 was a success, at least for me anyway, 1 fat fork...oooohhh! that almost sounded dirty :shocked:

birdhunter · 10-07-2002, 10:05 AM

Way to go Jay and Dan! Congrats on the bear and the deer. Sounds like you guys had a great trip in some of Oregon's best country. Way to go.

MuleyBuck · 10-08-2002, 04:58 PM

Hey Moman and ChromeBright, I also hunt the West Biggs Unit. I hunt private ranches wich they are my best freind, so that helps. I a from Dufur Oregon, and have hunted that Unit for 18 years. I killed a 4x4 this year that was 23 wide and 17 tall. Not a bad buck, but I saw as many bucks as I usually do, so I'm just wondering if you hunt on the same side of the river as I do, and if you do, who are the landowner's, I probably know them.

Dan Christopher · 10-08-2002, 05:16 PM

a buck for my son on opening morning and mine was 2 days latter.didnt see the big ones like normal this year.oh well.

next come the hair elk tags
then the doe tag
then the steelhead thing starts... yahoo

good luck all.

skein · 10-08-2002, 05:48 PM

We had a great hunt with my wife getting her first buck. It was perfect! First off, we hiked long and hard through some beautiful country, from open grassland benches to big Ponderosa's. We saw a couple of forked horns Friday and passed them up hoping for a larger buck. Saturday we made two long hunts, using the ridges to get us to the heads of draws so we could hunt into the wind on the way out. Late afternoon, my wife was working through a draw and I was up near the rim covering the open areas and watching for anything she might push out; she did push about 10 out, but they were all does and fawns.

I looked out across the draw to the bench on the far side and saw a deer all alone, feeding. I propped myself on a rock and steadied the binos and sure enough, horns. I eased on over to put a tree between the deer and I and dropped down into where my wife was. We decided how to do the stalk and dropped our packs and extra gear. Then up the hill we went.

When we got to the top I stayed behind just over the lip of the hill, while she did the belly-crawl for about 80 yards. She got within about 100 yards and tried to get into position for a prone shot, but couldn't because the grass was just a little to high, and he was just enough down-slope from her to make it impossible. I couldn't see the deer at all from my vantage point, and didn't want to start bobbing up and down and spook it. All I could do was watch her and guess what was happening.

She slowly eased herself into a sitting position, and I saw her settle the rifle in and take a deep breath. Then she adjusted again ever so slightly to get a good weld on her position. She settled the crosshairs in and bang, right in the heart. He ran about 40 yards and crumpled.

It was perfect. She had practiced with her rifle, hunted hard for two days, put on a good stalk, and made all the decisions on her own - I wasn't there at her side saying, "aim there, wait, wait, okay shoot." You know, like husbands do. It was all her! Perfect!

Pictures will follow. I feel like a proud poppa! Big deer? No, it was just a 3 x 2, but big memories? Absolutely!

Thanks, Myles, for putting us on to this area.

Skein

Fish Hunter · 10-10-2002, 07:02 AM

Skein, great story. Congrats to your wife on her first buck. Look forward to seeing your pictures.

Bait O' Eggs · 10-10-2002, 07:34 AM

Thanks for the story Skein. Nice to hear you had some success. I have a couple questions about the ranch you were hunting.

I seem to remember them telling me that there was a checker that allowed a certain number of hunters on the ranch each day, is that true and is the number 20?

Coming from Longcreek towards the ranch did you hunt to the right above the ranch house?

skein · 10-10-2002, 09:58 AM

BOE,

We hunted both sides of the ranch. Right above the house there's a road that goes left up into what they call the Elliott area which is a high rim that fades off into some timber. Saw deer and elk in there. The other side goes past their house, then across a piece of access property (not theirs) and back on to a narrower strip. There is rimrock on one side, a couple of draws and another ridge that is mostly benches. That's where the wife got her deer.

As for hunters, I also heard there was a limit of 20, and while they didn't have that many hunting while we were there, they did try to let us know where the other hunters were so we wouldn't be walking all over each other.

Nice folks. If you go over, be sure to have them show you Toni's 4-point. Not record class, but very nice!

Skein

Myles · 10-10-2002, 12:48 PM

Skein, I wish I would have prodded your wife last night for the story. I bet she would have been beaming. It's nice to have some of the wives understand the hunting need. Nice to meet you both last night and share some stories amongst some of the ifishers.

Congrats on the buck and good luck on your trip out there.

myles

Haftafish · 10-10-2002, 04:02 PM

Hey there Fish Hunter. Speaking of getting boats wet, when does yours get wet again?
Sounds like you are really enjoying it.

Fish Hunter · 10-10-2002, 05:13 PM

Does it have to dry completely?
Yes I've been having a ball with it. Just put it away. Had to go ring out the new Lowrance depth finder I installed today. Heard a 62# chinook was taken in the Columbia recently. Just fished an hour w/no bumps.

Nookie Monster · 10-11-2002, 09:29 PM

It was a pleasure hunting with Fish Hunter and his father. I was impressed with the perseverance Jay's father displayed when we had to pack out the bear. It was a very nice bear I might add.
We had hunted hard all week long and were not presented with very many opportunities. It seemed that if a person was within 500 yds of one of us, though, they had plenty of shooting opportunities. I think I kicked deer out for three different parties.
Jay's mother did a most excellent job of keeping us all well fed and is great camp company as well.
I would like to give them all a big thanks for inviting me into their deer camp this year.

Boedy · 10-13-2002, 04:48 PM

This 5x4 is 26 inch across and 24 high. East of La Pine near China Hut Butte. We got 4 out of 5 this year including a 4 x 3, 3 point and a big spike.

blacktail · 10-13-2002, 08:27 PM

Wow, nice buck Boedy. That is the area we hunt too (when we draw tags). We usually set up camp in the Potholes near Pine Mountain and then hunt different areas from there.

What caliber is your Ruger # 1 ?

Mike

Norski · 10-20-2002, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bait O' Eggs:
For those headed out for the big buck rifle first weekend, please be careful.

I helped pack a fatal shooting of another hunter off the hill in the early 80's. It wasnt fun or enjoyable. It still haunts me on opening weekend every year. I will be staying home this weekend and not participating. :depressed: I was just driving by when I saw the crowd and stopped to see what was going on. I wont forget the 2 s h o o t e r s that had shot at a buck, they didnt know which one accidentaly shot the other partner, but both of them were hysterical and bawling.

Please be sure of your target and backdrop before you pull the trigger. You cant bring that bullet back once you dent the primer.

Lets all have a safe season.

Norski · 10-20-2002, 04:43 PM

I just wanted to say, Look befor you pull that trigger, 1969 Some S.O.B. pulled that trigger and the deer he thought he shot was

Shooten Was Me!!!!

One week stay in the hospital and I was out the last weekend and in the woods looken and chutchens. And no luck.

Timber · 10-21-2002, 08:36 PM

Went to Chesnimus for the last 5 days of season,We killed two nice 4x4's and two 3 points and passed on a bunch of smaller bucks. That put us at 4 for 5 a great hunt. Tim

Chum King · 10-21-2002, 10:46 PM

Had a nice hunt down in the Owyhee this year :smile: . Lots of dust, but on the fourth day of the hunt, I managed do a spot and stalk on 3 bucks that were feeding out across the desert. The result was I managed to connect on the largest of the three which turned out to be a beauty of a mature fork. This muley went 24" wide by 19" high, had well developed eyeguards, and had really nice mass to the antlers. For the five hunters in camp, we only managed one other buck, a 4x4 that went 23.5" wide by 16" high (smaller than the forked horn).

Talked to a few other hunters in the area, and from the sound of it, I think a good number went home with only a pickup full of dust to show for their effort. :depressed:

I'll post a picture once I get them back from being developed. For the "gun nuts" (a term of respect), I was using a peep sighted Marlin 1895 45-70, that was pushing a handloaded Hornady 350 grain roundnose with Accurate Arms 2015 powder at about 1900 fps. Don't ask why I felt I had to use the peep.

Okay here's the best picture I have so far. I still have half a roll of film on one camera and will have to wait to get it developed.

[ 10-23-2002, 09:08 PM: Message edited by: Chum King ]

Chum King · 10-25-2002, 06:51 AM

Finally got the last pics developed. So here are two shots (no pun intended) of the big forking deer from the Owyhee unit.