E Oregon Mule Deer

Curlew · 12-21-2002, 07:23 PM

I am a Washington Resident looking into hunting mule deer in Eastern Oregon. I realize its draw only and was wondering what are some of the better units to put in for. Not looking for anyones secret spot just looking for a push in the right direction. I would like a chance at some bigger deer than we have here in Washington. Shoot me an e-mail if you would like. mgfahey@hotmail.com
Appreciate any help.

thanks,

mike

MarlinMark · 12-21-2002, 09:14 PM

I guess it really depends on the type of terrain you like to hunt. Also, how long are you willing to wait for a tag? If you want to wait a few years for that "hunt of a lifetime" then there are some obvious choices. But if you want a tag next year then your choices are more limited.

Mark

Curlew · 12-22-2002, 12:33 AM

Mark,

I'm willing to wait, maybe not for a hunt of a lifetime, but willing to wait a year or two. The areas I hunt in WA are open hills with timbered draws, but it doesn't really matter. I've hunted open sage as well. I'm just looking for some better deer, but I shouldn't complain because I have done well in WA, just not the caliber of deer I'm looking for. Not to mention the hunting pressure is getting pretty heavy in some of my more productive areas.

mike

MarlinMark · 12-22-2002, 05:01 AM

Curlew,

I would take a ride/scouting trip through NE OR and se what kind of country stikes your fancy. There is pretty good variety up in the Imnaha and Sled Springs areas etc. If you want to wait in line start putting in for the Steens Mt. area and wait with everybody else. That's a big unit and is very open. Scouting is mandatory.

Good luck,

Mark

Curlew · 12-22-2002, 05:21 AM

Mark,

Thanks for the input, I will head down there this upcoming summer and look around.

mike

biederboat · 12-22-2002, 10:38 AM

It is my general understanding that the SE "desert" units harbor bigger bucks but are harder to get tags in. I have had good luck in Ukiah (3 bucks in 3 seasons), including a nice 22" (inside width) 4-pt. with heavy beams but I think you'll do better w/ a desert muley.

Biederboat

Snapset · 12-22-2002, 04:32 PM

Sure don't to knock my home state, but I wouldn't come to Oregon from Washington for bigger Mulies. Idaho is much easier to draw a tag in and in my opinion has more and bigger bucks.

Curlew · 12-22-2002, 09:06 PM

Snapset,

I'm not partial to either state just looking for some better hunting areas. Any particular areas you would recomend?

mike

Boedy · 12-22-2002, 09:59 PM

Paulina Unit Muley from this year

Curlew · 12-23-2002, 12:45 PM

Boedy,

Nice buck, I was down in the Paulina Area on Vacation this past summer. Any details on the hunt?

mike

Boedy · 12-23-2002, 02:14 PM

Hot , dry and dusty bout sums it up. Wish I could take credit for this buck but it was my buddy in the picture who shot it. I guess Luck really does happen�. trust me on this one J/K anyway this was right around China hat butte and it was after all the road hunters and such had called it quits. We went 4 out of 4 with a nice 4 X 4 and big bodied 3point. I was stuck shooting a spike but it was or should I say is good eating :smile: . Lots of area to hunt as it�s a big unit but gets hunted hard the first week or so. If you go scouting over there take a 4 wheeler and look around lots of trails built just for them around China Hut. This was my first year hunting this unit and it seemed good in spot lots of deer over there that�s for sure. And lots of roadhunters but few people in the woods so it was not too bad. Good luck

Timber · 12-28-2002, 03:42 PM

Being a non res. in the draw can help you as for some of the better units your chances are better than ours I know a group in california that draws their silves tags almost every year. If it was me that is the unit I would apply for it takes me three years to draw it. the two tags I have drawn resulted in two 3x4s both 27"s wide. Tim

Curlew · 12-29-2002, 01:36 AM

Timber:

thanks for the input, is the Silvies unit mostly private or does it have good public access. Also, when is the deadline for applying in Oregon for deer and when does the hunting pamplet usually come out?

thanks,

mike

Get Bit · 12-29-2002, 09:52 AM

The first thing I would get is the controlled hunt percentage book. I know GI Joe's, Fisherman's Marine and others carry it. The Big Game Regs are out now. The controlled hunt deadline is May 15. If you draw tags, you have until the day before the hunt to purchase the tags. If you are willing to wait, maybe just buying a preference every year until you get enough to draw will be the thing to do. The % tags book will tell you how many pts. you'll need to guarantee a draw. Hope this helps.

Get Bit

Snapset · 12-29-2002, 02:06 PM

Wow, Boedy, that is one fine buck. Good job.

Curlew, my cousins hunt the area around Chesterfield Res. in SE Idaho, and my animals don't even come close to what they bring home. I also have hunted around Island Park, and up into the Salmon River Country, by Salmon. Gorgeous country. Someone on the board posted a report about a fly-in trip to the Salmon, and that sounded like a great trip, in spite of all the work they had to put in. (Or maybe BECAUSE of all the work they had to put in).

Washington Hunter · 12-29-2002, 06:38 PM

Timber,
Non-residents don't have a better chance of drawing than residents. Depending on the unit, a non-resident's chance will either be the same, or worse than a resident. This is because non-residents are limited to 5% of the permits, and that is not a guaranteed percentage either. In some units, outfitters get 50% of the permits allowed for non-residents, leaving non-residents hunting without an outfitter only 2.5% of the permits. Just wanted to clear that up. I guess your friends from California are just lucky, or they are going with an outfitter and paying extra for the guaranteed outfitter tags.

I'mThe10Percent · 01-01-2003, 04:20 PM

I'm 25 and have hunted Eastern Oregon every
year that I have been able to hunt, 13 years.
I have enjoyed pretty good success over 13 years, with 8 bucks. However, I lived in Idaho for a year and the deer hunting can be phenomenal. If I were to choose from Oregon or Idaho, and could afford either, I would choose Idaho. Plus you can pretty much hunt anywhere (regs last time i was there). I hunted Idaho and in one day, saw 2 huge bucks, 1 was the biggest whitetail and the other a Muley!
Just my opinion.

Vandal · 01-01-2003, 07:15 PM

stay out of Idaho...there's no deer there.

Curlew · 01-02-2003, 07:40 PM

My only problem with Idaho is I wouldn't know where to go unless I drew a late tag. The general season can be rough from what I have heard. Plus, you have to buy an out of state hunting license which is much more expensive than Oregon's.

mike