Northeast Oregon whitetails

sliverpicker · 01-25-2003, 10:38 AM

Has anybody hunted for whitetails in N.E. Oregon?

I had a muzz tag for the late Sled Springs whitetail hunt about 4 or 5 years ago and took a spike buck out toward Flora. Saw quite afew bigger bucks but they were faster than my trigger finger. Would like to go back and hunt them again!

I also have 5 pref. points for the West Blue Mtns whitetail hunt (600 series). This tag is for muzz/bow only, and it's private land only, and I was wondering how the access is along the westslope of the Blues. I know there's a bunch of Boise Cascade timberland. Do the whitetails hangout on Boise property?

Thanks in advance! sliverpicker

SlamminKokes · 01-31-2003, 06:33 AM

Not sure of the boundaries of the hunt youre applying for is, but theres a road outside of Pilot Rock (Yellowjacket Rd.) thats basically all private and is loaded with whitetails. Ive seen some dandy do i dare say this... 10 pointers

Not sure how good the landowners are with allowing hunting though.

sliverpicker · 02-01-2003, 04:59 AM

Thanks for responding "slamminkokes". I'll have to check that out. Have you ever hunted whitetails in the Blue Mtns? The hunt I'm interested in is the parts of Walla Walla, Mt Emily, and Ukiah that are west of the National Forest boundary. I've talked to some guys between Weston and Tollgate, but alot of that area is being leased out for big $$$.

Several years ago my brother and I were traveling between Pendleton and LaGrande and saw a roadkilled whitetail buck just west of the ODOT sand sheds. The antlers were gone, but we could tell it was a large buck. There's a large strip of private timberland between the Umatilla Ind. Res. and Meacham that looks like it should hold whitetails.

For you guys who have never hunted whitetails here in the northwest, you don't know what you're missing. The whitetail is by far the finest eating deer I've ever had. My brothers and I went to NW Montana 10 yrs ago and killed some whitetail bucks in mid-November, and to our surprise they were better eating than any Blacktail or Muley we'd ever had prior to the rut. Absolutely no gamey flavor or odor!

sliverpicker

chromebright · 02-01-2003, 05:27 AM

sliverpicker,

I wonder if the meat quality is related more to diet than anything else. I have never hunted whitetails but it my understanding that they prefer agricultural land. This would allow them to eat mostly farm crops. I hunted Muleys most of my life up in the forest and the deer always had that bit of gamey flavor. A few years back I started hunting Muleys that fed exclusively in the wheat fields and I can tell you there is no comparison. The meat is so much better with no gamey flavor. It will be hard for me to ever eat any other venison. I am not trying to discount Whitetails are better eating. I just think it may have allot to do with diet.

sliverpicker · 02-01-2003, 08:53 AM

chromebright,

That may very well be the case with mule deer. The Montana whitetails we hunted lived in thick timber and clearcuts much like the Cascades. My brothers have also taken whitetails in the Priest Lake, Idaho and Chewelah, Washington areas. The deer have all been excellent table fare.

I'd like to get one of those big corn-fed whitetails from the midwest. I bet they put the finest beef to shame!

sliverpicker