[RogueAmputee]

I have a question about Blacktail Deer in the Cascade Range, specifically the foot hills of Mount Jefferson, or Three Sisters.
Quick backstory of myself, I am an amputee of the right leg, I still hunt and fish without any special tags for being "disabled". I do what I can with what nature and life has given me.
That being said, I am looking to hunt Blacktail and Black Bear in the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness this Fall (2022 General Rifle Season), anyone have advice of possible location of getting a sight of a Blacktail or Black Bear? I typically hunt the Trask and Wilson Unit's in NW Oregon but there is so much traffic during the General Rifle Season that I've lost interest in the area.
I go outdoors to escape people, not be around more people that I also have to worry have firearms on them.

All advice is a huge help, I understand not giving away your precise hunting locations, please don't give away your specifics.
Thanks again.

 

[Hoodie]

The Jefferson Wilderness is high (5000+ feet in many areas), so it's not a "foothill" area. Certainly some bucks will hold out up there until deep snow pushes them down, but the wilderness will likely hold fewer deer during the later part of the general season than the lower elevations. This isn't a hard and fast rule. In some areas of the Cascades blacktails will rut above 4500 feet. The early High Cascade tag might be a better bet if you want to hunt up high.

Logging activity on National Forest is just thinning, and not a ton of that. It's helpful to find good natural areas of forage, because there is no option to sit and glass a clear-cut the way you can on the coast. Burn areas can be productive.

The Santiam unit has plenty of bears. I'd look for huckleberries, of which there are plenty, and try to hunt early in the season. Large meadow systems are also good bets for bears.

Good luck.

 

[JeffO]

Scout scout scout, but be aware that obviously October is a very transitional time for critters, so what you see in August or September may not hold true. I killed a “benchleg” up high in the Cascade’s some years ago; I had spotted him a few weeks earlier and went back and got him.

Weather will be critical. As always with blacktail- curse the sun, pray for rain.

 

[Old Coot]

Be aware that large tracts, very large, of the Willamette National Forest are still off limits to the public because of the 2020 Labor Day fires. This includes much of the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness. Dave Warnack doesn't seem to feel any urgency in allowing the public to access public lands again. Keep apprised of access limitations and have a Plan B in mind.

 

[huntntrap]

Be prepared to see other people

 

[ssriverrat]

Be aware that large tracts, very large, of the Willamette National Forest are still off limits to the public because of the 2020 Labor Day fires. This includes much of the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness. Dave Warnack doesn't seem to feel any urgency in allowing the public to access public lands again. Keep apprised of access limitations and have a Plan B in mind.

I’ve heard the USFS is working to narrow down those closure ares fingers crossed!

 

[Tanglewood]

When I started hunting the High Cascades back in the early 90s I saw not a lot of deer, but over half were bucks. As the 90s progressed, I saw more and more people and less and less deer. I started hiking deeper and deeper into the wilderness to continue to see more deer than people. How I started hunting it was to drive up the highway and turn down and drive out every road looking for good spots. I also looked up trail systems and hiked out those trails.

 

[RJBender]

I love blacktail hunting in the cascades and shot my first BT buck almost 40 years ago. Even though I've had success, they continue to frustrate my best laid plans. Now days everyone hikes several miles in thinking they will get away from the crowds. Or they try glassing the recent burns early or late in the day, only to see other hunters walking or riding ATVs through the open spaces. My experience is that opening day of the general season has so many hunters within a 1/2 mile of any road or trail that the bigger (smarter) bucks go nocturnal quickly. Here are the 4 most successful concepts I use for hunting BT which probably are not that surprising but here you go:
1. Bad weather - this keeps hunters out of the woods and masks the sounds, scents and motion of those hunters who do go out in the storm.
2. Hunt later in the season - Often this is when the bad weather comes in but it also has most of the leaves off the vine maples so you can actually see what just ran out of the ravine in front of you. Of course the rut encourages the bucks to start patrolling but also many hunters have tagged out, moved on to other hunts (elk?) or just got tired of being wet and went home. The deer will respond to the lighter pressure and stop being so nocturnal.
3. Hunt where there aren't other hunters. Going 3 miles in on a trail doesn't guarantee you won't find other hunters. BT can hide out behind your shed if need be. Try some places you wouldn't think anyone would be interested in and look for sign.
4. Go SLOW. If you are in an area you expect to see deer, go slow. I take a few steps, then stop and slowly look all around me. Sometimes I glass in heavy timber and have had that pay off by seeing a buck that I didn't see with my naked eyes. Almost always, if the buck sees you before you see him, you've lost the battle. If you are not in an area that you expect to see deer, then speed up and get to that area.

Regarding where to hunt near Jefferson or Sisters, that area has has a lot of fire in recent years so I would think there is plenty of feed. I'd focus on places where the deer can go to bed and to get away from people. I know the area around Big Lake use to get hammered by hunters and even had State Police out with their fake buck catching folks shooting from dirt ATV roads. It was a real circus that last time I drove through that area. Good luck. Attached in my general season BT buck last year which is my biggest yet. I didn't shoot him anywhere near Jefferson!

 

[444Marlin]

I saw one of the biggest blacktails (benchlegs?) of my life up in that area of Jeff Park, 2nd week of September, mid 90's. I was one of those tree-hugging backpackers that folks like to rail against. I'm sure that deer is still up there. I've burned that image into my memory. Although, I just spilled the beans on when and where I saw it, so it might bet pressured this fall.

It's a wonderful area. I've heard it's one of those areas we've been loving to death.

 

[whtelk]

He would be long gone.

 

[themainzane96]

My dad's name is Stephen GRegory, he shot a B&C record mule deer 63 points in that general area in 93 I believe. I've been pushing him for years to show me exactly where he shot it he said he'll show me this year.

 

[themainzane96]

 

[Reel fortunate]

View attachment 991022

That I'd a crazy giant buck! Unbelievable!
Can't believe I don't remember hearing about it back then. What a giant! Congratulations to your Dad!