Steens

S

skyline

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I pulled a deer tag for the Steens. However, I have two problems: This will be my first hunt on the Steens and I will be helping my boss who also drew a tag. I really want this to be a good experience. I've been hunting for over 20 years. My hunting style is simple hike my azz off and spot the rest of the time. I would like to find a place where I can hike in 5+ miles and not see an ATV. Is this possible and what type of expections should I have on the size of the deer. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
send me an email and I will help you out. I had a steens tag 3 years ago and was consistantly near quality bucks while others had trouble finding any legal buck. You won't be hunting the big canyons everyone else hunts...
 
if you don't mind me asking, how many points did you burn for that tag?

oh a friend of mine hunted the steens years back and the geenes are there, his buck scored 195 and some change...
 
The Steens hold a great number of deer with many bucks taken that go in the books. Years ago it use to be the deer had to be 3 point or better...is it still???

muleyman
 
LAST EDITED ON Jun-28-07 AT 09:36PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Jun-28-07 AT 09:35?PM (MST)

It is not 3pt. or better anymore, they quit that in the 80's. The deer there are a small fraction of what they before 1993, they still haven't had a chance to recover. Too much predation from COYOTES, CATS and HUNTERS. I've lived in burns Oregon most my life and it's pathetic what's happend to this spot.
There are still lots of places to get away from roads and QUADS, the problem is that there are very few deer on the mountain itself now. Yes there are some pockets of deer, but you could also go days and only see a few deer where there were good numbers. This country will kick your ass and a trophy there is well earned. My last tag there was in 2004 and I went on a couple 3 day backpack scouting trips from top to bottom and could count all the deer I saw on two hands and a foot. Some of the lower country held more deer. Though there are some bunches of deer on the very top, this is where the people are and thats not my type of Mulie hunting. Koyote
 
I agree Koyote. You see a ton more deer over on Hart Mountain driving thru in the morning or evening - you can drive the loop in the Steens and glass but still not see more than 5 or 6 deer up in the high country! I spent a lot of time preseason scouting up there and while I did see a HUGE 4 point on the top of Little Indian there just were not as many deer as there should have been. Once I moved to other area the hunting improved but its hard to give up that high country it's just what you think of when you think of the Steens...
 
Thanks for all the advise. I am very excited about this hunt. My boss and I put in as a party he had one point and I had 4 points.
 

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