Oregon's Trout Creek Mule deer

BlueMountainAdventures · Dec 16, 2009

Hey guys, I have not hunted the "Trouts" for over 15 years. Just wanted to get some input for this hunt. I am aware of the mule deer overall decline in Oregon.

scoutdog5 · Dec 16, 2009

After the winter 2009 buck trend counts, I took the ODFW info and converted it from ratios to actual bucks. i did the same thing for 2006, calculated the rate of decline, and then applied that same rate of decline to predict buck populations in 2012.

Here are the numbere

Trout Cr

Management Objective.......458 bucks

2006 bucks.................137 bucks

2009 bucks..................85 bucks

est. 2012 bucks.............51 bucks

Same thing for population numbers, from ODFW population trend counts in March, 2009

Management objective.......2,800 deer

2006 population............1,100 deer

2009 population..............850 deer

2012 est. population.........655 deer

I will leave it to you to decide if hunting this herd is justified.

I have these numbers for every Eastern Oregon Mule Deer unit. If anyone wants them for a different unit, post the unit you want and I will respond.

Scoutdog

BlueMountainAdventures · Dec 17, 2009

Wow! Thanks man! Thats depressing! With that being said tho, I would still think if a guy hunts hard, spends alot of time glassing, you would still expect to find a big buck.

Has any BIG bucks been taken out of this unit in the past 5 years that anyone knows about?

HighDesert · Dec 17, 2009

LAST EDITED ON Dec-17-09 AT 12:03PM (MST)[p]Trout Creek Ranch has taken two off of their private land. All of the decent bucks I have seen taken out have been off of private down low in the Alfalfa fields except those two bucks. But congrats on drawing the guide tag bob you should be able to market it well.

BlueMountainAdventures · Dec 17, 2009

Dave,
Tough time to be marketing Oregons deer tags. Once known for monster bucks, Trouts are just an average high desert hunt now. I am sure if I spend enough time glassing and riding the horses there, I can find a few big ones, but nothing like it was 15-20 years ago! Are you still guiding?

willybbig · Dec 17, 2009

Scoutdog5,
Good info and thanks. How about Whitehorse and Owyhee units?
Thanks again,
Willy

HighDesert · Dec 17, 2009

Yeah Bob I am still guiding Just working on a few different things here on the west side be back east in a year I figure. Have to get settled in with my new wife and things so I am going to guide over here this year for deer and elk. I will still do Antelope and sheep over east.

hkm · Dec 17, 2009

I had a friend hunt that unit in 2004 missed a big buck and saw a few other good bucks. Over all he saw a lot of deer. I drew that unit in 2006 saw a lot of bucks but not what my friend saw in 2004 we hunted hard and glassed for hours. Ended up with a nice 5 point but like my friend got buck fever and missed the bigest buck I saw. I have another friend who drew this year. The 3 of us hunted hard and covered a lot of country with our legs and spoting scopes. In 8 days we saw 10 bucks most were small forkies and 3 points. Saw one 4 point that was close to 150 and that was the bigest buck we saw. Every one we saw and talked to were not seeing many bucks and what they saw were small.It looks like the lions are taking a toll on the herd. It took my friend 15 years to draw and it was a big dissapoment. We still had fun but see and kill bigger bucks in california and only have to have 3 points to draw. You should research other units or wait for the herd to recover.

scoutdog5 · Dec 17, 2009

Here are the stats for Owyhee:

Management Objective bucks.........517
2006 bucks.........................310
2009 bucks.........................331
est. 2012 bucks....................354

Population objective..............5,000
2006 population...................3,000
2009 population...................3,000
2012 est population...............3,000

Here are the stats for E Whitehorse:

Management objective bucks..........331
2006 population.....................372
2009 population.....................372
2012 est bucks......................372

Population objective..............3,200
2006 population...................2,000
2009 population...................2,000
2012 est population...............2,000

some things to be aware of for these two units, due to a lack of funds, ODFW has not done trend countt on a number of units for several years. I believe these two are included in that. The numbers shown are computer estimates based on some formula they developed, and not on actual deer numbers counted. I think the buck count on the Interstate unit is an actual count doen in 2006, but the 2009 count is not an actual count. It is extremely unlikely the ocunt would be the same for both years. One other thing to be aware of, the buck count on the Whitehorse unit is done in December, and includes substantial numbers of bucks that cross into oregon from Idaho when the snow gets deep. From hunters I have talked to, buck populations in this unit during hunting season are very poor.

Scoutdog

E Whitehorse 331 372 113% 372 113% 0 0 372 113%

E Whitehorse 3,200 2,000 63% 2,000 63%

Hiker of the Woods · Dec 18, 2009

After being a member on several hunting websites and talking with friends that hunt the Trout Creek area; I would about 50 other hunts than that one. The deer numbers and quality bucks are extremely low. I could take people out in the Alsea unit over here on the Westside and see more deer and probably larger bucks than in the Trout Creeks. I wouldn't waste your time or money on hunting that area unless it is more about a family tradition. I will PM you a couple of hunting websites you should do a search on Trout Creek and talk with people on there. You could pick a better unit by closing your eyes and pointing to a hunt in the regulation booklet compared to Trout Creeks. Know one has to believe me, but don't come cry on these hunting websites about not seeing any deer or mature bucks after wasting all your points or money when it is talked over and over again on how bad it is over there. Just my 2 cents.