might be moving to OR from NM

Trad Bow 1979 · Nov 24, 2014

Hey guys I hope you are all having a great hunting season. Well I am a NM resident and it looks like I am going to be moving to Oregon. I am just trying to familiarize myself with how big game hunting works up there. From what I understand there is no Prefrence point system, it is all based on a random draw for deer, elk and antelope. And am I correct to assume all the general deer and elk hunts for archery are over the counter? I was unable to find anything that gave sucess rates for these hunts though. Can someone tell me where I can find those.

boise · Nov 24, 2014

Idaho has no preference point system. Oregon does different than NM and lower NR cap you better go online odfw. More opportunities than NM lower quality bucks Bulls sheep and antelope! Good luck

440sixpack · Nov 24, 2014

The only thing I can tell you for sure is you're not going to like what you're going to find. OR sucks compared to what you're used to. but, diversity, now that we have.

If you're familiar with the WY system ours is the same, WY copied it. except for the NR quaota allotment that is.

Stay thirsty my friends

bonepicker · Nov 25, 2014

Welcome to Oregon! When it comes to big game hunting in Oregon, you can look at the glass as half full or half empty. There are alot of good hunting opportunities and plenty of areas that need some improvements. We have a wide diversity of hunting options, many different species and terrains to choose from so you can keep yourself busy all year long with big game, bear and cougar, birds, predators, rodents, furbearers, etc. Where you move will also have an impact on what kind of hunting is near you. We do have a preference point system for most rifle and muzzleloader hunts and a handful of archery hunts. Most archery tags are over the counter and there are a group of units where there is a general spike only rifle season where you can buy an over the counter tag for elk. You can find the draw odds and success rates for controlled draw tags here: https://sites.google.com/site/oregontags/ but I'm not sure where to find archery success rates. Hope that helps, good luck!

Trad Bow 1979 · Nov 26, 2014

Thanks for the info guys! Well everytime I have been to Oregon visiting family I have always seen tons of deer, far more than you can find here in New Mexico. I have heard others from Oregon say that the elk are not the same as what we have here in New Mexico. I have not spent any time in elk country during my visits to Oregon yet. I am sure your elk are just as awesome. Thanks for the info guys!

440sixpack · Nov 26, 2014

Elk numbers are pretty decent, and these days there isn't a unit in the state you couldn't find an elk.

As for deer not so much, but if a dink will do it's not hopeless. give mule deer hunting in OR a try you'll see what I'm talking about.

I have about 150 elk in my fields this morning , I think about 5 deer. 30 years ago it would have been 300 deer and no elk. nuff said.

Stay thirsty my friends

BCS · Nov 26, 2014

What part of the state are you moving to?

Trad Bow 1979 · Nov 26, 2014

Probably up around Bend

tchoate3 · Nov 27, 2014

I live in Bend. Nice place but the hunting near town isn't all that great, especially elk. Ii do a lot of driving to get to good elk hunting. There can be good deer hunting though. If your a bow hunter every unit in the area is OTC both deer and elk. Rifle is all draw.

brokenneck · Nov 27, 2014

82ndreddevil- welcome to Oregon.
I have family in New Mexico, around grants, and some in alamosa.
I have hunter New Mexico 4 times. I hunted unit 5 and 51 and the elk hunting was about the same as it is here. I've looked 18 bulls on Oregon. Find your sweet spots, learn them inside and out, and you will never notice any difference from New Mexico.

I also live in the next then over from bend- in Redmond,. When you get here if you want someone to show you around and for you the ropes get a hold of me and I'll help you out.

Don't let the downers here discourage you . Although it isn't what it was 20 years ago, most states aren't, you can still have great success and hunt 300" + bulls every year on the general archery hunt. And you can find decent respectable deer easily if you get out and put in some work. If your lucky, you can still dig up a monster buck. But I be the first to say the deer hunting isn't great at all. Just not impossible like some of these guys make it out to be.

Are you moving for work? What part of New Mexico are you from? Did you do any good hunting there? Do you hunt archery , muzzle loader, or rifle?

tchoate3 · Nov 27, 2014

LAST EDITED ON Nov-27-14 AT 02:30PM (MST)[p]Hey Brokeneck, i'm already here. Wanna show me where I can hunt 300+ bulls every year? I've hunted elk from NE to the central Cascades for 30+ years. I've seen maybe 4 bulls that are 300 +

elkliver · Nov 28, 2014

I also live in bend. Pm me and I'd be glad to have lunch

elkliver · Nov 28, 2014

I also live in bend. Pm me and I'd be glad to have lunch

WapitiBob · Nov 28, 2014

LAST EDITED ON Nov-28-14 AT 10:16PM (MST)[p]

NM 51 is a unit that compares with an OTC Eastern OR unit.

Trad Bow 1979 · Nov 28, 2014

Thanks for the feed back guys! Well at the very least I can tell that Oregon has a lot of hospitable and down to earth people. I'm looking to move there once I retire in the next couple years. We are just trying to nail down exactly where we want to move to. We have family in Medford so we make it out there about once a year.

WapitiBob · Nov 29, 2014

Redmond is way cheaper for housing but it's not Bend. Which is good and bad...

brokenneck · Dec 1, 2014

Tchoat- what part of the state are you from/normally hunt? If you have only even laid eyes on 4 bulls that are 300" bulls I'd say it's time to venture to New parts of the state. I don't think finding those bulls are in any way difficult to find, you still have to kill them and we all know that is still a challenge. But if your wanting ideas, and me a message- I don't get on here to often buy I will get back to you

Elk liver- I'm always down to sit and chat about elk hunting if we can arrange a time.

Wapitibob- I think you are spot on. Unit 51 is very similar to here. There's not change bulls around every corner, but a guy can do alright if you set realistic goals and just enjoy chasing elk.

tchoate3 · Dec 2, 2014

I would be happy to share my elk hunting history here in Oregon. I don't want to hijack Reddevil's thread so I will send you a PM brokenneck.

tchoate3 · Dec 2, 2014

LAST EDITED ON Dec-02-14 AT 11:53AM (MST)[p]PM sent. 30 year history in a nut shell.

baltz526 · Dec 3, 2014

Well I'm near Bend also. Your next hurdle is collecting points for a unit with better Elk hunting. Then Hunting 2nd choice draws and Cascade General Season or Bow hunt.. If You already know How to hunt Elk, Oregon has opportunity But short seasons unless you Bow hunt. Oregon has so much opportunity if you draw late season Rifle Bull tags, The Elk is so run down by 3 months of being hunted, Some are hardly worth eating. Welcome to Oregon---------------------------------------------------------------------------------support your local guzzlers. OHA life member,lapine oregon