Steens Mtn.

Anyone have any reports from this year? Thinking about starting to scout it next year to hunt the year after. Have 13 NR points now so unless something drastic happens I should have no problem drawing. Any past information will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Bill

Are you going for the steens mountain antelope?

Sorry, I was talking about mule deer.

Lots of young bucks this year. We hunted it this year. Saw 20+ deer a day but no big bucks.

My son an I hunted it this year, fun country to hunt, some of the most unique terrain in the state but we didn't see many big bucks, like Wanted was saying. There are some, but for the amount of country that we hiked and glassed, we should have seen dozens of 4 points and we saw 2, and not huge at that. And not a single big buck hanging in any of the camps we saw. We settled for a forkie and a 3 point after day 5. I lucked out and drew the tag with one point and it was my son's first deer so we were both happy with whatever by that point. It would have been pretty disappointing if I had used 13 points to draw though. I was expecting to see hundreds of bucks and just take my pick, but we had to work hard just to find deer. But then again, we stayed on the southern end so we can't really speak for the whole unit.
I've hunted several other units that I would pick over Steens, even if it took equal points to draw both (and of course steens takes alot more to draw). I put similar amounts of effort in those units and have ended up with several four points over the years and saw plenty of others in my time in those units.
But, it sounds like many units had a down year because of the winter kill last year so maybe it will be in better shape the next few years?

Last winter didn't hurt the Steens much. we've been saying it should come back for 25 years and here we are. I wouldn't expect much change anytime soon.

I was down there last weekend chuckar hunting and the bucks are starting to look at the does. I didn't see a buck over 160 . I'm going back in a few weeks and if the big bucks aren't visible then they don't exist. I haven't seen many impressive bucks in years.


The Steens is still riding on a reputation from 30 years ago but it still holds the potential for a great buck. if you're lucky as a megabucks winner.







Stay Thirsty My Friends

Thanks for the input guys. Seems like most places are living off reputations of years past. Going to have to give this more thought. Really do not want to keep gaining points without a plan. Where do the Steens herd winter and what would be a good time to check them out.

Thanks
Bill

LAST EDITED ON Nov-07-17 AT 05:25PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Nov-07-17 AT 05:10?PM (MST)

If you are were resident, 13 points is enough to draw with 2 people for Steens. But you could still draw tags for a group of like 4 for Beulah or a similar unit. You might look into another unit and take a grandson or few buddies with you, for me it was way more fun to watch my son take his first buck and enjoy some time with him. If you put in as a party, everybody's points are averaged. So if you have 13 and someone else has 1, you would both have 7 for the draw which should be enough to draw most average units in the state (not steens, and some of the other "top" units). The biggest advantage with Steens is that there are a fraction of the hunters that other units have. Beulah has like 1800 and Malheur River has around 1500 and Steens has 250ish. Makes for a much more relaxed hunt, we never had much trouble with people messing up our hunts.
If you are set on a trophy, it looks like a solo Steens trip may be your best bet but be ready to scout, work hard and maybe come away empty handed. For residents, Trout Creek and Hart Mt. would be within reach with 13 points but not for NR. If you do hunt it, bring your camera, alot of dramatic scenery. Here's a few pics.

Great pics! Love the Steens, sounds about like the hunt I had there 15 yrs ago. BH1

Great pictures Mike.
Looks like country a buck can grow big and old in. What valley is the first picture of?
Thanks
Bill

The Steens unit is in big trouble right now in my opinion. There is a shortage of mature bucks and hunters can't help themselves and keep shooting dink bucks. I saw so many little forked horns and little bucks shot from people who waited 6 years for a tag this year. I know, I know, it's a visible antler tag and hunters can shoot what they want. But it just seems like the Steens is not the place if you want to shoot a dink. The unit just doesn't have the deer numbers to support that.

People I talk to down in Frenchglen say there is not even close to the big bucks on the refuge that there use to be. The deer need a break in the Steens but it is relentless preassure on them year round. Then 40 days of hunting and guys shooting the first buck they see. ODFW needs to go to a 3pt or better bag limit in the Steens to try and bring back a few mature bucks.

Yes there will be some big forked horn bucks around that may breed a doe or two but her dad's genes can carry just as much genetic for a fawn buck.

With all that said if you hunt extremely hard and glass your eyes out you may find a great buck and have a great hunt with your 13 points.

My thoughts exactly. I wish they'd go back to the 4 point or better law the Steens had for years. hell I wish it was in every unit.

The 4 point rule had it problems but it worked. it's been a downhill slide ever since it was abolished. maybe do like Utah and put out some management tags for the big forks and 3 points you'll get.


What's very clear is what we're doing isn't working. it's time to try something else even if it's wrong.











Stay Thirsty My Friends

That is Big Indian Gorge. There are several other huge gorges on the mountain (Kiger, Little Blitzen, etc.) and a bunch of smaller canyons and remote draws. A lot of very cool country, tough to hunt and not as packed with big bucks as you would think but definitely a fun area to hunt at least once in your lifetime.

I would agree, Steens (and most units for that matter) need help. Probably a tag numbers cut would be a good place to start (and eliminate antlerless tags altogether) and then some point limitations (3 point or better, 4 point or better) would be great. If guys have a tag that says visible antler, they will (like I did) take a small one rather than leave empty handed. Point restriction would eliminate that issue. Its a very complex problem though with factors like predators, poaching, high legal harvest, weather, etc, etc. and they have all been talked about over and over on MM. It takes money to fix these things and there is only going to be less money allocated to improving hunting, especially with all the money that has to be allocated to new factors like wolf management. How much money is being spent to monitor and track wolves, and investigate possible wolf predation on livestock, investigate suspicious wolf deaths, etc? And ODFW is not magically getting more money to deal with that, they have to take money that would have gone to help other wildlife and devote it to the wolves.

As the can gets kicked down the road for the mule deer, it will take exponentially longer to fix. In the late 90's the signs were there that the deer were declining but it would have been like a 3 year fix if the issues would have been addressed then. In the mid 2000's it would have probably taken 6-8 years of work to help the deer population recover. With where we are at now, it's going to take a couple decades, millions of dollars and a lot of red tape to fix the problems that we have and eventually, we will get to a tipping point and it will be too late, the endangered species act will be the only way to save the deer. Maybe I'm overstating it but I feel like that is a pretty accurate picture of where we are at with mule deer in Oregon.