Grizzly Unit...

Bull7 · Aug 10, 2011

Just wondering if any of you guys managed to draw this tag? I have made several trips up and am seeing plenty of small guys running around and a couple marginal ones but will not put one of them on the ground unless my son wants to squeeze the trigger under the mentor program. Let me know if you have the tag and I will exchange info. Also is it me or are the deer #'s starting to come back bit?

440sixpack · Aug 10, 2011

I'f you're talking about deer don't expect to see any big bucks unless you're on some good private , and then they're few and far between. my place is in the south grizzly and I have to say the deer numbers in the hills seem to be coming back a little, and the deer numbers in the hay fields are the lowest by far I've ever seen around here. it's just the opposite of what it has been and I can't say why. it's pathetic enough ODFW has cancelled our doe hunt, as they should have years ago.

Like about every unit in Oregon Grizzly is not a trophy unit by any means, if you really want a deer take what you see and be happy you saw it.

Bull7 · Aug 11, 2011

440, thanks for the input and i am not looking for a trophy by any means. Was just putting out there that i have seen a good number of dink bucks this year scouting and a couple marginal ones if my son is looking to punch my tag with one. I have noticed in the last two years an increase in the deer #'s in a few units that i bow hunt and wanted other opions to see if i am in the right place at the right time or actually seeing an increase. Do you susupect with the grass growth this year they will not be pushing down to the fields until later as it dries up higher? Thanks again

440sixpack · Aug 11, 2011

Maybe the longer green season changed the elk's habits a little but most of the low land deer don't leave at any time. they're just not here anymore. of the deer I have seen fawn numbers are awful, and I use awful in the better sense of the word. I'm not sure what's going on but everyone is aware of it, I hope it's just a local thing or we're going to go from real bad to even worse for the state.

Overall Grizzly is doing as well as most of the eastern Oregon units , but that's not saying much.

300wbymann · Aug 12, 2011

LAST EDITED ON Aug-12-11 AT 04:55PM (MST)[p]a good friend of mine hunts in a party of 6 guys in that unit. they manage to kill at least 8 bucks a year and absolutly will not shoot anything but what should be a 3 year old buck. 2 yrs ago a girl of the group killed a 27" 175 4x4.

granted there has been a couple bucks that they shot that were 18" 3x3's and ended up probably being a 2 yr old deer, but for the most part they stay pretty consistant with 3 yr old or better buck.

all on 100% public land

i guess some guys just know how to hunt deer in these "horrible" times?

440sixpack · Aug 12, 2011

If they kill 8 bucks for 6 tags that's your first clue .

Funny how the locals never know the area as well as the portland hunters. nobody around here can touch that story .

elkliver · Aug 12, 2011

LAST EDITED ON Aug-12-11 AT 06:33PM (MST)[p]agreed 440. i know the unit well also and thats a pretty amazing story. (even if you don't keep track of the numbers that add up to poaching)

300wbymann · Aug 12, 2011

LAST EDITED ON Aug-12-11 AT 09:07PM (MST)[p]

glad you caught it

i did edit, and still apperently screwed up the number, oh well, take it how you want. they kill alot of decent bucks- but from reading 440's posts, thats impossible, cause he's hunted since like 1930, and if you would have ever seen it then...............

go ahead and go into this season with a first forky attitude. even the "locals" say so.

440sixpack · Aug 12, 2011

I live here it's my back yard. I know lots of avid hunters here and some poachers here, none of them can match your story . not even on private land. do you know how much public land is in the Grizzly unit? pretty hard to hide a honey hole .

I'm not saying you can't find a 3 point, I'm not saying you can't find a 4 point. I'm saying any group who can tag out a party of 6 on 3 year old or better bucks on public land in the Grizzly unit consistantly is something I'm not buying.

This is part of why our hunting in Oregon has gone to hell, all we ask for is hope. as long as uncle Harry's brother inlaw 's cousin saw a 4 point a year ago while cutting a christmas tree there's a chance I can find him. try hunting Colorado, they ask for deer, and they have them.

300wbymann · Aug 13, 2011

yea buddy, i think i know colorado, use to live there

only hunted there for 10 yrs.

but heck, i dont care if you believe the story or not, who are you? why do i need to convince you? because your a local? by your posts it really sounds like your 1 heck of a hunter. hell my mom sqeeked out a 22" 4 point in the unit.

i'm not saying it's a trophy unit- but with your reply of "if you want to kill a deer you better shoot the first legal one you see"- well you cant really complain- your part of the problem you complaining about..............................................

why would i care if you buy the story or not again? i cant remember

440sixpack · Aug 13, 2011

LAST EDITED ON Aug-13-11 AT 08:15PM (MST)[p]I don't buy your story for a second, my hope is the poor guy who asked for some information doesn't either.

So back to reality. the fact is the success in the unit runs around 40% with only about 20% of that being 4 pt or better. considering only 28% of the unit is public land and much of that is near populated areas it's safe to say the private land makes up a good share of the success and an even greater share of the 4 point and better bucks.

So it's easy to see if you're willing to eat a tag there is always a chance, but don't expect to have much to choose from. don't worry about getting lonely either, most of us hunt our private on LOP tags so lots of the 1200 tags in the drawing will be on what parts of the 28% which are worth hunting.

I'm not trying to be a downer, it's just best to know what you're up against. I think that was your question. if anyone else knows of camps full of hunters tagging out on mature bucks in the grizzly unit every year my advice is follow them and don't let them out of your sight .

300wbymann · Aug 14, 2011

i dont care if you "buy" it,who are you and why do you think it's important if "you" buy it? your apperently an idiot.

i'm not even part of the group, i've never hunted deer in the unit. just passing info on. they probably just make up the stories and pictures, i dont know. again- i could give 2 chits if "you" buy it. thanks for sharing anyway

440sixpack · Aug 14, 2011

They probably make it up? now we're on the same page.

Bull7 · Aug 15, 2011

It's very interesting to me to see different insight on the same unit. I am also a local and have put many a mile on my boots in that unit and have also seen the decline over the years. I used to hunt that unit with my grandpa on the western fringes and remember the quality of the bucks back then. I completely agree that Oregon is all about quantity of tags and of course $$$$$, unfortunately not quality of animal. When I hunted this unit two years ago two of the four man party punched tags opening day and myself and my other partner could have a few times over but only with little guys. I did chase one mature buck around for a couple days and he ended up winning that battle. I have no reason to shoot a small buck and the only way that will happen is if my son decides to which knowing him I'm thinking he would rather have it grow a bit. I appreciate all of the input on what you have said. Keep them coming

forkhunter · Aug 16, 2011

Sent a PM

Bull7 · Aug 16, 2011

PM sent back...

forkhunter · Aug 19, 2011

Bull, one more PM at you.

LongRangeBangin · Aug 20, 2011

Hunt the boundary of the MC wilderness and non wilderness. From FS road 27 towards Twin pillars.

Bull7 · Sep 29, 2011

Just back from long bow hunt and off to find a buck for my son this weekend.... thanks again for all the replies and i sent a pm back to you forkhunter.

Bull7 · Sep 29, 2011

Thanks LongRange...I know that area pretty well and scouted a couple pockets that seem to hold a few deer. Are you a local also? Seen some bucks but nothing that really looked good to me but just might look a little different to my son through the scope...