Oregon Elk

ryno_19 · Dec 9, 2011

Hello all, well I am planning a elk hunt next year with 3 of my good friend. I have 11 points and another has 7 and another 3, so our average would be around 5. Live about 20 miles or so from Lakeview and was looking into putting in for one of the following units next year:
East Murders Creek
East Northside
East Beulah
High Desert Tag in either Malheur or Wagontire
Maury
Ochoco
Do any of you guys have any suggestions out of the list that I have researched through there game and fish webpage? Trophy isnt really big, in fact we are fine if we go home with cows, we just want a chance and seeing elk and possibly success. Since I live close I am planning on a few scouting trips over the summer to get a lay of the land. We love to walk and get away. Any help would be Great!

Taverner · Dec 9, 2011

I elk hunt E Beulah unit and it is in NO WAY a 5PP unit. Don't waste that many points. There are other units with more elk and bigger bulls.

I would personally add Sled Springs and Chesnimous to your list and remove E Beulah and the High Desert.

"Quitting is not an option!"

BCS · Dec 9, 2011

i hunted the east beulah season this year, and although i did kill a bull off of it, i would never burn points on a hunt that you can draw as a second choice. if you are still considering putting in for e beulah, make sure your first choice is a hard to draw tag and your second choice is east beaulah. then you get to hunt and still receive a pp.

i also agree with not burning 5 points on high desert.

KILLBUX · Dec 9, 2011

With your goal, I wouldn't put in for the high desert hunt. That can be a tough hunt with nomadic herds.

tyson4hunting · Dec 9, 2011

If it were me, I would pick one of the "big 3" units. Mt. Emily, Wenaha, or Walla Walla. Apply seperately for the big bull tag and second choice the spike only tag during the same season (2 spike hunts). That way someone may get lucky, everyone gets to build points and everyone gets to go hunting together and learn some new country.

muleyman · Dec 12, 2011

PM me and I can give ya some pointers...

muleyman

ryno_19 · Dec 12, 2011

PM sent. Thanks for the input guys, much appreciated and Ill look into what you all said. Thanks!

baltz526 · Dec 12, 2011

>Hello all, well I am planning
>a elk hunt next year
>with 3 of my good
>friend. I have 11 points
>and another has 7 and
>another 3, so our average
>would be around 5. Live
>about 20 miles or so
>from Lakeview and was looking
>into putting in for one
>of the following units next
>year:
>East Murders Creek
>East Northside
>East Beulah
>High Desert Tag in either Malheur
>or Wagontire
>Maury
>Ochoco
>Do any of you guys have
>any suggestions out of the
>list that I have researched
>through there game and fish
>webpage? Trophy isnt really big,
>in fact we are fine
>if we go home with
>cows, we just want a
>chance and seeing elk and
>possibly success. Since I live
>close I am planning on
>a few scouting trips over
>the summer to get a
>lay of the land. We
>love to walk and get
>away. Any help would be
>Great!

If you are all residents it has been taking 2 points to draw the high desert. Nonresident points is a very different number on all tags when 2.5% of tags go in the draw to nonresidents. I killed a 6x6 in the high desert hunt this year, after 2 other seasons eating tag soup. It is a 2 point hunt at its best. Too many years, with too many cow tags. To make it a good tag. Maury if you have unlimited access to the big ranches, A terrible tag if you don't. East beulah I wouldn't. Ochoco if you have access to the large ranches, yes. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------support your local guzzlers. OHA life member,lapine oregon

bonepicker · Dec 13, 2011

bonepicker · Dec 13, 2011

Well, don't put in for east Beulah or the high desert with your points. East Murderers Creek or East Northside are both good units, I would go with one of those. Murderers creek has some wilderness hunting opportunities and Northside has easier access. I don't know much about Maury or Ochoco.

schmalie79 · Dec 13, 2011

I hunted Ochoco 1st season this year (non-res). Seemed like there was lots of pressure all the way along for the critters in that zone. I.E. between the archery elk, rifle deer, and youth hunts!

If I had it to do over I would have saved my points; or burned them on the Ochoco Archery hunt. I saw a ton of older sign... but only had an 1 opportunity on a spike at 30 yards.

I had a friend hunt Beulah this year and said he saw some nice bulls during the rifle deer season.

Oh yeah.. on the way out I bumped into another group from Cali that had burned their points on Murders Creek and had the same type of luck that I did.

Good luck!

BlueMountainAdventures · Dec 14, 2011

Ryno,

If it was me....I would apply with the 7 point holder, and get an average of 9 points and draw out a Starkey big bull tag. The other two can come, but apply as a party themselves and do spike only as second choice. Two of you will have big bull tags, 1-2 of you will have spike tags. You can all hunt bulls at same time......just my thoughts....

Bob Staples

bonepicker · Dec 14, 2011

Good advice, that is a great idea! Starkey would be a blast!

440sixpack · Dec 14, 2011

I live in and hunt Ochoco, if you were seeing very many hunters you were too close to the roads or Big Summit.

Ochoco is a good hunt, I don't remember the last time I had an unfilled tag it's pretty easy unless you think you're trophy hunting. the private land nearly all the way around the unit can pose problems if the elk hold up on them, and landowners are trying harder all the time to get them there.

I think as others have said if I had lots of points I'd hold out for a top unit, the mid class units are fun and have low hunter pressure but realistically they're not trophy hunts or any better than other states over the counter or easy draw tags.

schmalie79 · Dec 20, 2011

Guess I feel like I have to reply 440!

I feel pretty confident that this year was no easy one to fill any tag in the Ochoco's! But you must know as you live and hunt there right?

My experience of Ochoco in short... Hiked alot; saw old sign; missed the tail of the rut by 5-10 days; expected much less for other hunters. Not worth 7NR points this particular year!

P.S. I did drive by Little Summit Prarie once in pre-season scouting, and in route to Roba Butte I think I passed Big Summit.

440sixpack · Dec 21, 2011

If you hunted near Roba you were too close to too much private for this year, more and more elk are hanging up on the private it seems every year. you never count on any rut activity in rifle season, if you get it it's a bonus. I talked to guys who heard them but I didn't.

Of the 10 hunters I know with tags 1st season including my wife all were filled but it wasn't a cake walk . 2nd season seemed to be more hit and miss, but success for the locals I know was at least 50%.

Is it worth 7 points? yes, not because it's great but because anything better takes twice that many or more. other hunts of similar quality would be Murderer's Creek , Silvies , North Side and such. about the same point range to draw so take your pick.