LAST EDITED ON Nov-20-13 AT 01:17PM (MST)[p]Wanting to hear from anyone who hunted the trouts or has spent time there this year. What were numbers like and overall condition of the unit after the fires. My wife has enough points to draw next year, I realize there isn't a deer tag in oregon worth waiting 13 years for but thats where we're at so just trying to make the most of it. Any info is appreciated. Thanks
trou creek deer?
- Thread starter gonehuntn
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4
440sixpack
Guest
My wife also has the points to draw it. I took a nice buck out of there 10 years ago, it was tough then and worse now.
I was chukar hunting down there a week ago and I saw few bucks and none worth putting that tag on. same as most years. I was a little early in the rut but I should have seen more than I did.
I don't know what tag in OR besides White River is worth 13 points, or even 5, that's why she has 14.
Stay thirsty my friends
I was chukar hunting down there a week ago and I saw few bucks and none worth putting that tag on. same as most years. I was a little early in the rut but I should have seen more than I did.
I don't know what tag in OR besides White River is worth 13 points, or even 5, that's why she has 14.
Stay thirsty my friends
BlueMountainAdventures
Active Member
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I have hunted it personally twice, and guided it. It is living off of its reputation. Not only is there not many quality deer down there.....there are VERY few deer period!
Save your points and wait for Steens to turn around. I think with the juniper removal and cougar depradation hunting that ODFW is doing in 5 units, it will be a matter of time and I think the Steens will be one of the best Mule Deer units in Oregon.
Furthermore, I would never even consider the late Mt Emily rut hunt neither. I live in Mt Emily, and been guiding it for a decade and rarely do you see a buck on public lands worth waiting even close to the points it takes to draw currently.
IMO.....save or build points, cause there will be some huge bucks being started to get killed in Oregon again in the near future.
Save your points and wait for Steens to turn around. I think with the juniper removal and cougar depradation hunting that ODFW is doing in 5 units, it will be a matter of time and I think the Steens will be one of the best Mule Deer units in Oregon.
Furthermore, I would never even consider the late Mt Emily rut hunt neither. I live in Mt Emily, and been guiding it for a decade and rarely do you see a buck on public lands worth waiting even close to the points it takes to draw currently.
IMO.....save or build points, cause there will be some huge bucks being started to get killed in Oregon again in the near future.
R
rjrromero
Guest
440sixpack was there any chukar in that burn? I went in there last year. It looked like the moon.
L
lambeau
Guest
RE: Steens Mtn deer
BMA,
My brother and I are NR hunters and have been applying off & on for Trout Creek and Steens for the past 15+ years. A couple of years ago we finally got tired of chasing TC and are getting close to being able to draw Steens. We have 9.5 pps between us, and according to Ron Wold's OregonTags website it will take 10 this year.
What's your take on trying to draw this unit asap vs. waiting for potentially better deer numbers & quality? As long as we've waited, I'm OK with waiting a little longer for deer numbers & quality to improve. However, I'm concerned about point creep and quite honestly done buying point saver points now that ODFG jacked the license costs up over the past several years and the hunt quality is far from optimal.
BMA,
My brother and I are NR hunters and have been applying off & on for Trout Creek and Steens for the past 15+ years. A couple of years ago we finally got tired of chasing TC and are getting close to being able to draw Steens. We have 9.5 pps between us, and according to Ron Wold's OregonTags website it will take 10 this year.
What's your take on trying to draw this unit asap vs. waiting for potentially better deer numbers & quality? As long as we've waited, I'm OK with waiting a little longer for deer numbers & quality to improve. However, I'm concerned about point creep and quite honestly done buying point saver points now that ODFG jacked the license costs up over the past several years and the hunt quality is far from optimal.
4
440sixpack
Guest
RE: Steens Mtn deer
The 2014 Tag Draw book says for a NR 81% with 9 and 100% with 10.
It isn't worth half that many points in my opinion. I don't know what to tell you, other than burn your points somewhere and stop getting screwed by Oregon. you're not getting what you're paying for.
Yes there were a few chuckar in the burn, but this was a BAD hatch year the hunting sucked everywhere. I didn't hunt it much because I couldn't get them to hold.
Stay thirsty my friends
The 2014 Tag Draw book says for a NR 81% with 9 and 100% with 10.
It isn't worth half that many points in my opinion. I don't know what to tell you, other than burn your points somewhere and stop getting screwed by Oregon. you're not getting what you're paying for.
Yes there were a few chuckar in the burn, but this was a BAD hatch year the hunting sucked everywhere. I didn't hunt it much because I couldn't get them to hold.
Stay thirsty my friends
lostinOregon
Very Active Member
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- 2,007
RE: Steens Mtn deer
The 2014 tag book reports the results of the 2013 odds, not the 2014 odds based upon 2013 applicants. Ron Wolds predictions are based on the latter. Here is a hypothetical example. Last year 15 people applies for 15 tags with 10 points. So the results were 100 percent. That is absolutely irrelevant on this years draw. There were 60 people that applied last year that have 9 points. So next year 60 people have 10 points for 15 tags. So your true odds this year will be 25 percent. Too many people sit home every year because they don't understand draw odds.
Rich
The 2014 tag book reports the results of the 2013 odds, not the 2014 odds based upon 2013 applicants. Ron Wolds predictions are based on the latter. Here is a hypothetical example. Last year 15 people applies for 15 tags with 10 points. So the results were 100 percent. That is absolutely irrelevant on this years draw. There were 60 people that applied last year that have 9 points. So next year 60 people have 10 points for 15 tags. So your true odds this year will be 25 percent. Too many people sit home every year because they don't understand draw odds.
Rich
4
440sixpack
Guest
RE: Steens Mtn deer
It should work out about the same because most draws have a trend. there is no gaurantee those with 9 points as you say will apply or if they do that they'll apply in the same unit.
Wold has a few hunts where I totally disagee with his numbers, they're contrary to years of historical draw rates. if he's right I'll be a true believer next year.
Stay thirsty my friends
It should work out about the same because most draws have a trend. there is no gaurantee those with 9 points as you say will apply or if they do that they'll apply in the same unit.
Wold has a few hunts where I totally disagee with his numbers, they're contrary to years of historical draw rates. if he's right I'll be a true believer next year.
Stay thirsty my friends
4
440sixpack
Guest
RE: Steens Mtn deer
If you're a resident 16% , NR 0% .
Stay thirsty my friends
If you're a resident 16% , NR 0% .
Stay thirsty my friends
L
lambeau
Guest
RE: Steens Mtn deer
I apolgize for having somewhat hijacked the end of this thread...
Regarding Steens, I traded a few emails with Ron last week and he said our odds of drawing the Steens rifle deer hunt this coming season as a 2 man NR party were 5% or less. Our 9.5 points do round down to 9.0 pps. He said one more point between us (for an average of 10) should guarantee a draw for 2015, all other things remaining equal.
Will probably go that route assuming my brother decides to burn his elk points on an attainable hunt this year.
I apolgize for having somewhat hijacked the end of this thread...
Regarding Steens, I traded a few emails with Ron last week and he said our odds of drawing the Steens rifle deer hunt this coming season as a 2 man NR party were 5% or less. Our 9.5 points do round down to 9.0 pps. He said one more point between us (for an average of 10) should guarantee a draw for 2015, all other things remaining equal.
Will probably go that route assuming my brother decides to burn his elk points on an attainable hunt this year.
RE: Steens Mtn deer
I really love hunting the Steens. I've been fortunate to draw the tag three times over the last 13 years. It really has a good variation of habitat. And more animals than the TC (they really are their). I have enough points now to draw again.
I really love hunting the Steens. I've been fortunate to draw the tag three times over the last 13 years. It really has a good variation of habitat. And more animals than the TC (they really are their). I have enough points now to draw again.
