eastside vs westside elk draws

[northwesthunter]

So like many I am stuck in the Oregon draw game for elk, too far in to quit but still a ways from drawing the unit we wanted to hunt with the points creep. Mt Emily bow hunt was what we were after and with ten points we are still a few years off depending on how people keep jumping around and the reports of the quality there aren't real inspiring and the fact that we could never draw it as a party of two and hunt togethor is another downer. So in looking at some other options in the same points range the Powers unit on the westside is managed as a trophy unit with limited tags and not the spike hunters you would have on the eastside. I live on the coast so I know the habitat/brush difference of the westside but what is the trophy quality in the unit and if a guy puts in his time is a 300 inch roosey a descent goal for the hunt? I have a big rocky mt bull on the wall and would love a roosey but hate to waste my points so any input would be awesome. I'm not a big fan of chasing elk through logged off units and prefer some backcountry and bulls that you can call so with that said what do you think. Tks nwhunter

 

[WapitiBob]

Never hunted it but from what I have read, The problem will be whether fire danger closes it or not.

 

[jupiter]

LAST EDITED ON Apr-03-11 AT 05:09PM (MST)[p]I can't say I have a good second choice for you, but if I had anywhere near 10 points I would stay in the game for Mt. Emily. I have hunted and "guided" in Mt. Emily all of my life and I can tell you that there is no better place to hunt elk in OR right now. Last year we glassed 10 300+ class bulls over the course of 7 days. Two of those bulls were 350+/-. My buddy killed one of them. I've also seen several pictures of bulls closer to 400 that have been taken in Mt. Emily that last few years.

If you end up sticking with Mt. Emily, PM me and I'll see if I can help. I don't usually spill my guts on my huntn spots, but I'll never get to hunt Mt. Emily again because of the preference point situation.

My advice... keep your eyes on the prize. I elk hunt another unit now so that I can elk hunt more regularly, and the quality pales in comparison to Mt. Emily. I've scouted for guys with Wenaha and Walla Walla tags, and can tell you for a fact that Mt. Emily is a better hunt right now.

Just my two cents.

 

[northwesthunter]

Thanks guys. Good to hear more positive reports on Mt. Emily. Maybe by the time I draw they will limit the spike hunters . In my opinion when you wait ten plus years to draw a tag you shouldnt have to compete with masses of other spike hunters messing with the big bulls.nwhunter

 

[bhunter]

I agree the same with the Whenha unit the spike hunters should be allowed in there after the bull hunts. Oregon doesn't want to manage any of those units as trophy units don't know why?


If there is any proof of a man in a hunt it is not whether he killed a deer or elk but how he hunted it.

 

[300wbymann]

jupiter, i sure hope thats not supposed to be a picture of your buddies "350" bull, that one falls a bite short of that....

as for the question, i've hunted mt. emily and murders creek that last four years. murderes creek is as good , or better then mt. emily without near the points or point creep. theres no way i would sit on 1o points and play the waiting game for 5 more yrs when i could draw a murders creek tag and shoot the same "350 bull' that jupiter killed in the mt. emily..............

 

[jupiter]

LAST EDITED ON Apr-21-11 AT 09:59AM (MST)[p]Always nice to have someone contradict you on here. Yes, 300wbm is correct my buddy's bull in this pic is not 350. That's why you'll note that I stated that my buddy killed a "350+/-" bull. His bull scored 337 5/8 gross with the two broken points on the right side. He was scored by my taxidermist who is also a Boone & Crocket scorer. We estimate that he had about 12 inches broken off of the right side. That would of made his score around 349 5/8 if intact. I have always considered a bull with this type of a rack a ?350 class? bull. Some of you might consider that an exaggeration. I would consider it an understatement to just call this bull a ?300 class? bull. Just my opinion. To each his own, I guess.

Maybe 300wbm could post a pick of his "350 class" bull that he "could" get in Murderers Creek.

Please see my picture below. This is a picture of the 420 bull that I "could" get in Northside... Oh wait, maybe that was just a dream.

 

[whtelk]

No big bulls left in the Mount Emily so please go to another unit...{>

 

[jupiter]

WhtElk, you must have a lot of points or know someone that does!

Sorry to spill the beans, but the elk numbers and big bulls in Mt. Emily are rediculous right now... best I've ever seen in OR. I wouldn't be so open to sharing but unless you've been stashing points for this tag for 12+ years, you don't have a prayer. The good part is that most guys who draw this tag are pretty hard-core.