Oregon Elk Hunt Question - First time Post

oregonmuley

oregonmuley

Very Active Member
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Just signed up yesterday after reading the different posts for a couple weeks - great info. Appreciate all the pictures and other hunters stories. Just a question - don't expect any specific info from anyone since i know the units well just wanting some feedback. I have 6 preference points for elk, with 7 point I can draw a Mt Emily Unit #2 hunt which allows me to shoot any bull. Anybody think its worth the 7 points? I have hunting this unit in the past - around Hilgaard (?) area but only ever saw small bulls. Did hunt east end of unit about 7 years ago and my buddy shot at/missed a big 6x6. Anyway - anybody hunt Oregon just wondering what they think- should I hold out a few more years and try for late Weneha or Walla Walla tag or try my luck on this hunt. Thanks and would be willing to give info on Desolation or Murderers Creek units.
Thanks
 
Even with 7 points you're about 20 years out on the Wenaha unit. Mostly because so many people are applying that have max points. My opinion is basically the Walla Walla unit is a very close second to Wenaha. Mostly because those bulls travel back and forth so there's a good population of quality bulls there. When I get up to that amount of points in a couple of years it's where I'm going to burn them. I've seen some real thumpers come out of that unit.

tc
 
>Just signed up yesterday after reading
>the different posts for a
>couple weeks - great info.
> Appreciate all the pictures
>and other hunters stories. Just
>a question - don't expect
>any specific info from anyone
>since i know the units
>well just wanting some feedback.
> I have 6 preference
>points for elk, with 7
>point I can draw a
>Mt Emily Unit #2 hunt
>which allows me to shoot
>any bull. Anybody think
>its worth the 7 points?
> I have hunting this
>unit in the past -
>around Hilgaard (?) area but
>only ever saw small bulls.
> Did hunt east end
>of unit about 7 years
>ago and my buddy shot
>at/missed a big 6x6.
>Anyway - anybody hunt Oregon
>just wondering what they think-
>should I hold out a
>few more years and try
>for late Weneha or Walla
>Walla tag or try my
>luck on this hunt.
>Thanks and would be willing
>to give info on Desolation
>or Murderers Creek units.
>Thanks
>
LoveBigRacks
Thanks for info - I tried send you a message hope it made it. Still new at this.
Thanks
Frank
 
Ive hunted Murderers creek area before. Big bulls, some very steep terrain. I was tired of not getting tags for rifle, started archery 7yrs ago. Killed more animals archery hunting, than rifle! Plus you can hunt just about anywhere you want, public that is!!

jeremy, mulino oregon
 
take a look into the minam unit


Later Yall!!!!
mule-deer.gif
 
I have hunted elk in Oregon since 1965 and have 25 kills to my record. Have hunted Mt. Emily and several other units. I am a fanatic about elk and have hunted several different states as well. I would NEVER hunt the Mt. Emily Unit for trophy elk. This is a highly hunted public area and the carry over of large bull elk is minimal. This is a great area for spikes or cows. The Desolation, Murderers Creedk and Walla Walla units are much better. Frankly the reason is simply terrain! The recommended units are steep and rugged and harbor areas that are difficult to access.

A little history....I used to hunt a private 7500 acre ranch located behind Perry in the Mt. Emily Unit. We would have twelve to fifteen hunters per year and would only take one large bull per season out of +/- ten elk harvested. I tell this only to reinforce my belief that Mt. Emily does not have the habitat or feed to warrant your use of your valuable perference points. I would even go across highway 84 and hunt the Starkey Unit before I'd burn my points.

I would appreciate your respose as to what you decide or decided to do.

Good luck and hunt safe.

Regards,

Steve
 
Steve,
Well, I hope I didn't make a mistake but I did go ahead and use my preference points and was lucky (?) to draw a Starkey any elk tag for the first season. I have hunted Starkey for elk off and on for about the last 10 years, last elk was a spike 3 years ago. When we stared hunting this unit I used to see branch bulls every year but not many spikes, now the area we hunt does not really have many elk of any kind but I know the area so hope to get something. I'm not sure I want to try to get to know a new area since I will likely only draw this tag every 6 or 7 years. I hunt on the Starkey/Desolation boundary about 6 miles east of Tower Mtn. If you have any good ideas of better areas- nothing specific just general I would appreciate it. Will be scouting the Chicken Creek area next week - have been told this could be a decent area for a bull - anything bigger then spike would be a trophy in my eyes.
Thanks
Frank
 
Frank,

I think you will do OK particularily in light of the fact it is first season and any elk. I am in agreement it is always better to hunt a familiar area versus becoming an explorer. I have friends who hunt big and little dark canyon and do well. I personally have not hunted Starkey but I do know good elk are available.

My employment necessitated me leaving Oregon so I am now in the out of state pool. I hunt East Northside when I am fortunate enough to draw a tag. Are you an Oregon resident? I mentioned in the previous e-mail I hunted Mt. Emily. I think you can still put in for the second hunt for the east Mt. Emily area. We did this for several years and hunted the boundaries of the ranch where we used to hunt. If your into cow hunting or spike only I'll give you all of the information you need.

That way in the future you are at least guaranteed being able to hunt elk.

Let me know and if your interested send me your phone number.

Steve
 
Steve,
Yes, I am a resident - I live on the Oregon City area about 10 miles south of Portland. As far as Mt Emily, I started hunting elk with my dad in that unit - that was 25 years ago. We have hunted it once about 7 years ago - we always hunted off the Hilgard (sp) road area, by 5 point Creek. Used to be thick with elk but now you see more hunters than anything else.
If you have info though I would appreciate it - as much as I would like a big branch bull, I really enjoy elk meat so a cow or spike is just fine with me, I'm really more of a muledeer fanatic then elk. Anyway, I will have to check my maps, I think I basically know the area you hunted but any additional would be great.
Thanks
Frank
 
Steve, i dont think you know what the Mt.Emily unit has to offer. Since they put in the new system where there is only 120 tags total for both bow and rifle season it has changed. Last year i saw 3 +350 bulls that came out of there and they are hugh. I also saw a picture of another 350 bull that came out of there at the local Archery shop. I think that Mt.Emily is one of the top spot in oregon along with Weneha and the Walla Walla units, but if i had 6 points and i was 20 years away from getting one of those tags i would for sure apply for Mt.Emily. I have the tag this year ill tell you how it goes.
 
I look forward to hearing about your hunt. Perhaps you are correct in your assessment about the quality of elk...??? Which hunt @ Mt. Emily and where do you hunt?

Steve
 
Frank,

Off highway 84 take the Perry exit and head east along the road paralling 84 until you come to the end of the access road. Turn under the rail road bridge and head up the hill. You are now on Robbs Hill Road. The ranch we used to hunt is on your left. As you procees up the hill you will come to a large pasture with a gate @ a sharp curve. Continue on around the curve, there is an old log cabin (school house) on your right, cross the cattle guard and continue on. Do not turn right after the cattle guard as this will eventually take you to the refuse site above LaGrande. Continue staight until the end of the road at the gravel pile. the road taking off up the hill will lead you to meadows on top, this is three cabin. You have to walk. when you get to the top of the hill at the opening in the fence go left through the trees to the rance fence. Stop at the fence and the area to hunt is the area which feeds the canyon on your right. This is Blacksmith Canyon and feeds into Five Points Creek. When the ranch is hunted the elk bail out and go into Blacksmith. If you are willing to spend the time you will get your elk.

As you drive in toward the gravel pile the high ridge on your right is Smith Ridge. there is usually good elk there but heavily hunted. Easy hunt when you start at the top and end up down hill on the road.

Enjoy!

Steve
 
It's my first time with the tag and i've only hunted there the last couple of years(this being the first with the ANY bull tag for archery). But rumor has it that the Tollgate area and Ruckle Junction area are prime during the rut.
 
Good luck in the Mt Emily "oregonbone". My partner and I will be north of you hunting the Walla Walla for big bulls. We were up there 2 weeks ago and saw several good bulls, and plan on going back over on the 14th and 15th to snoop around abit more.

Make sure you have a bear tag in your pocket, that whole area is overrun with bears! It looks like a good year for huckleberries, and they should be getting ripe in several weeks. Maybe I can fill my bear tag the next time I'm up scouting.

Look forward to hearing about your hunt! treekiller
 
Oregonbone,

I was in the Mt. Emily unit bear hunting this year (spring bear) and saw lots of elk. The end of May we saw 2 good bulls (already 5 points per side) above ruckel junction and some good size herds around the 1st week in May around bobsled ridge and buck Mtn. I think your right about the quality of bulls in this unit. If you get deep in the canyons and do some glassing from the ridgelines you should find a good bull for the wall.

good luck and make sure you have a bear tag and cougar tag with you.

Oregonmuley, I also live in Oregon city.
 
Steve,
Thanks much for your info - I will check my maps but I think I know exactly the area you are talking about. I sure appreciate all of your information. If I can reciprocate I'd be happy to do so. Like I said, I'm not really a elk fanatic, more of a mule deer hunter so if you ever have any deer questions I'd be happy to tell you what i know, also salmon fishing but if you are now out of state don't know what i could do for you. Anyway thanks again.
Thanks
Frank
 
Hunter,

As I now live out of state and only hunt Oregon about every five years my current information is limited. My years hunting Mt. Emily, mostly the east side above Perry exit off of HiWay 84, we would shoot a big bull about every five years and only during the first season. Lots of spikes and cows, very few big bulls.

I have several relatives living in Oregon and they now hunt Desolation Unit.

Good Luck!

Steve
 
oregonbone

No reports from your hunt? I am thinking of putting in for this archery tag and would love to hear what you think.

Rick
 
hey fellas oregonbone did not harvest a bull in the Mt. Emily unit. I am pretty sure He is my cousin, but he said the biggest bulls was probably around 315. They called in more than enough bulls but he said in many places it was so thick that they didnt even see the bulls. We both know there are better bulls than what he saw in there, and just last week we found a rub standing almost 8 feet tall at the highest point. There are good bulls in the Mt. Emily unit, Luck just wasnt on his side:(
 
Traks is right, the biggest bull we got a good glimps at was around 315-320 range. But im 100 percent sure there are alot bigger bulls in there. It was really thick where i was, so really the only thing you could see was what was coming in. We called in a ton of rag horns and small bulls (and passed on them) but not what i was looking for. I didnt get to hunt in the best part of the season either (last 2 weeks of the season) i was gimped up from a football injury.
 
No rosies. East side.

Do you think the hunt was worth using your points on? Now that I only archery hunt for elk in OR I just don't know what to use my points on. I don't want to wait 10+ years for a draw. Did you hunt the north east part of the unit up towards Wenaha and Walla Walla?
 
I would say yes, There are many trophy bulls in this unit just put in your time and hunt hard. You can buy an over the counter tag for general season archery and still hunt some good places while applying for the trophy units. In others words, you can still hunt some quality hunts every year while waiting for that trophy tag. If it were me I would go wenaha first choice and mt. emily second choice then if you are not drawn, go buy an over the counter tag and hunt the general season with a good chance at some nice bulls.
 
Yeah, that is what I have been doing. My dad and I hunt Heppner and White River (where I live) and get into plenty of bulls, but nothing big. It is hard for me to put in for Wenaha with the draw odds. You could draw Mt Emily 2-3 times before you draw Wenaha. I guess there is always that slim lottery chance though.
 
I think its worth putting in for the Wenaha tag every year. Two people will draw the tag without points and some say the odds are better without max points. I should know I drew it in 03 with 3pts, none of the max points holders even tried to kill me for it. Lots of pigs in there.
 
I think its worth putting in for the Wenaha every year. Two people will draw it without max points. I should know I drew it in 03 with 3pts. lots of pigs there.
 
I would be putting in for the wenaha tag every year first choice if I were you, with a second choice in the mt. emily you cant go wrong wenaha is producing the biggest bulls in Oregon hands down and the Mt. Emily has some hogs as well.

This is exactly what I do!!!!!!!
 
Are you saying you drew MT Emily as a second choice? I don't think that is possible. Second choice tags don't get drawn until all first choice apps are gone. There are more first choice apps than tags so you could never draw as a second choice. Am I missing something?
 
I did not draw a Mt. emily, my cousin did. well I guess you guys are right, I dont know how I have been applying like that but atleast I know why I havent drawn a wenaha.....I have been reading the regs trying to figure this all out???????????
 
Here's a pic of the 360" gross 6x7 that my hunting partner killed in the Walla Walla unit. I came real close, but the thick tag alder, Yew brush, and swirling wind ganged up and prevented me from killing this bulls big brother and cousin.

P1010976.jpg


The largest bull we saw in 2 1/2 weeks was a 380+ 6x6. Really a tough, physically demanding hunt, but well worth it!

treekiller
 
mt emily holds some big bulls i saw a big six point there last fall during archery season. I missed a spike which had a 5 point and a rag 3 with him. There are some really big bulls in that unit it is is worth it. The wenaha i think has gone down hill there use to be a lot of elk but he last couple years the population has dropped drastically. There are still some big bulls in there though. Last year while taking a guy bear hunting i saw a bull that would go 340 probably he was broadside at 40 yards but for archery spike only. Walla not many elk big bulls are there steep rough country. Mt emily is your best bet. If you want to know where i found the elk just let me know.
 
If you are a non-resident with less than 3 points this next year you're looking at a 10+ year wait for this hunt unless they give non-residents 5% of the tags like they want to sucker you into believing....especially when you're paying big bucks to buy their license to buy points.

Oregon's dirty little secret is that they don't give out the full 5% of tags to non-residents for each hunt.....they give out "up to" 5% of the tags as stated in the regs.

Last year non-residents got:
257R Mt Emily bull - 3.3% of the tags (2 out of 61 tags issued)
255R Walla Walla bull - 5% of the tags (1 out of 20 tags issued)
 
I am a nonres. with 6 points. I am considering applying for the Mt. Emily tag (archery). I am looking for 330 class bulls. Will the Mt. Emily unit produce this quality of bull or should I wait another 20 years for Walla Walla?
 
Skeet,

You wont have to wait another 20 years for walla walla. this year a non-resident has a 50% chance with 8 points and will probabably get the tag with 9 points. This is for the archery bull tag. For the rifle bull tag, a non-res needs 10 points to draw. The walla walla has the potential to produce 380+ bulls, Mt. Emily is not nearly as good. There are some nice bulls on Emily, but the odds of killing one is not nearly as good as walla walla. I would suggest waiting for the walla walla tag.
 
The Mount emily unit has really gone down hill for elk. I believe that the cat and bears are the main reason. Does anyone know what deer hunting is like in the east mount emily is like? I have seen some bucks early in the year while scouting for elk but never hunted deer there. Anyone ever deer hunt it?
 
I am from NV and I was looking for some info on archery elk hunts in Oregon. I was looking at the Snake River, Imnaha, Santiam and Mckensie units. I have never set foot in Oregon and plan on buying an over the counter tag. Any info to get me pointed in the right direction would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Todd
 

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