oregon mule deer tags

brubo · Mar 7, 2005

Thinking about putting in for Oregon mule deer. I know that the east half of state is the best but not sure about zone numbers. not asking for any hot spots but could use some advice. do the better areas take alot of points to draw. also are there any decent general areas.

Bob D. · Mar 7, 2005

The units that used to be good aren't so good any more. The only decent hunts take at least 8 or 9 points to draw. If you're not an Oregon resident you are at a disadvantge in the draw as a maximum of 5% of the deer and elk tags can go to non-residents.

IdahoBugler · Mar 7, 2005

I had a similar question about Oregon deer. I have 4 points and it looks like I could draw a couple different desert hunts in the SE. Do you think this year would be a good one to sit out. Due to the weather and lack of water we will probably see. Or should I just burn my points and forget about Oregon. Thanks for any info you guys can give.

IB

oregonmuley · Mar 8, 2005

All of Eastern Oregon - muledeer hunting is permit only. We don't have any general hunting for muleys, can hunt blacktails only with general over the counter tag. As far as units, tough call, we hardly have any rain or snow so far this winter so will be a tough summer. Right now snowpacks are something like 25% to 35% of normal depending on area of the state, its sunny and warm outside right now, it should be raining. Which unit? Pick one in Northeast Oregon and you have a chance it a Ok deer. Good luck.

HighDesert · Mar 8, 2005

Hey Boband Brubo send me a PM and i will tell ya a little about the SE corner of the state. And dirent in which are the better desert Hunts.
Dave

lostinOregon · Mar 8, 2005

First of all remember that you have to buy the hunting license non resident that is non refundable. Then it is 4.50 per species. Oregon discriminates against non resident hunters. If you take Oregon and divide it on the crest of the Cascade Mountains everything east is mule deer, everything west is blacktail. You can not get a quality deer hunt every year. We have units in eastern oregon that give out 4,000 deer tags for an area in other states the same size that i've seen give out 300 to 400 tags. There are a couple of units that have wilderness and several desert hunts in the southeast corner. They take points to get but have good deer if you work at it. If you are still interested send me an e-mail and I will let you know how long you will be paying to draw the tags and what units to look at. I live in Oregon and have all my life and hunt in Idaho, Wyoming, Montana and now applying for Colorado.

koyote · Mar 9, 2005

I agree with lostinoregon, I live in the SE corner of Oregon and the deer hunting here sucks right now. My friends and I live for Mulies like alot of people on this site and I can tell you that with the exception of some irrigated private ground, a true desert deer is almost non-existent, not to mention a big buck.
I also hunt Nevada, montana, Idaho and Utah to get my hunting fix, cause Oregon is just not getting it done. There is no reason why that just accross the nevada border the deer hunting is still damm good when the Oregon side sucks. Nevada kicks ass in being pro active in managing tags to save mulies when needed.

HighDesert · Mar 9, 2005

I fully agree with Koyote and Lostin. Except i must dissent about a few of the Units. The Trout Creeks, East Whitehorse, Beattys Butte, South Juniper and Wagontire units are still producing quality deer. With some monsters in them. The steens on the other hand is getting hammered. Malheur River. I do not know enough about the owyhee to comment on it. But i know that those 5 units can and so produce some truly magnificent animals are the deer herds as strong as they were pre 92/93 Nope but there are still some great animals if you know the country. As far as the other units in the state There are alot of tags and the deer numbers are not in the greatest shape. You put 3k tags in a unit and the deer get hammered add on the Cats and those units are getting hurt are they bad units because of this Nope but not what they used to be. But the southeast part of the state Pretty much Highway 395 and 36 west and south of Hwy 20 are the predonantly best units in the state. Just some info.
Dave

koyote · Mar 9, 2005

Yea Dave, just keep trying to sell those tags your sitting on!
As far as magnificent animals in these areas: very few and very far between!!

springer · Mar 10, 2005

koyote, I live on the wet side of the state (Tillamook)and have some questions about antelope and deer in the Whitehorse unit. Could you send me an e-mail at [email protected]. Thanks.

flea_bitten · Mar 10, 2005

The state may not be loaded with monster muleys like the arizona strip or sonora mexico, but theres good bucks out there. Has eastern OR ever been known as a big buck meca? Do people flock to the eastern side of the state to hunt monster muleys? No, cause theres never been an over abundance of monster muleys out there, that don't mean theres not a few around if you put in the time to find one. What are you calling a big buck 170" + or what, or does it have to be B&C all-time before you get a woody? Unless you keep things in perspective and set realistic goals your going to be let-down probably about every where you go. Is finding a 170" 27"+ wide buck a reality in eastern OR, I would say yes. If you think around every other sage brush a 32" wide 190"+ buck is going to jump out, you will be let down. I don't deer hunt OR anymore since moving to Idaho but with that being said, in the last 5 yrs I have gone over to help my dad and have watched 3, 175"+ bucks be taken, the largest a 32" 189" buck, and had a freind take a 213" non-typical and he missed one last fall that would have been larger. Non-typical 234 that comes to this website has taken 2, very nice bucks the last few yrs. To say the deer hunting sucks in eastern or, I would disagree, but given the choice on where to hunt it would'nt be south of highway 20, it would be north of it in the beulah unit.

time2hunt · Mar 11, 2005

What do you guys think of the unit along the snake river. Have hunted whitehorse and steens before and not seen the quality buck that where alway spoke about in the early 90's. I do have a jet sled and know that it very rugged country, and that you will have to hunt up.