Whitehorse Unit for deer or???

[Wanted]

Does anyone have any info on this unit they are willing to share? I am wanting to apply either for this unit or Steens. We have four preference points and are residents. Looks like the Whitehorse is guaranteed and the Steens would be a 60ish%. I am open to suggestions if there are other hunts worthy of burning four points. I need to get away from the crowds and don't like having to ask to hunt on private ground so it's have to be a unit with alot of public.

Thank you.

 

[huntindude]

In both units you will find plenty of public land, you can get away from hunters pretty well and the deer numbers in both are flat awful.

I'm an eastern Oregon native and I don't have any advice for you, I'm thinking of trying for a unit I've never hunted this year just hoping for a surprise. I'm not sure where to go, I just know where not to.

 

[lostinOregon]

I have a good friend who hunts this unit when he can draw. He is an absolute animal, covers territory and is a great hunter. He hunted it last in 07, saw 3 deer in 8 days. The suprise you would get is no deer,

Rich

 

[robinsg61le]

I live here in Burns and have had the same idea about hunting whitehorse for a few years. I scouted the unit all fall long... through the middle of the rut and after. (around 65 hours scouted) I covered hundreds of miles within the unit both on foot and in vehicle. I got even got some advice from my buddy who is the biologist for that unit. I have seen one heard of 8 deer in all my time and travels. The only thing I can tell you about whitehorse is cross it off your list.

To those of you who get into deer regularly in whitehorse: congratulations, you found a spot I couldn't find with a hell of a lot of research.

 

[bullnanza]

I was thinking of applying for the late muzzy hunt in n.e whitehorse. Are the deer numbers that bad in whitehorse or are you talking about resident numbers? It seems like a lot of the deer migrate from Idaho into oregon before/during the rut depending on the weather. I havent been over there since 2002 so any info would be appreciated.

 

[ruttinelk393]

I have friends that have hunted whitehorse for the last 20 years or so. Admittedly, this unit is very large and some of these guys are not hitting it real hard, but others are. They were all very successful 10+ years ago and the last 5 years they literally have seen very few deer. I am not talking bucks, but deer. I do not hunt it, but I can only assume that our friendly cougar has something to do with it. I would wait for the steens if thats your other choice. If you can walk/pack, look into the lower elevations around the private as it is a myth that all the bucks are up high.

 

[4blade]

From what I understand BULLNANZA you are right, the muzzy hunt is the one because of the Idaho bucks that drop in IF you get weather. other than that Whitehorse is hurting...it takes more than 4 points to draw the muzzy hunt.

 

[Wanted]

There are a few hunters that hunt this unit that do pretty well. The guys that run the Oregon Preference point book hunt it and they pull some nice bucks. I've seen some good bucks in the antelope season, but who knows where they go? I think the deer have adapted to quit using the canyons to get away from cougars and spend more time bedded out in the sage flats where no one looks.

 

[htnfool]

LAST EDITED ON Mar-10-09 AT 10:38PM (MST)[p] I used to archery hunt the whitehorse unit for deer, religiously. I scouted for 20 days prior to the season and hunted for 10-14 days. Had some success. The resident herd is in horrible condition. The unit has fallen of the map. Lots of reason why. Another thread...

There are bucks, some in the 180's, out there. But you will hunt/scout extremely hard to find one!!! And I mean 'ONE'! I can remember the first time I set foot scouting in the whitehorse unit, I saw at least 30 bucks in the 1st weekend, WOW. Bucks up to the low 180's seemed a dime a dozen. Last year I went back to see what was out there and saw 5 bucks total in 4 days and the largest was a 140 class 3x4. I was sick to my stomach. I have watched this unit go down, down, down, like some many other units in both Idaho and Oregon. Times are changing and we need to take charge of the situation or you can kiss it good-bye.

Go Predator hunting!!!!!

Even with that knowledge I managed to pick up a non-resident late archery tag to hunt some of the bucks coming outta Idaho this year. If the weather comes early, lookout, cause this unit will get hot. A great hunt for Oregon.

If you are thinking about the steens or the whitehorse unit, I would hold out for the steens. I arrowed a monster ( check out 'Giant Steens buck') last year there, but there are lots of hunters to wade through to find one.

Happy hunting

 

[bullnanza]

Thanks for all the info. The problem with the muzzy hunt is if you dont get weather you wont see many deer imo. Sounds like the unit should be closed to hunting for a few years to let numbers rebound.There should have been more deer in 2002 when I hunted it, but I was still able to locate a couple of 25" plus bucks and about a dozen 20" bucks. Overall though even then deer were scattered and numbers were low.

 

[nvmuley]

I guess I am in the same boat!

I have 10 points for deer and wanted to hunt the famous Steen's unit once before I died But it seems like it's not a good hunt anymore.
So, maybe it time to just go on a deer or elk hunt and use the 10 points and be done with it. I do want a good antelope hunt and then it's time to back out as a non-resident hunter.
If anyone has any advice for me, I sure would appreciate it. I'll return the favor for NV hunt unit information.

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Measure wealth by the things you have,, for which you would not take money.

 

[htnfool]

Okay, this is not an easy answer.

If you want to 'burn' 10 points here are my picks.

Deer- Steens, they are there.
Elk-High desert, some good ones- 350 class
Antelope- Whitehorse, hunt the southeast corner, very good bucks 80" potential.

These units are not comparable to other states in quality or quantity, except antelope, but they don't call it "hunting" for nothin.

Happy hunting

 

[scoutdog5]

I don't think I would agree with the Steen's option, unless you can put in a lot of scouting time. I don't disagree that there are some large bucks still present, but there are also very large areas with very few deer, and you can spend a lot of time without seeing much.

With few exceptions, the best deer hunting in Oregon is on private land. I am assuming you are looking at DIY, so that is off the table. There are very few hunts that require the number of points you have, and it is tough to use 10 points for a hunt that only takes 4-5 points.

I would probably look at one of the late hunts, either Mt Emily or Hood Unit, for rifle. You have a shot at drawing one of those in the next few years. The other thing you could look at is a pack in or fly in hunt in Snake River. Only takes 5-6 points, so you could take a hunting buddy with no points. I don't think the deer hunting is great, or even good by Nevada standards, but it is spectacular spot and stalk country, with lots of wildlife.

For elk, since you have made it to 10 points, I would be applying for Mt Emily Rifle.

Scoutdog

 

[nvmuley]

Thank you for the help guys. I'll rethink the options and check the draw odds.

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Measure wealth by the things you have,, for which you would not take money.