your opinion please

manny15 · Jan 8, 2009

o.k I've been living here in Or. for four years now, I have three points for deer, I pissed my points away when i moved from N, Cali...

I'm desperate to hunt a draw area as I've NEVER been drawn for a Mule deer area... in Cali or oregon... I was last drawn in NV. in the 80's later gave up and lost my B points.

in your opinion what would be a good area to hunt muleys in Or. with three B points, if you wish you can P.M me.....thanx Manny

3fletch · Jan 8, 2009

Manny: Unfortunately Oregon does not manage well for trophy deer. I honestly think you may have to wait a few years for a good shot a trophy. There are several Muzzy hunts and of course the MT Emily unit is a great tag but you will need nearly 13-14 pts to draw that one. Juniper muzzy tag is another great tag. Others may add a few others but with 3pt I would hold on to em....

manny15 · Jan 8, 2009

k thanks, any more out there....

silverlake176 · Jan 8, 2009

Little difficult with 3 points. 5 points you would be able to draw North Warner. I have bow hunted the North Warner unit for the past three years and have seen some nice bucks. The deer density isn't that great, but you have a chance to kill a nice one. Another plus is that there is only 65 tags for the area, so crowding will not be an issue.

Wanted · Jan 8, 2009

I think the pre-rut muzzleloader hunts have good potential.

lostinOregon · Jan 8, 2009

Manny,

I have contacts all over Oregon and can say without reservation that the deer numbers are about as bad as I have seen them. I wouldn't waste my time hunting deer at this point to be honest with you. I don't think you will be happy with the quality of a 3 point hunt.

Rich

sworhntr · Jan 9, 2009

I would try your last season muzzy hunts for deer and elk here in the applegate unit for deer, or the elk hunt in the rogue unit.

springer · Jan 9, 2009

I agree with what lostinOregon had to say. I live in the Murders Creek Unit and it is a sad situation with the deer herds on federal lands.
I burned 5 points on the Steens Mountain tag last year and it wasn't any better.

manny15 · Jan 9, 2009

wow, i was kinda expecting to hear that......bumber

3fletch · Jan 9, 2009

>I would try your last season
>muzzy hunts for deer and
>elk here in the applegate
>unit for deer, or the
>elk hunt in the rogue
>unit.

I agree great hunts but don't waste your points on them, you have a chance to draw either one with no points or 100% with 1 or 2 points...

muleyman · Jan 9, 2009

I would put my money on the Northside unit. Our "area" that we have hunted for years beginning with my great grandfather is known to us as "blood rock". I personally havent hunted there these past few years for deer, but family members that draw do very well, same ridge, same rock! In 2006 they got two 4X4's one 23" and one 24.5" Not booners but nice bucks. Its in a hole that other hunters dont seem to go into, its steep, VERY brushy. The two bucks in 06 were shot off the same rock, coming out of the same hole. (It borders private ground) which there is a lot of in that unit. Hunters paying $$$$ to hunt the private property start pushin/shootin and the deer head up the same area all the time.

muleyman

huntindude · Jan 9, 2009

At one time or another I've hunted most units in eastern Oregon, Murders Creek being my favorite. That unit was so depressing this year I don't know what I'm going to do now. I don't consider deer hunting in Oregon a trophy hunt or even a quality hunt but since I live here it's hard to forget about it.

I chuckar hunt most of the winter, leaving this afternoon in fact and I can tell you SE Oregon is a mess as well, I haven't seen much in the Pueblo's , Trout Creeks or Steens in years. the Lookout Mountain unit hold some interest to me as I've seen some decent bucks there but most of it is private.

To sum it up deer herds in Oregon are just flat out in awful shape, unless you have enough points to draw one of the few special tags I think it's a crap shoot to find a decent buck so points don't matter that much. good blocks of private land are a different world and a little better, but you'll need conections or an outfitter there. this subject is depressing, I'm an eastern Oregon native and I'm thinking of choosing a deer unit on a dart board this year.

manny15 · Jan 9, 2009

well i geuss i could say, all i need is to see one decent buk and that would do, there's gotta be a decent buck that was smarter then any Mt Lion out there in each unit that survived.

I geuss my Q should be what decent unit that i could draw with 3 points.

thats sad about Murds crk, cause when i hunted elk there 3 years ago i saw 300 deer an two wopper bucks.....

springer · Jan 9, 2009

I remember that. I provided you intel with what ground was burned in the Shake Table Complex. Did you end up getting an elk?

manny15 · Jan 9, 2009

>I remember that. I provided you
>intel with what ground was
>burned in the Shake Table
>Complex. Did you end up
>getting an elk?

Yah, I found two bulls running together, the bigger only had one side rack, so i shot the other bull a smaller six, long story short I lost him...

I had brought my sons 7WSM as a spare so after 5 days of carrieing my custom bull barrled 7mag (heavy) i carried my sons 7WSM (lighter)that day, loaded with core lokt, the bullet didn't perform well enough for elk cause he kept going i follewed blood for about a mile till it rained like hell and i lost all sign, searched for three days i don't think he stopped at all!......

troutcrk · Jan 9, 2009

Build your points and go hunt Nevada and Pray every night Oregon will figure it out!

Troutcrk
"Livin the Dream"

Wanted · Jan 9, 2009

There is a letter to Hunters in the 2009 regs from Roy Elicker, the director of ODFW and it says that they hear us loud and clear and the number one issue is to get on track to get Oregons mule deer populations back...........we'll see.

lostinOregon · Jan 9, 2009

I read that two but the director contradicts himself. He heard two messages, more mule deer and more mule deer hunting opportunites. That's the problem now, can't have both......

Manny, If I had to pick one to kill a decent buck with 3 points it would be lookout mountain.

Rich

sworhntr · Jan 10, 2009

Why not try the snake river unit in northeast, last time overthere seen alot of nice bucks, but no bulls.

manny15 · Jan 10, 2009

LAST EDITED ON Jan-10-09 AT 09:38AM (MST)[p]thanks for all the feedback guys, I was given this book by Sageadvice or Joey' its been interesting to say the least and plan to use it as a guide also.

I've noticed that Grant county in the last 20 years produced more big nontypicals, where as Crook county leaned more towards typicals....good stuff......

Wanted · Jan 10, 2009

You need to look at the most current book (2007). Some of that info is now 30 years old.

oldoregon · Jan 10, 2009

In response to your question manny15, I think that northeast oregon units are all yood choices, the minam has produced good bucks for me everytime I have hunted it. Not to mention dozens of very succesful guided hunts.

As for losing your elk... Have you thought of blaming bullet placement instead of performance. My girlfriend shot one of the biggest bodied elk I have ever seen this year with a 7mm-08. I have seen alot of elk die, and the only one I have ever seen die more quickly than hers was shot with a .30-30. In both instances core lokt bullets were used. Just my two cents- worth price charged.

3fletch · Jan 10, 2009

>You need to look at the
>most current book (2007).
>Some of that info is
>now 30 years old.

The Oregon Record book was started in the mid 90's.

Murphy · Jan 10, 2009

The Minan is a good call if you make the effort to get back in there. I dont think there's an overabundance of mature bucks anywhere in the state but you sure won't find one by staying home. Just go hunt and have fun.