Blacktails and Roosevelt Elk

[Alabama]

I have a few points for deer and elk in OR because I bought them when applying for sheep there. It's not very likely that I will draw (obviously). I am building points for mule deer/rocky mountain elk in other states. So my question is it worth it for some limited draw opportunities for Blacktails and Roosevelt Elk? I know most hunts are OTC for these but LE hunts seem to have much higher success rates and usually better dates.

$170 or so isn't a ton of money but I would feel better if I had a plan to actually hunt there someday, instead it feels more like throwing money at a lottery that will never pay off. I want to hunt both species someday. WA doesn't seem like a good option, and CA elk is impossible. So OR seems like the best option.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

After living here for 32 years it is still hard to know what to apply for when it comes to blacktails and Roosevelts.

I don't know that there are any "great" Roosevelt hunts. There are a few okay tags. Most require a LOT of knowledge of the area. It is rare to see a mature bull harvested anywhere here in Western Oregon, everyone gets pretty excited about it. I think the most fun hunt for a non-resident would be to take two weeks on an archery hunt. Pray that it is a wet year and there is not fire season that year so you can get into the private timber lands where the largest numbers of elk are due to the ongoing logging. I drew one of the better Roosevelt archery tags last year and could never get into the unit due to closures. I'm not sure that draw tag is that much better than the OTC tag in the adjacent unit.

As for blacktails, you want to hunt them as close to Thanksgiving as possible. The late November muzzleloader hunts and the OTC archery that has late November dates are the better hunts. The only great blacktail hunt is the White River Late hunt. The bucks do not qualify as blacktails for record books, but it is the place for big blacktails. You will never catch it with points as a non-resident though.

Personally I go for a very easy to draw Roosevelt tag, and a late muzzleloader blacktail tag. If there were tags worth building points for at this point in the point game, I would do it. The tags I am after are fairly easy to draw but really take years of experience to have good success.

All that to say there are no "slam dunk" Roosevelt or Blacktail tags that I am aware of that you would draw with minimal points.

 

[gonhunting247]

I, like UH have lived here a long time (47 years). I agree that it's hard to pick one unit over the next, as far as draw units. It all seems to be a matter of where you live and learning the areas. Then you hope for favorable weather and some luck. The Hood and White River units have fun late hunts available (White River is much better) But a guy may never catch up to either on pts. and neither are worth the money or wait IMO unless you're real close on pts. already, or you hunt a unit that can be drawn second choice/or a OTC and just want to gain pts. on the way. I think the best option is to get easy draw tags or better yet draw points and go OTC late as possible for Deer or go archery for Elk (rut), then pick an area a have fun learning!
Tagging big Roosevelts and old mature Blacktails is still a big deal even among the locals.
Good luck it can be a blast and is real addictive

 

[OregonJim]

I have a few points for deer and elk in OR because I bought them when applying for sheep there. It's not very likely that I will draw (obviously). I am building points for mule deer/rocky mountain elk in other states. So my question is it worth it for some limited draw opportunities for Blacktails and Roosevelt Elk? I know most hunts are OTC for these but LE hunts seem to have much higher success rates and usually better dates.

$170 or so isn't a ton of money but I would feel better if I had a plan to actually hunt there someday, instead it feels more like throwing money at a lottery that will never pay off. I want to hunt both species someday. WA doesn't seem like a good option, and CA elk is impossible. So OR seems like the best option.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

I'm a lot newer to the state than UH and GH but I call it home now.
Unfortunately Oregon handicaps the nonresident folks much more than other states.
By the time you have the points and luck to get one of those real coveted tags you will have put a ton of $$$ and time toward it. I read a thread a while ago about ranking Blue Chip in one state vs another. When you rank that double point Blue Chipper in Oregon vs the same point value hunt in one of the other western states you might get disappointed.

Now if you are trying to complete some sort of "slam" and you need a big trophy Rosie or BT, then by all means chase the points.
I might just look at a good unit and cash those points in prior to any future point creep.
You could get into some good ML and Bow hunts without waiting another 8 years.

 

[The Deer]

I have hunted blacktails and Roosevelts my whole life I will give you some info in a PM but UH pretty much hit the nail on the head

 

[Alabama]

So abandon the points or apply and build for a future blacktail or Roosevelt elk hunt? I don't bowhunt so it's rifle or muzzleloader.

 

[Ricochet]

If you have already started building points then keep building points. But you do not have to wait to hunt blacktails or roosevelts. Most of the units are over the counter. I would put in for the best hunts and hunt over the counter to gain information. It appears that you are going to have to travel and spend a good amount of money to hunt Oregon. Leave your binoculars at home because your hunt is going to be in some serious brush. WET! Even if it is blue sky out you will get wet in the morning. During the elk season it is a zoo. People everywere. The key is to find areas to get away from people. Thats when scouting and getting a few seasons under your belt will help. There are units that are a little better but the more important thing is to get in the woods. Three years ago I hunt over by Tillamook for elk. We hunted a private area that is open for elk season. We checked in and got in there and hunted hard all morning. We get in the truck and move to a new area. When we get there we find a woman and 6 kids with 3 elk down. All branch antler bulls. It turns out there is a back entrance that you can walk in on and that is usually were all the elk get pushed. Its that type of information that is going to help you fill your tags and yours dreams of going to Oregon and getting that big Roosevelt ELK!! So go and do the over the counter hunt and don't worry about all the point stuff until you have alot of points. I do accumilate points but just for Rocky elk and Mule DEER.

My best friend in the Army is from Alabama. I have spent a lot of time in Alabama. I really like the people there. They don't say "Hi how are you!" they say "Did you see that game". Its all about football down there.

Good Luck this season.

 

[huntwhenican]

I never leave my binos at home, I've killed a lot of blacktails in thick timber at under 25 yards. With no binos I would have stepped on them before they moved. How else do you find a hole to shoot through when all you can see is one eye and ear and half of his rack.

 

[OregonJim]

I never leave my binos at home, I've killed a lot of blacktails in thick timber at under 25 yards. With no binos I would have stepped on them before they moved. How else do you find a hole to shoot through when all you can see is one eye and ear and half of his rack.

X2
I never take more than tree steps without glassing even in timber.

 

[tttoadman]

Blacktail bucks will crawl on their knees through a little hole in the brush and you never see em. I have gotten my share of mulies, but a big blacktail from "wet side" Oregon is a pretty good accomplishment that has eluded me. I believe I also need to practice more patience and take up glassing short range.

 

[Timberstalker]

I have killed a several good Blacktail's. I've always relied on my eyes when still hunting, my hands are always on the rifle with thumb on the safety. I will use bino's to glass clear cuts but never when still hunting timber, maybe I should try it someday.