Mt Emily 154C
- Thread starter pfieber
- Start date
Congrats on drawing a rare Oregon MD rifle rut hunt. I've hunted the unit a bunch, in a small area, for cows. I do know there are locals on the south end of that unit who do watch some very nice deer, pretty sure there are a few good ones scattered about as well. Suspect all you need to do is find concentrations of does and watch them.
No idea about your MD hunting history or goals, but unless its your stomping grounds, you have local help, a guide, or another in, I'd pop anything to or past it's ears with decent height day one. If you can hunt more than 4-5 or so days, then I'd be a bit more picky, but absent an advantage, not too picky. There are some very good Whitetails in the unit too. I'd give the bio for the area a shout
No idea about your MD hunting history or goals, but unless its your stomping grounds, you have local help, a guide, or another in, I'd pop anything to or past it's ears with decent height day one. If you can hunt more than 4-5 or so days, then I'd be a bit more picky, but absent an advantage, not too picky. There are some very good Whitetails in the unit too. I'd give the bio for the area a shout
Tim
I have never hunted the area before, but talked with several locals in the last two weeks who have done a lot of elk hunting in this area and they say a 160-170 buck is the best in the unit. Was hoping for more after 17 years, but have to do the beat I can. Do you have any idea how I could contact any local landowners in this unit?
Paul
Pretty sure there are some better than that, but probably not a bunch of them, ergo my earlier remarks. They'll be tough to find absent blind luck or some advantage, in my view anyway. It's better elk country than deer country I believe. If I saw a 160 or better there, bang, unless I'd had a solid line on better bucks. In the last 5 or so seasons, I do know of a couple 190 class bucks guys watched. But to stumble onto one going in cold would be very unlikely.
I'd call the local ODFW field office, find the biologist, they will probably know most landowners with habitat as most work with them for landowner tags. You might check with Steve West. http://www.steveshunts.com/ Steve is an outfitter, but may know of a landowner or two you could talk to because he lives in the area. You could also check into the reservation there, not sure they allow hunting, but worth checking out.
I also have one of the 10 tags for this hunt and spent 17 points to get it. I am also going in blind. I am going to get in touch with the biologist for this area. I don't live near the unit, so I will try to accumulate as much knowledge as possible from the internet, maps and phone conversations because I can't travel that far to scout on the ground. I will post anything useful I learn up on this forum. I don't spend as much time mule deer hunting as I do elk, so time for homework!!
Matt
Matt
Currently I have left the unit after hunting steady for the first 5 days. I ran in to a decent 4pt opening day and if hindsight was 20-20 I would shoot him. I have seen small deer most days, but not why I spent the points. I am going to go back tomorrow and basically meat hunt for a day or two. Very limited access to lower country where more deer are likely to be this time of year. Unless you have access to private land or go with a guide, slim odds of encountering a nice buck, as most of what is public access is very high up or near vertical up and down.