1ST Antelope Hunt , Ochoco Unit

[kubota]

I am all amped up just after reading this thread! Holy Buckets! Good Luck and send pics of the harvest and area! You should have life time memories when it is all said and done.

 

[drew]

Postscript: In your conversations with ODFW, I'd play your ace card heavily: that of this being an early hunting experience for your son. Want to show him a good return for his efforts, you'd be more proud that he was allowed at least one good stalk than any interest for yourself, hate to discourage the boy, etc. Your residency (away from Portland) should also be mentioned to any contacts (especially locals). Even a reluctant ODFW employee might give you better treatment than "Billy Bob and Joe Six-Pack from Portland" seeking the same information.

Good advice.

 

[Savage 223]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Still CAN"T WAIT for the hunt, I check off each day. Hope to make one more scouting trip before the hunt starts in about 3 weeks. I plan on setting camp a week before the hunt just to scout. Trouble is the Tuna are starting to show up off the coast, ocean willing, will have to be racing over there on a days notice for a few days. I also understand there is going to be one more Halibut opening on Friday, August 5th, could be a great chance for a combo trip. I'll keep you guys posted for sure about the hunt, all the details and hopefully some pics. Thanks for all your help and encouragement.

 

[smaples]

Just curious if you had a chance to get back up scounting again? Did you get a chance to talk to any other Biologists up there etc? Wondering/hoping you are seeing some more Lopes up there....good luck!

 

[Savage 223]

No I haven't made a return trip back. I have tried repeatedly to get a hold of the biologists, both USFS and BLM. Both seem to be as rare an the speed goats these days. My son did get an explanation that made more since than I got from any Gov. agency. At least I hope. A friend of his that did hunt the goats, also a dedicated hunter, a couple years ago in the Ochocos Unit. He scouted most if the area as we did about a month ahead before hjs hunt. His experence was much the same as ours, sighting 2 Does in 3 days. His theory was that the young are born in the scab flats, then the goats move to the thick timber till the young gain some endurance. He said when he returned for the hunt a month later the goats were back out in their usual stomping grounds at least around the area west of Dayville and Mitchell. I hope to head up there next Monday, 5 days before the hunt to do some final scouting. When I get back I'll post my details. Thanks all for the feedback and encouragement. I'll keep checking this site till I leave.

 

[goat hunter]

I also drew an Ochoco antelope tag. I have hunted many years with my husband and have taken quite a few bucks and bull elk. That being said, I/We have never hunted for antelope. We have been scouting the Ochoco's for the last few weekends and have only seen antelope in the Big Summit flats. All private!

Thank you, I have really enjoyed all the tips and tricks posted on here, I hope to at least see a buck (on public) by the end of my season. If there are anymore tips, I would gladly take them!

Good Luck to all the hunters this year.

 

[smaples]

Thank you for the information. I have been up there from time to time and have been contemplating putting in for this hunt. I have a good amount of preference points built up etc. I have not been up there this year and everything I am reading doesn't seem too good. It doesn't sound like you have seen much driving around? I would like to think that with the preference points it takes to get this hunt that there would be a lot of bucks around. Good luck!

 

[goat hunter]

it took me 12 points and we did a lot of walking and glassing through out the whole unit. Saw a doe with 2 fawns, after 6 days of scouting. Not that great, but we will still have a good time trying!

 

[motoman98]

I have not seen 'dem goats in the earlier part of the year when we've camped up there, and we've been deer hunting the Ochocos for 30plus yrs. Do not know why, but come deer season they do populate that Big summit prarie and the open woods around it. Can't remember not seeiing them; and last year was no exception. Fairly large groups too.

 

[Savage 223]

JUST GOT BACK FROM THE HUNT. In short we filled 1 out of 2 tags. My son got a nice 4 year old buck on the 2nd day. A State Trooper that logged the the goat in that afternoon said of all the hunters he checked it was only the 2nd goat he checked. Now for the long version and a POLITICAL OBSERVATION at the end. My son had scouted the area 2 weeks before and I arrived 6 days before the hunt to scout. I started a Big Summit Prairie and went over as far as Rager Ranger Station area. I DID see goats each day and a couple were nice bucks, before the hunt. The area we decided to concentrate on was Big Summit to Little Summit Prairie, North and South of each. It was a great hunt even before it started. My son had brought my grandson for the hunt. It was my grandsons first prolonged hunt and he did get to see his dad shoot the goat and help pack it out. This was a 3 generation hunt, just my first for being the GRANDPA. I pasted on a small buck 2 hrs. into opening morning, at about 75 yds. the goat never knew I was there or he was in my sites. The only other chance I had came 5 days in the hunt when I came over the top of a scab and spotted a nice buck at about 200 yds. on another hill. Having about to stand on my tiptoes I shot just over his shoulder judging by the cloud of dust and he was gone like yesterday. I would hike into areas of closed roads at day break and hunt, peck and glass thru each scab that was surrounded by a timber perimeter before going into another scabflat hiking several miles each day before returning to camp about 3 PM. After a break we would wheelchair hunt to large grassy areas where we could do some long range glassing. After 8 days, ice was running thin, fuel was low, 2 flat tires on my Toyota 4x4 and my sons jeeps tranny acting up so we called the hunt. It was a very rememberable hunt. Now to a POLITICAL OBSERVATION. This is the first time we have hunted the Ochocos. I was surprised at how much of the National Forest was fenced and cross fenced for cattle. In the middle of Natioal Forest is square miles of private cattle ranches owned by Les Swabb Ranch and a few others, all on prime habitat. The USFS is about enforce a TMA, Travel Management Area on the Ochoco Nation forest, probably before rifle deer season. This will close most ALL 3 digit roads YEAR ROUND. I personely perfer to hunt road closed areas, But I do cut firewood and like to travel off main forest service roads. The USFS says they are doing this to stop erosion of the roads and protect wildlife habitat. Almost always the word Quads comes up as destroying the roads and habitat. OF COURSE the USFS and the cattle ranchers would still be able to drive their trucks and QUADS on these closed to the public roads. In the 10's of miles I hiked I saw 2 quads with eldely people driving on the main roads. What else I did see was cattle EVERYWHERE. Every stream, creek and tributary cattle were walking unabated. One main creek in the area was DEEP CREEK. It was a merky mess and should be gin clear. Fish and Wildlife have set up strict fishing regs on these creeks to protect the fish. Great! They have done nothing to stop 100's cattle from trampling the streams, creeks and spawning beds as well as the road banks. I hiked into several remote resevoirs and every one of them was a polluted cattle cesspool. Thanks to all the replies on this post it was a great hunt.

 

[Spitpatch]

Brace yourself, because you're getting another big slap on the back for effort nearly unheard of, and your willingness to share what you learned. I also am extremely awed that you placed the hunt itself above game in the bag toward what true success really is. You had success that can never be realized by those who are disappointed if they didn't "get something". Having said that, 50% tag fill is kick-butt ratio for a hunt in an unfamiliar area on unfamiliar game, especially with the obstacles you encountered.

Road closures are a touchy subject, but I view them much as you do: realizing the necessity, enjoying the absence of vehicles, and yet feeling hampered somewhat. I found myself in the position once of politely informing a neighboring camp master that his people were violating a road closure regularly out of his camp, and then later when he decided my friendly message was not of value, I was compelled to report each instance in detail to the authorities. Abhoring tattletales and rats, I became one after trying the friendly route first. As a kid, my uncle and I hunted a road closure area, and were working on an elk herd, selected a good stand to await their approach, only to hear the whine of a trail bike. The rider pushed it as far as he could, parked it, and continued on foot. We heard the elk crash out shortly thereafter, ruining our opportunity. Uncle Lester lowered the old original '03 Springfield down on the bike and a 180grain Corelokt arrived in the crankcase, tipping over the bike. "Walk out, like us, you S.O.B.", Lester muttered. He figured the friendly approach was not applicable here.

 

[Spitpatch]

Postscript:

If it makes you feel any better, you can hang your miss on me. I neglected to include in my original lengthy advice one of the most important items from my experience: In seeing literally hundreds of antelope shot (and shot at), I have rarely EVER seen anybody shoot under them. Misses attributable to unknown range (contrary to what one might think) are nearly exclusively high. I think this can be assigned to the terrain that Pronghorns normally inhabit (perhaps not in the Ochocos), and the wide open spaces making the animal seem farther than it really is. Secondly, they are smaller than most deer, and so seem farther according to their perceived stature at long range. Additionally, I think some of it can be attributed to their coloring. The varigated patterns on them (at least in my theory) might contribute to an optical illusion. This characteristic was put to use on battleships and other wartime craft during WWII, painting them in geometric patterns that would confuse the viewer (some actually made the ship appear shorter or smaller, or actually crumpled like a sheet of tinfoil). Likewise, biologists have speculated that the stripes on a Zebra not only camoflage them in tall vertical grass, but serve to confuse a lion or other predator during the close pursuit.

And, if it makes you feel any better, you DID have 100% success where shooting opportunity is concerned. But it can never compare to the shared experiences and memories held from a hunt involving three generations.

 

[smaples]

Thanks for the info. I actually ended up hooking up with a buddy that got drawn for this hunt. I wanted to go and see if it was a hunt worth using my preference points. To be completely honest, I was extremely disappointed. We did get our buck on the 3rd day, but the population of antelope is very low. My thoughts is that if you are going to use 12-15 years of preference points, this should be a hunt that you see a good handfull of bucks and you should have a good chance to spot and stalk various bucks. We spent quite a bit of time up in the hills and the numbers were just not there. Because there were so many people around Big Summit and little Summit Prairies, we desided to go over to Rager and Hardscrabble. A couple other people did get bucks in this area too, but they were almost all shot from the road and the horns were disappointing. My hopes was to hike the majority of the day, spot and stalk etc, but with the low numbers of Antelope, it is difficult to find herds. I think the unit should cut back on tags and try to get the numbers back up. Again, not trying to sound too negative, it is BEAUTIFUL country and I had a great time, but there is no way I would use my points in this unit.

 

[Savage 223]

I understand what your saying, it took us 13 years. Not sure I'll live to see another one in my lifetime.I was told by a biologist in the area, typically an 85% success rate. Much like you, even though we scout for days and weeks before the hunt I did expect to see more nice bucks and be able to do several spot and stalk hunts. As far as other hunters, I only ran into one other hunter in the roadless areas and the miles I hiked in the 8 days I hunted. For me it was a sucessful, even though I didn't fill my tag. Nice you were able to go with a buddy that got drawn and see it for yourself.

 

[goat hunter]

After my first time ever hunting Antelope, I was able to stalk in on a nice 13 inch buck on the next to last day. We did a lot of walking and glassing to only see a few here and there. The buck I took was the biggest we saw all season. One thing I did notice was all the road hunters. We decided to get as far off any roads and take off walking, and that is where we did see the most animals. Jumped a really nice 6x6 bull Elk Friday morning from his bed. Overall I enjoyed the hunt but was disappointed in the number of Antelope in the unit.

 

[smaples]

Agreed. Way too many road hunters, but unless you scouted out, with the ver low numbers of Antelope per sq./mi, it was very easy to walk a long distance and never see an anteleope. I spent a lot of time a couple miles southeast of Big Summitt Prairie, but most time out Hardscrabble. I am glad you were able to get one by getting out and walking, that is the best. Again, a great hunt, just very disappointed in the unit/amount of preference points it took. I also saw three herds of elk. Once large with about 100 elk, a small bunch of 2 and a small bunch of 3. I saw a couple nice bulls along the way and managed to get some pretty good film footage. I also saw on average 20 mule deer each day. I saw three nice bucks, one I figure was about 26" or so. Again, good film footage of those.

 

[Savage 223]

Goat Hunter, Congrats. Hope yours tasted as good as my sons. Maybe we'll meet you guys HIKING in the woods someday.

 

[goat hunter]

some of the best meat I have ever ate, it's mild and with a slightly sweet taste! Glad to hear of your sons success and hope to run into you and your family hiking!