Decided to get back into hunting..Never hunted in PNW

beavertonbuck · Jul 16, 2012

So in my teens and early twenties I did a decent amount of hunting but fell off due to the circumstances. All my hunting experience is in the Southeast and consisted mainly of hunting on my own property.I am looking to get back into hunting and wanted to get just a little info moving forward. I am probably going to start out with ducks & deer here on the west side. So far I have read all the regulations at the ODFW site and have a few questions.

Public land- it appears that most of the State Forest, BLM, & US Forest Service can be hunted unless it is posted; however, I just wanted to make sure that is accurate. I was looking last night at the Tillamook State Forest but when I clicked on the hunting link it just sent my over to the ODFW site which didn't specify anything about Tillamook. When on public land do you just find a place to park and walk in? If I wanted to scout the area prior to hunting would I be able to carry a rifle? How is the deer population on the public lands?

Gun- I have always hunted with a 30-30 which would be good for deer but unfortunately my 30-30 seems to have been appropriated by my step-father during a divorce so I am looking for a new gun. I would eventually like to get into elk so I am looking at getting a 30.06 which I believe would be sufficient for elk as well. Any thoughts on the 30.06 for both deer and elk?

Thanks for your help.

rmlarsen · Jul 17, 2012

The 30-06 would be more than adaquate for both deer and elk. Lots of bullet weights to choose from and easy ammo to find. Anothher thought would be a .270 Winchester. Again more than adaquate. You relly don't need a magnum to kill an elk. Hunt hard, get close and aim straight. Have fun!!!!!!!!!!!!

Silver Hand · Jul 18, 2012

I agree the 30-06 is a fine cartridge but Myself I chose a newer version of the same caliber, that is just over one hundred years old.
My choice was the .300 Winchester mag. It shoots the same bullets! Take into consideration faster bullet speeds of the same weight at longer range. less energy loss and flatter trajectory. Shoot further and hit harder. I have taken several nice bucks at over 400 yards using quality optics.

DieselScout · Jul 22, 2012

beavertonbuck said:
Public land- it appears that most of the State Forest, BLM, & US Forest Service can be hunted unless it is posted; however, I just wanted to make sure that is accurate. I was looking last night at the Tillamook State Forest but when I clicked on the hunting link it just sent my over to the ODFW site which didn't specify anything about Tillamook. When on public land do you just find a place to park and walk in? If I wanted to scout the area prior to hunting would I be able to carry a rifle? How is the deer population on the public lands?

Yes, public land can be hunted unless posted no hunting or there is some sort of exclusion, which would be mentioned in the regulations. You can scout the area prior to the hunt and you can carry a rifle. Oregon courts ruled that the ODFW cannot control when you legally carry a firearm. Just be aware that is you were carrying a rifle and it happen to be archery season, you may have to explain yourself to a game warder or other LEO and some how demonstrate that you are not hunting. I have two friends who in the past have scouted areas and while neither carried a rifle they both open carried pistols. And it wasn't done during any hunting season. Most public land is hunted during the general season by road, meaning many people just drive up and down the road looking for animals. A bit of scouting and going over maps can find those areas that are not accessible by road and it can be worth your effort to park and walk in. Also depending on the unit there can be private timberland intermixed with public land. If this occurs in the area you hunt it maybe worth your while to get permission from the timber company to hunt their land as well. Most of their property is gated and not many people will go through the hassle of getting permission, so it's great for getting away. Last year I hunted general season out of Corvallis and a buddy had done just that. We were able to hike a few miles into and through gated private timber property and find me a nice buck!

beavertonbuck said:
Gun- I have always hunted with a 30-30 which would be good for deer but unfortunately my 30-30 seems to have been appropriated by my step-father during a divorce so I am looking for a new gun. I would eventually like to get into elk so I am looking at getting a 30.06 which I believe would be sufficient for elk as well. Any thoughts on the 30.06 for both deer and elk?

As other have stated the .30-06 is a great choice for PNW hunting. It will take all the game species we've got in the state.

Good luck and have fun.

beavertonbuck · Jul 25, 2012

Thanks for the advice guys. Good to hear that hunting on public land isn't a waste of time. I don't to be stepping over other hunters while I am out there.

Sling Blade · Jul 29, 2012

beavertonbuck said:
Thanks for the advice guys. Good to hear that hunting on public land isn't a waste of time. I don't to be stepping over other hunters while I am out there.

If you get a mile off the road chances are you won't see too many people. If you are hunting on the west side be sure to have a good compass or two, good maps, and a GPS if you use one. Once you get off the road the forest all looks the same and it's pretty easy to get turned around. If you hunt by yourself let someone know where you are going - just common sense in case you run into an emergency.