JavaScript is disabled
Our website requires JavaScript to function properly. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser settings before proceeding.
Messages
674
Reactions
1,297
I relocated to Oregon last January, having spent most of my life in WV and VA. I live just west of Eugene, near Veneta. I hunted whitetail and spent a lot of time in the woods back east. I am trying to get more acquainted with elk and blacktail for this year's seasons. I've come to realize that little I know translates to these species (not that I expected it to).

I will hunt predominantly in the Siuslaw Unit, #20. I'm limiting myself to rifle only this year, and will be using a .308 and/or .25-06. I expect to hunt mostly forested areas, so I don't anticipate any shots beyond 100 yards, likely 50 or less. I would be comfortable out to 150 to 200 yards if a good shot presented itself. I've read the ODFW game regs last year and this year. I've read one book on blacktail, and have done a fair amount of reading of online articles about blacktail and elk (and the threads on here). I've been out in the woods twice this week to do some scouting and get in better shape for the season. I found a good area with sign of both species, and I intend to monitor it going forward while I look for and monitor other areas. I intend to spend 1-2 days a week for the next few months in the woods scouting and such, and will increase it if possible in the last couple months before the seasons open. I'm not afraid to do the legwork, and don't want someone to tie a bull up and lead me to it, but I was wondering if anyone has any tips on getting started, like tricks and tips you wish you had known earlier, things you wish more hunters knew or did, etc.

Thanks in advance.
 
Last Edited:
I have not hunted in the areas that you mentioned...
But some general guidelines:
Be prepared to walk
Have boots or shoes that you can walk for miles in and are somewhat "waterproof"
( I like Arrow Moccasins , hence the somewhat "waterproof" )
It will be wet and or rainy...get used to the idea of hunting in the rain
Get comfortable with carrying your rifle in the rain , over rough terrain , in poor light , and shooting quickly

All that said above , You probably already know...it might just be best for me to , wish you the best of luck for next season....
Andy
 
Practice off hand snap shooting with your hunting rifle. Blacktails especially do not give you much more than a few seconds to decide to take a shot or not. When startled they will bound off a few bounces then go into sneak mode sometimes even crawling low to avoid being detected. They are quite sneaky!

With elk hunting, you are either in them or not. Once in them your chances are good, finding them is the hard part, then getting them out/back to camp or truck is even harder. Good boots like Andy said, patience, practice and lots of luck.
 
Thanks for the input, all. I have a pair of Danner something or others that are made with Kevlar to be light and tough. I'm close to having them broken in, but have a little ways to go. I hiked about 5 miles in them the other day and was glad the hike wasn't much longer, as I could feel a warm spot on each foot that would have turned into a blister without too much more distance. I think I need a thicker sock and a different lacing pattern. My old go to boots were a pair of Keen Briggs boots, and they fit like a glove, but have lost their waterproofing. I hiked in them the second day out this week and my feet were wet within an hour. Keen doesn't make them anymore, but I have a pair I ordered on eBay on the way. But I don't think I want to be a few miles out with a pair of eBay boots on. I think a nice pair of thick wool socks and a few more hikes will have the Danners ready. I will obviously continue to wear them on future excursions.

I have popped a couple whitetails with quick shots. In ways, I almost prefer them because I don't have time to overthink it. But that is a skill I should practice more often, and will do so.

I have made a point to get out in the woods when it's foggy/rainy/drizzly and will continue to do that as well. I also figured I would start packing the rifle I plan to use most (the .25-06) to get used to humping many miles with it, make sure the sling is right, scoping/ranging, etc. As I get in better shape, I will add a heavier pack as well.

A few follow up questions...

Anyone have a field-tested recommendation for a fog preventative for scopes and binos? My binos are Nikon Prostaff 7's. Not great, but not junk. They fogged up on me the other day, but I also had them zipped up under a hoodie. But I don't want to have that ruin a hunt.

Once I start packing the rifle, should I leave it empty? I'm not clear on the laws regarding packing a loaded rifle when there isn't a season in, especially if I'm playing with calls and such. I don't expect to run into any authorities in the places I go, but one never knows, and I don't want any problems there.

Have any of you had any luck using Google Maps and similar for online scouting?
 
I carry my rifle a lot during the off season while doing "getting in hunting shape hikes" and just plinking with it...
( while in a spot with a safe backstop )
Granted this is in Washington....
I hope you can do the same in Oregon...'cause hiking with your rifle and gear is a excellent way to get in shape , practice hunting skills and give your gear a good shakedown...
Andy
 
Get used to being wet, Practice 10 sec shot opportunities, Get used to jerks and guns being pointed, And lastly learn patience..your a whitetail hunter..youll see what i mean after hunting blacktails lol
 
blacktail advice... dont move!! wait for him to walk infront of you. invest in a good pair of binoculars. they are one of, if not, the hardest buck deer to hunt. its a good idea to set up game cams on the edges of clear cuts with good vegetation. learn their habits. be persistant.

roosevelt elk are pretty nomadic in the area you are in. rifle hunting that area is tough unless you know someone one with a resident herd on their land willing to let you hunt.

ive had most success bow hunting the coast range for elk. can catch them in the rut.

find a map of an area you want to hunt. find the spot in that area furthest from roads. thats where the elk are... in the thick nasty.
 
For practice, I recommend a treadmill on a 45 degree angle. Get your boots on, and rifle on your shoulder. A backpack filled with 50 lbs of rocks is also necessary. Once outfitted with all your hunting gear, start the treadmill and climb on. Get the whole family involved to help with your conditioning. Periodically, have the wife pour a bucket of ice water over you and down the inside of your jacket..wives seem to be very helpful and get enthusiastic about this duty. As the wife douses you with the water, have the kids on either side of the treadmill slap you in the face with wet branches and leaves. Continue this for 30 minutes and then jump off the treadmill and attempt to hit the family cat chasing a toy with a cork gun.... If muzzle loader hunting be sure to have someone sabatoge the cork gun so it doesn't fire half the time. Do this daily for a month and you will ready for hunting season...or watching football on television instead.:p:rolleyes:
 
Hire a guide, or at least look into it.
Expect to come home empty handed for at least the next decade.
It helps a lot if you can afford to stay in a blind for the entire season.

I don't actually hunt, but I know enough to know i'd rather just go fishing and target shooting. I also think you could buy a cow and have it butchered for less, haven't done the math on that tho.
 
Have a couple pairs of boots, if a pair gets wet you can switch to the other. Cameras can give you a decent idea of what is in the area, but blacktail won't pattern (in my experience), and tend to change their habits throughout the season. You can bait deer and elk in Oregon, but keep in mind other people can hunt your bait too. If you are looking for deer on timber company land, have a backup plan as fire danger can close that land.
 
Rule #1: never take hunting advice from a guy that doesn't hunt.
#2: have your rifle sighted in ahead of time
#3: if going to be camped somewhere, bring a spare rifle. If day hunting you may have to decide to leave a spare in a lockbox in the truck.
#4: Find em
#5: Shoot em

:D:D:D
 
A tip I always like to give people, is when you get that deer lined up just like you want it, just ease off the brake pedal and mash that gas! :D oh and dont forget the Q-Beam ;)
 
Good advice so far, especially the ice water/corkgun workout... I'd only add someone to constantly humiliate and demoralize you.

Hunted the Siuslaw from time I was a kid until my late 20s, been all over still haven't seen but a fraction of the land there as most of it is covered with some of the worst imaginable brush and of the steep up and down variety.

There are a few reliable 'main' elk herds, 80-100+ head otherwise just small groups cows/calves or single bulls broken off those herds. Nelson Mt, Deadwood, Indian Creek every 20 miles down the river will put you into a new herd.

Keep in mind it's nothing for them to just leave the county on a moments notice. They may be 'in the area' but that could be a matter of sq miles some of which is just all but inaccessible to hunters. Some of their favorite holes are so bad if you did shoot one you may as well just build a cabin there and wait for the state to build a hwy through.

So, by the time rifle season rolls around the the bow hunters have got them purdy jumpy and are likely broken into small groups and not following any preseason patterns. Your spot may not have critters in it the day of, so have backup locations.

I have shot plenty of blacktail, though the wife has killed more (notice I didn't say shot... think beep, beep not boom, boom) but never more than once with the same method. I would say being outside would increase your odds of seeing blacktail but that hasn't necessarily always been my experience.

25-06 is a fine choice, practice being able to quickly id and make a well placed shot. Visibility is low and you will have face to snout encounters.

As for the optics question, I never came up with a good solution beyond what has been mentioned above. I did however switch to a lever carbine with open sights for deer. Fast sight acquisition, short, easy to carry in hand and not get too caught up in the vine maple.

Happy hunting and good luck on your controlled hunt drawing when you come to your senses. :rolleyes:
 
I used to throw rocks at the coastal blacktails eating my plants in the yard @ Brookings. They wouldn't leave. Maybe I shoulda eaten them but they'd hardly make a meal. LOL :p:D:D
 
2DaMtns - I feel ya. I've been hunting deer and hogs in the east for decades and I come here and I feel like I am starting from scratch. I like chasing deer and elk but it's a whole new deal. Don't go cheap on boots and rain gear. I used a .280 Browning last fall to nail my first blacktail so I'm slowly figuring things out. Take note of bbbass' advice: bring a spare rifle, shoot so it's second nature.
 
Hey I grew up hunting blacktails and lived near veneta. If you like the challenge of hunting more than eating deer meat then you will love blacktail hunting! Frustrating and p** u off but that what keeps the challenge going! They are in all sorts of habitats but the coastal area is the most frustrating to hunt in for reasons mentioned.

They didnt have google earth back in my days but that would have made such a huge diff. Find those year old clearcuts and grab your 25-06!!

After blacktail brush hunting for a while you will crave for eastern oregon. Thats guaranteed! But deer hunting sucks in e oregon anymore unless you pack in or win the lottery so go shoot coyotes and rock chucks if you get the urge.

There are alot of hunters in the south Willamette valley but there is alot of public land within a hour or two drive to hunt so thats the good part.

ps: check out the keen targhee exp. Prob one of the best selling oregon boots and for good reason.
 

Upcoming Events

Tillamook Gun & Knife Show
Tillamook, OR
"The Original" Kalispell Gun Show
Kalispell, MT
Teen Rifle 1 Class
Springfield, OR
Kids Firearm Safety 2 Class
Springfield, OR

New Resource Reviews

New Classified Ads

Back Top