Fairly new to Oregon and brand new to hunting

[2506]

It took me about 2-3 years to get the ice broken with most hunters. It kind of like showing your favorite fishing spot or whatnot.

I can tell you the more you learn and know the more the experienced hunters are willing to help you.


Also, don't let learning distract you from doing. The west side can and will kill you if you are not properly trained how to survive wet cold climates for days at a time should you get lost or hurt. Take some survival classes and then practice them (including first aid depending on your background).


Finding a hunting partner worth a penny that lines up with your morals and schedule is like finding gold in a dung pile, so if you find one your very lucky and should try to hang on to that relationship.


Only hunted 3 years but this one doesn't really count yet with the knee surgery.

Heck, the east side can kill you just the same. Was up in the Imnaha in June and got snowed on.

 

[Baseacegoku]

Heck, the east side can kill you just the same. Was up in the Imnaha in June and got snowed on.

My experience is that nature in general can/will kill you if you get careless.

 

[74bronco]

Thank you for the leads. It gives me a nice starting point for scouting before next season.

<removed dead link>

 

[74bronco]

Hmmm link not working . search osu dunn forest hunting

 

[Baseacegoku]

Hmmm link not working . search osu dunn forest hunting

Good info. Although it looks like a draw hunt. Which isnt a big deal.

 

[74bronco]

Good info. Although it looks like a draw hunt. Which isnt a big deal.

I'll be honest with you , I didnt catch what state you were in prior but hunting big game on this west side of Oregon can be brutal, very dense cover, limited access, and in my opinion blacktail deer populations are significantly down from the 70's 80's and 90's , the deer in this area were hit hard by a hair loss disease in the mid 90's and ODFW really screwed up by also prohibiting hunting of cougar with dogs in early 2000's just as the deer population was starting to recover. ODFW speaks in circles about the decline saying hard to get accurate counts etc and will never admit there timing of that move has had a major impact on population of blacktail, in early 90's right were i live you could drive back to the ag fields anytime of day and spot several deer , I've lived there since 2004 , lucky to see 1 deer every other year now. bright side though is elk populations in the area are more or less stable. a friend bow hunts, in the 90's he would be lucky to see a cougar any given season, this year he went out and in 4 hunts seen 6 cats. statistics say a mature cougar requires a deer a week , the deer in this area have a pretty rough challenge. not saying there is no chance to bag a deer , just expect it to be a challenge anywhere within a hour drive of Albany .

 

[Baseacegoku]

I'll be honest with you , I didnt catch what state you were in prior but hunting big game on this west side of Oregon can be brutal, very dense cover, limited access, and in my opinion blacktail deer populations are significantly down from the 70's 80's and 90's , the deer in this area were hit hard by a hair loss disease in the mid 90's and ODFW really screwed up by also prohibiting hunting of cougar with dogs in early 2000's just as the deer population was starting to recover. ODFW speaks in circles about the decline saying hard to get accurate counts etc and will never admit there timing of that move has had a major impact on population of blacktail, in early 90's right were i live you could drive back to the ag fields anytime of day and spot several deer , I've lived there since 2004 , lucky to see 1 deer every other year now. bright side though is elk populations in the area are more or less stable. a friend bow hunts, in the 90's he would be lucky to see a cougar any given season, this year he went out and in 4 hunts seen 6 cats. statistics say a mature cougar requires a deer a week , the deer in this area have a pretty rough challenge. not saying there is no chance to bag a deer , just expect it to be a challenge anywhere within a hour drive of Albany .

I am originally from Southern California where deer hunting was almost non-existent and elk hunting is not even an option unless you go up to the Sierra Nevada's. This is why I have no experience with big game hunting. The only hunter in my local family was an uncle who did upland game bird but even that required a 2+ hour drive.

So I am willing to do whatever is necessary to learn this way of life. I want to hunt big game.