How should I hunt this area?

brandon44 · Oct 2, 2013

Hey guys and gals,

I am a first year blacktail deer hunter, and was wanting to get some advice on how to hunt this area. I will be hunting with my dad and brother, both of whom have the same amount of experience as myself. The area we are hunting is in the coast range west of Salem. The open area has regrowth trees ~ 12 feet tall and the tress covering the northern part of this area are ~ 20-25 feet tall and thick! As you can see, the area slopes up from right to left and gains around 500 feet in elevation.

Would you sit in the clear cut and wait for something to come out, or go into the thick cover and try to run something out? I am not looking for a trophy or anything, just wanting to get experience and some meat for the freezer!

Thanks!

2506 · Oct 2, 2013

You're best bet my be a Ritz cracker and a ball-peen hammer.

rick benjamin · Oct 2, 2013

Brandon;
Good map, good recon.
Stay off tops of ridges. Pay attn where the breeze may take your scent.
They will vanish when they see/hear/smell you.
Start 1 hour before dawn, be in position to watch and shoot at the bed area.
Be quiet, feel for the breeze in your face.
After it gets into daylight, walk the 900' treeline slowly, stop often.
Walk game trails slowly during the day, stop often to gaze for movement, etc.
Late afternoon go back to bed area till last light.

Carry map, compass pencil, small shovel.
Note where you see signifigent browse, poop and tracks
Don't poop n pee near deer trail if you can help it.
Bury your poop n pee, smell carries.

Damage control hunt Wolf Creek (state forest) once. Much like your area, closer to Eugene.
Rained all the time (Note: Wool will keep you warmer even when soaked, keep moving).
Rolled into campground late afternoon, set-up tent.
Went over to talk with other hunters. They hadn't seen any sign all week.
Next morning about 9am, qtr mile from camp, walked a game trail along edge of clear-cut.
Stopped often to wipe rain water from my face, feel sorry for myself.
Heard "munch, munch, munch". To my right, not 20 feet away, a forked blacktail, mouth full of leaves.
Aim, safety off, squeeze, boom. Cleaned him out, put on my orange poncho.
Carried him over my shoulders back to camp by 11am.
Other campers saw my deer, beat-feet for their guns and the trails.
A one-morning hunt. Took longer to drive home.

Tomas204 · Oct 6, 2013

Find the game trails check for sign, I noticed they tent to move in the afternoon they are not like white tails where they go the same way every day :s0114: