Need upland birds/game advice

[Encinoman80]

Anyone willing to share with me some good spots for upland birds/game hunting?
I live in Salem, looking for some guidance.
I've only ever been turkey hunting down around the Rogue river area near Medford and Roseburg.
Anything up north, closer to Salem maybe?

You don't need to give me your secret sweet spot, but point me in a general direction maybe.

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[Andy54Hawken]

Don't know of any areas down there ... Just know that I have always had good luck wandering older , somewhat overgrown logging roads.
Any access to places like that where you live?
Andy

 

[bbbass]

Grouse are pretty much everywhere in the various forests. I'm wondering if you have quail too as they seem to be ubiquitous. Maybe pheasant?

Otherwise, I think your best bet is to travel. Eastern Oregon is a real gem for upland game, chukar, pheasant, quail, hungarian partridge, grouse, etc. You can hunt ducks/geese in the morning/evening and upland game the rest of the day.

 

[11Charlie]

I know a couple good spots in Kansas on my Uncles wheat farm.

 

[Encinoman80]

Andy, there are a couple good old forests around Scotts Mills, or further west from there, I might check them out.
Bass, I've got a friend in southern Oregon who has done quail, I would love to do pheasant, I'll have to ask around the sporting goods store and get some tips on where to look.

 

[Slobray]

Ages ago, I used to do a lot of hunting (deer, quail, grouse, boomers, etc) in the Silverton Hills area, around Drake Crossing. We would just drive the logging roads until we found a place we would like to try. I'm not sure you can still get into those areas (I haven't been back there in many years), but you can always check it out.


Ray

 

[jrd541280]

I know where some chukars are in s.e. wa. but I don't hunt them any more. I've grown smarter than that. They will hurt you

 

[jp1985]

You got a dog or just looking to walk it?

Depends which upland bird you are looking for.

E.E. Wilson has great pheasants, but if you go there I would recommend going to the fee hunts. If you wait until it's free then most of Them are gone.

It is also a good place to go if you have no dog.

Eastern Oregon is great for upland birds as well. I am counting the days until upland birds open again.

Have an English Setter who is a master bird dog certified.

Just took him on a private land hunt a few days ago to keep him in shape.

Made a meme of him when he got a pheasant at E.E Wilson last year.

 

[thorborg]

I've seen turkeys in the N.E. Sweethome area and have been told (fairly reliably) they may do the turkey trot in the Hood River & The Dalles area. For the smaller others, and better tasting, it is hard to get a good meal worth in any one spot, on public land any more. Between the overabundance of egg suckers, raptors, and people, general populations have reduced considerably in my lifetime.

 

[CountryGent]

Easter Oregon is a real gem for upland game, chukar, pheasant, quail, hungarian partridge, grouse, etc.

^ Indeed. Though it is likely too far away from Salem for OP, Gilliam County has some great spots.

 

[CoastRange57]

There is some great turkey hunting on any of the oak savanna type lands on the lee side (east) of the Coast Range from about Yamhill south. West of McMinnville there are a ton of turkeys, but it is almost private land and you need to know somebody to access it. I ran into some flocks west of Carlton in the Panther Creek a couple months ago. If it was turkeys I was after I would head to the Southern Oregon areas, Roseburg / Grants Pass areas.

Upland bird hunting without a dog is a futile effort. Once I started hunting with my Brittanys, my success went way up.

Upland birds are best found in Eastern Oregon and probably going to a farm that has fee hunting is the best way. I am going to book a hunt there next year after I get my new knee. Chukar hunting is for people who desire to have their body punished beyond belief. Sadly there used to be a lot of upland bird hunting in the Tualatin Valley area, but with the growth changes is farming and growth patterns and predator depredation it is all gone. The fing coyotes and crows get all the nests, I have seen nor heard a pheasant crow in 3 years and there is nothing but 400 acres of farm and some wild areas behind me. I found a duck nest that had been crow raided this spring had 13 eggs the fing crows got.

We have a fair amount of quail, but not a population worth hunting. I really miss hunting over my Brittany spaniels over the years, we put a lot of miles and birds in the pouch 15-20 years ago.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

EE wilson gets stocked with phaesent throughout the season. ive hosed 4 or 5 everytime ive gone there.

 

[Encinoman80]

No dog, just hoofing it
I live in a small apartment, and wouldn't dare do that to a good hunting dog

I like the sounds of Gilliam county if I'm up for a road trip, might check west of McMinnville
Never heard of E.E. Wilson, I will have to look it up>
I had to learn a lot on my own, my dad was a pos and never taught me anything useful, and then died in prison
I want to take my son soon, he just turned 9, I wanna teach him some good habits

 

[jp1985]

Since hes 9. You guys could do a mentored youth hunt with him and get some preferences.

ODFW Mentored Youth

I might be willing to use my dog during mentored hunt days at E.E Wilson to help youth. Let me know if you'd be interested. You would just have to read and follow the youth hunt regs.

 

[DeanMk]

I know a couple good spots in Kansas on my Uncles wheat farm.

My dad knew a guy who had vizsla's back when we lived in Salina.
We moved away when I was very very young, but he always threatened to take me back.
Apparently there were some good fields close by that offered up a lot of Pheasant.


Dean

 

[11Charlie]

My dad knew a guy who had vizsla's back when we lived in Salina.
We moved away when I was very very young, but he always threatened to take me back.
Apparently there were some good fields close by that offered up a lot of Pheasant.


Dean

Crazy we used to go to Salina for dinner. There is this fried chicken house OMG best dang chicken you ever had.

If you have the opportunity go the pheasant hunting is amazing. If you time it right some years closing of pheasant is the opening of deer. Walk around the fields with your shotgun loaded buckshot, buckshot, slug you might get lucky and get one of each. I've had some great times hunting with my cousins.

 

[Encinoman80]

Since hes 9. You guys could do a mentored youth hunt with him and get some preferences.

ODFW Mentored Youth

I might be willing to use my dog during mentored hunt days at E.E Wilson to help youth. Let me know if you'd be interested. You would just have to read and follow the youth hunt regs.

I will definitely check it out, thanks JP

 

[DeanMk]

Crazy we used to go to Salina for dinner. There is this fried chicken house OMG best dang chicken you ever had.

If you have the opportunity go the pheasant hunting is amazing. If you time it right some years closing of pheasant is the opening of deer. Walk around the fields with your shotgun loaded buckshot, buckshot, slug you might get lucky and get one of each. I've had some great times hunting with my cousins.

Well, it was the mid 60's when we lived there.
Do you remember Schilling AFB? That's where Dad was stationed. They were closing it down at the time.
Anyway, we lived pretty close to the base. I believe its an airport now.
I'll ask Mom if she remembers a really tasty fried chicken restaurant.
As for bird hunting, I understand the season is very long in that part of the country.
I'm sure the guy with the dogs, Mr. Passman, has been gone a long time now (my dad passed away in '94 and he always spoke about the guy as if he were much older than Dad), but one day, I would like to go back and do some huntin'.
Thanks for the reminder.


Dean