Western oregon tag hunt suggestions

[Aaron Todd]

So I have a western oregon tag and I was scouting around a area I panned on hunting this season and I saw alot less sign than I was hoping for... so, let me start out by saying that I am not asking for info on anyone's personal hunting spot or any secret spots. I was wondering if anyone had any decent suggestions for hunting areas up the santiam canyon or Detroit areas and possibly the coast range off hwy 34 (alsea area)? I was hoping with the mild winter last year the deer population would be better in the area I was going to hunt, but is not looking so hot. I will be traveling on foot in the woods or possibly by mountian bike. So like I said, Im not trying to ask for specific locations or anyone's secret spots, just some helpful suggestions from more experienced hunters. Feel free to pm me if you would like. Thank you for any help

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[Member 5605]

Sadly that's how it is. Year after year less and less sign.

ODFW is doing a good job managing the prey population for the predators.

 

[Aaron Todd]

I noticed how many dang bears there are this year, so I got a tag... so predators are on the menu as well!

 

[Oathkeeper1775]

So I have a western oregon tag and I was scouting around a area I panned on hunting this season and I saw alot less sign than I was hoping for... so, let me start out by saying that I am not asking for info on anyone's personal hunting spot or any secret spots. I was wondering if anyone had any decent suggestions for hunting areas up the santiam canyon or Detroit areas and possibly the coast range off hwy 34 (alsea area)? I was hoping with the mild winter last year the deer population would be better in the area I was going to hunt, but is not looking so hot. I will be traveling on foot in the woods or possibly by mountian bike. So like I said, Im not trying to ask for specific locations or anyone's secret spots, just some helpful suggestions from more experienced hunters. Feel free to pm me if you would like. Thank you for any help

Do a satellite-imagery search for clear cuts in the Coast Range; hunt behind the gates. Some gates open in (October-ish).

 

[Aaron Todd]

Thanks, I actually used to live in the coast range near alsea for quite a few years, but I didn't hunt then... unfortunately. I have been eyeballing (on google earth) the vast area south of Detroit lake, well, in between Detroit lake and green peter. Seems to be quite a few old clear cuts and it's away from civilization...

 

[prkrgrp]

Do a satellite-imagery search for clear cuts in the Coast Range; hunt behind the gates. Some gates open in (October-ish).

dito above find clear cut areas 3 years old set up with a spotting scope so you can see the southern exposure bring a lunch and something to red. good luck there out there.

 

[Oathkeeper1775]

C

Thanks, I actually used to live in the coast range near alsea for quite a few years, but I didn't hunt then... unfortunately. I have been eyeballing (on google earth) the vast area south of Detroit lake, well, in between Detroit lake and green peter. Seems to be quite a few old clear cuts and it's away from civilization...

CASCADES; sit facing the Eastern slopes at first light, not a news flash that a number of Mule Deer have crossed the crest.

I've hunted that unit a number of times with the 119A High Cascade Tag. The most sign I have seen is between HWY 22 and 20, but (send me a PM) has lots of deer too...

 

[ConcreteJungle]

C


CASCADES; sit facing the Eastern slopes at first light, not a news flash that a number of Mule Deer have crossed the crest.

I've hunted that unit a number of times with the 119A High Cascade Tag. The most sign I have seen is between HWY 22 and 20, but (send me a PM) has lots of deer too...

That's actually where i'm planning on heading for rifle season.

 

[MountainBear]

I'm actually concerned a lot of the gates and land around Sweet Home may not open this year. With the dry weather and conditions, a lot of the land is still posted extreme fire conditions, all access prohibited. Hoping for some rain soon...

 

[Koda]

harder to find tracks in the dry conditions, this will improve as cooler nights set in with morning fog and dew and rain. dont focus too much on the tracks though, look for fresh droppings, tracks tell you where they've been, fresh droppings tell you where they are using the area. If the shiet isnt fresh move on...

 

[jbett98]

You could save yourself a lot of effort if you just so happen to leave a bale of alfalfa in the back of your truck when parked near a hunting spot.

 

[Ironbar]

I see more deer in my back yard in the middle of Tigard than I do in the mountains any day. It's like f-ing black tail bucks don't exist anymore and the does reproduce asexually!

 

[Aaron Todd]

I have been out all weekend and have seen very little sign... hardly any well used deer trails and zero deer crap. I was up high in the cascades and did a little scouting down low and had the same results. The last few years have been rough, but I at least see the signs!

 

[winchester270]

I am in the Trask unit, and scouted over a broad area and also have not seen as many signs as I was expecting.

 

[ConcreteJungle]

After being forced to head to my 3rd back up location...I spent the entire day out there.
Found 3 trails and lots of droppings. Id say the freshest dropping was 2 days old.
Didn't see any deer all day but heard 6 shots from surrounding valleys. The closest shot was from the ridge behind me. Was hoping it would have scared some deer to the pinch point I was sitting on but no luck.
Heading out there again tomorrow, about mid-day but planning on spending the night out there so i can be in my spot at zero dark hundred on Tuesday.
But this time, i'm going out there with some tools in hand along with some apples and buck jam. Since I had to head to a back-up location i hadn't set anything up so i need to cut a few branches, set out some of the deer jam and use the apples to draw them from the trails to the area where i'll be.

 

[Ironbar]

I don't know a lot about Blacktail hunting, but isn't it way too early for it? It's been so dry out that I haven't even thought about going hunting yet. The only deer out at this time are fawns and stupid does.

 

[Koda]

we saw about 6 does and 1 spike over the weeken. few fresh tracks and lots of elk sign. Trask unit

 

[Koda]

I was wondering if anyone had any decent suggestions for hunting areas up the santiam canyon or Detroit areas and possibly the coast range off hwy 34 (alsea area)?

the Siuslaw NF has excellent hunting. Try the area south of Toledo....

 

[Aaron Todd]

Thanks koda, I was considering the siuslaw NF but I didn't want to have to drive so far. Maybe I will go over the later in the season. I haven't be out in the woods in the coast range in quite some time. Are there many clear cuts or will it be mostly thick brush hunting?

 

[Ironbar]

Great. Just great. This morning at 7:30am I saw a legal Blacktail buck foraging in my back yard in the middle of f-ing Tigard, OR.

It was legal, but I'll bet I would have gotten only about 30lbs of meat off the damn thing.