Where are the Elk?

[Tlock]

It seems '6 K' is the number of Cougars Oregon DFW likes to maintain as the current population however I spoke to a ODFW 'wildlife biologist' a few years ago (off the record) and he said 6K is pretty conservative, with reality being more like a 1/3 more than that at 9K - and maybe more.

I think there are far more. The amount of calls we get just in linn, marion, benton, Polk and Clackamas counties would blow your mind!

 

[Koda]

Your 100% correct. That's a big cat...

I thought he moved on, then I thought they were gonna log the spot but they didnt. I got back in there deer season and found a new claw rake... the scratches go up over 6ft.

 

[TTSX]

Oregon

 

[Tlock]

I'd get in there and do some calling! Get a couple beaver carcasses in there for bait

 

[Koda]

I'd get in there and do some calling! Get a couple beaver carcasses in there for bait

I have to wait for the big game seasons to end. I need to buy a better call I think, crittercalls website wont take credit cards and its not my card.
I dont even know where to get a beaver carcass, let alone when to put it out there. Im jut a "weekend warrior" after spending my time big game hunting so Im guessing if I left a beaver carcass out there all week it would be gone by the next weekend.

 

[TTSX]

I have to wait for the big game seasons to end. I need to buy a better call I think, crittercalls website wont take credit cards and its not my card.
I dont even know where to get a beaver carcass, let alone when to put it out there. Im jut a "weekend warrior" after spending my time big game hunting so Im guessing if I left a beaver carcass out there all week it would be gone by the next weekend.

IYKYK

 

[Tlock]

I have to wait for the big game seasons to end. I need to buy a better call I think, crittercalls website wont take credit cards and its not my card.
I dont even know where to get a beaver carcass, let alone when to put it out there. Im jut a "weekend warrior" after spending my time big game hunting so Im guessing if I left a beaver carcass out there all week it would be gone by the next weekend.

I have a freezer full of them if your close to salem. I'd put a couple out and tie em off. That'll keep the cat interested for a while

 

[Koda]

I have a freezer full of them if your close to salem. I'd put a couple out and tie em off. That'll keep the cat interested for a while

about an hour from you. Interesting idea... Maybe I can PM you after a few weeks when I can get out there for a couple weekends. Id have to bait one weekend and do some calling then come back the next weekend. Set up a trail cam of course.

 

[Tlock]

Sounds good....I'm actually up in lyons, the office is in salem.

 

[whiskeybill]

I also see disturbing treatment of elk here in MT. People will chase a herd into a shallow pond or clearing and circle them, firing into the huddled mass until they're all killed. They do this every year and rarely are caught.

If you see it, turn them in. If all the animals are tagged, there's not much a warden can do. I've seen idiots fire into herds wounding or killing elk, and they just drive off. Wardens will be happy to deal with them.

 

[clanhanson]

If you see it, turn them in. If all the animals are tagged, there's not much a warden can do. I've seen idiots fire into herds wounding or killing elk, and they just drive off. Wardens will be happy to deal with them.

100%

 

[MrNeutron]

I'm convinced the ODFW has quit making Elk and Deer.

They claim there's "Supply Chain Issues", but I'm not buyin' it........

 

[RVTECH]

Another problem is large landowners simply poaching on their own property for themselves, friends & family.

Maybe not as big as a problems as others but some of them poach indiscriminately without giving it a 2nd thought and it happens with zero consequences as it's completely 'under cover'.

 

[Tlock]

Another problem is large landowners simply poaching on their own property for themselves, friends & family.

Maybe not as big as a problems as others but some of them poach indiscriminately without giving it a 2nd thought and it happens with zero consequences as it's completely 'under cover'.

This is true....farmers are fed up with the elk moving into there farm ground and destroying crops so they take matters into their own hands. The ground I trap(weyco timber ground) in the spring used to hold piles of elk 15 to 20 years ago. I haven't seen a elk up there in 10 plus years. There is no feed in the clear cuts and the predators are thick. So the elk find food

 

[Koda]

Another problem is large landowners simply poaching on their own property for themselves, friends & family.

Maybe not as big as a problems as others but some of them poach indiscriminately without giving it a 2nd thought and it happens with zero consequences as it's completely 'under cover'.

landowners also party hunt too to help cover it up.

also party hunting is way too common with all hunters, (public lands).

But those issues have been going on since the dawn of hunting laws. The predator population is a new phenomenon and entirely affected by politics to reduce game populations.

 

[bionic knees]

I have always found that elk are where they are. Often times are where you arent. And elk go where you don't want to go.
The last one really holds true as I get older and wiser. Because in my youth I used to kill a lot of elk. I used to also go where I no longer want to go. I don't even look down into those places and don't think about climbing up to those places. Elk are big and heavy and a lot of work. 11 hr pack outs aren't as fun for me anymore. Not to say I don't hunt hard. I just don't hunt as hard as I once did.
We didn't see any elk in Western WA either.

me and my group were much more successful elk hunters when we were in our mid 30's to mid 40's than we are now in our late 60's

 

[Koda]

I'm still willing to go where I don't want to pack one out. I'm not the most successful hunter but even though I'm seeing less game (which confirms declining population quotas) I'm not having problems finding the elk, Its just harder to get the one bull in your scope in the nasty holes they hide in. Even in Eastern Oregon, if your not seeing game in more open country, they are in the nasty thick creek draws. Its very difficult to get one in your scope in there but you will bump them. Still hunting comes to a snails pace and you'd be wise to never have your rifle slung.

theory is when population numbers are above quota or thriving the creek draws are too small and push more out or moving between them. This is why hunting used to be "easier", before they banned hunting predators with dogs....

 

[bionic knees]

they definitely need to open it back up to public lands but the anti hunters got their way. Public land cougar hunting would really cap the predation on deer and elk and bring things to a balance, I actually think that cougars are Oregons biggest cause for low deer and elk numbers right now.
Speaking of monster cats, I thought this one moved on but found a new huge scratch hes come back to my spot I hunt deer. Public land of course...

Where are the elk, in this guys belly. I dont know anything about hunting them but will try calling it in over the winter.

View attachment 1769174

If the date stamp is correct this pic is over 2 years old.

 

[Koda]

If the date stamp is correct this pic is over 2 years old.

yes, I mentioned I thought that one moved on but I found a new claw rake in the same spot just a few weeks ago. I hear cats roam a large area but will sometimes return to spots they call home. Something like that.

 

[Val1884]

Cougars like beaver..well both types like both kinds..but anyways..big cats can't pass foam. Cats will climb to get a meal. So I'll let you guys figure out the rest. More than one way for checks an balances.