Oregon Clear Cuts or Deep Timber for ANY Buck

[BigNate]

Most of what I'd have said has been.
The biggest BT I killed was very close. Think like hunting pheasant. They'll hold tight and let you walk by. To fool them, you need to hunt like an old man. Move slow, stop often.

 

[Oregon]

I grew up hunting blacktails prior to any timber company having a gate. It was awesome. Trash dumpers and vandalism ruined that. Did you all know that until around 1992, the last week of deer season was "brown is down" season? You could tag any deer. Units like Alsea would give out as many as 6000 doe tags and units like Melrose and Willamette offered an 800 series tag. Extra doe tag on top of a 600 series and 100 series.
Now deer numbers are tanked. Less burns way too many chemicals, over harvest.
I struggle blacktail hunting anymore. You get used to seeing 30-40 deer a trip then seeing 2 does or a small forky in the middle of October is a huge win.
With all that jibberish said.
Clearcuts that have chest high to 8' tall reprod is where I spend my time. Bedding and feed.
I spend hours in these. Glass from landings. Walk into it down ridges, move 20' glass. Move to other side, glass. Stop in straight spots glass. Pick it apart from every possible angle. Keep a close eye on the cut banks on the road. If they are tore up with deer tracks, those deer aren't far. Picking apart one big reprod unit is more productive than driving/walking to 5 cuts in a morning.
Your pro tip of the day: Always carry a tripod shooting stick set up.
1. rest your Binos on them and arm fatigue disappears. More time picking things apart.
2. Once you find something, especially hiking down a ridge, finding a rest free of obstructions is difficult.
I appreciate any timber company that allows any access, especially without paying for it.

 

[OregonSteeler]

I work for a timber company. You would be surprised how many threats I get and how many people damage gates if we don’t open them, even if they are open to walk in. This year alone I have had to replace at least a half dozen locks, I have had to shovel poop and rotting fish guts from around our gates, and been yelled at. It never ceases to amaze me. I try to explain to people that the hunting is much better when the gates stay closed.

I am really sorry to hear that. Makes me sick how awful people can do that and screwing it up for others who respect the land (private and public). There are many lazy hunters that would rather drive around all day rather than use their feet. Good for me though as it makes it easier to get away from hunting pressure.

 

[Valumpessa]

Clearcuts. Look for hidden pockets, bowls or slopes that cannot be seen from the roads. This is where I found my last 2 blacktail bucks hiding out. Sometimes it's a matter of walking another 50 yds beyond the landing.

 

[Btp4]

Great tips from everyone, I’m trying out the applegate unit this weekend

 

[roosiebull]

Clearcuts. Look for hidden pockets, bowls or slopes that cannot be seen from the roads. This is where I found my last 2 blacktail bucks hiding out. Sometimes it's a matter of walking another 50 yds beyond the landing.

great advice.

OP, don't overlook those dead looking cuts, they look like hell but deer like them. i know of a couple dead looking newer cuts that the deer are using like crazy, more sign around them than the perfect aged/growth cuts.... i think they do a lot of their feeding in those at night, but i catch deer in them often..... rainy days, take more time looking them over than a quick scan.... they like bedding in those dead cuts in wet weather.

i wouldn't focus on them, but don't overlook them either, and deer blend in crazy good to that stuff, so really look things over with the glass.

also, stay in the woods later in the morning.... the past 3 years i have killed mature buck in clear cuts from 11am-12:30 pm, that's been the timeframe the past 3 years... messed up my average this morning and pulled the trigger at 9:45am, haha.

i'm always at my desired glassing location before daylight, but that 10am-noon is usually when i'm shooting... i used to be pretty much done at 10am if the weather is good.... after today, past 4 years my bucks have been on bluebird days late in the morning, in clear cuts.... all 5+yr old bucks

 

[Blacktailaddiction]

Great info here, curious were those deer bedded or they came out to feed during that mid morning window?

 

[roosiebull]

Great info here, curious were those deer bedded or they came out to feed during that mid morning window?

One was bedded, one was in the middle of a newer wide open cut with a doe at noon, one was with 3 does advertising to them, walking around lip curling, etc… all in the full sun. The bedded buck stayed bedded in one little pocket that stayed in the shade until 11, he finally got up when the sun hit him.

today I hadn’t seen a deer and a little forky came walking through with purpose, then straight up a cliff, as I watched him wondering what he was doing I panned into another deer… a good buck. That forky squared off with the big buck then straight up attacked him.. one of the craziest things I have seen… that was the earliest in a few years at 9:45.

I’m certainly not saying start late, just don’t leave too early. I think bucks bed and get up when the sun hits them and feed their way to bed, or lay back down in the cut… there are tons of spots in any given cut that could hide a deer or 10. Most of the first light bucks I have shot were glassed up bedded.

I watch quite a few deer die every year, and the traditional catch a buck in the open at first or last light just doesn’t equal what I see… I see most bucks, of all ages, at 9-12am, with some at first light and some in the afternoons… it’s hard to be that patient looking at the same country, but I do, because I would feel like a slacker leaving early like I used to, because the patterns I see.

I think we walk by a lot of bucks… find sign that excites you and TRUST the sign… you are better off being patient sitting over the best sign you have found.

I used to cover ground, run all over and glass several cuts per morning, and I did fine, but I enjoy finding sign that excites me and hunt that buck, especially if you are hunting a certain kind of buck… but if you are looking for any buck, it’s still a very good mindset, because you know you are hunting where a buck is currently making sign.

today I was hunting a spot with 1 clear cut, no other options, and it was just under 5 miles… I used to not be willing to hunt a spot without other close options

lots of ways to skin a cat, just my perspective

 

[Salmonchaser]

That makes sense based on the cuts and images I’ve seen. I know Starker does it to a much smaller degree. I haven’t ever hunting Hancock/Nestucca properties. I’d like to give it a shot, but I want to find areas that have more locked gates that I can hike into.

If you are around Starker ground you are in good country. Thompson Timber as well. I logged for both outfits a long time ago while I was at OSU. Lived on venison, steelhead and skim milk.

 

[fisherman983]

roosiebull offers solid advice... we hunt similarly. find cuts with sign, dont overlook the dead units and be patient. glass glass glass. use a tripod, and get away from roads.
also, something I've found fairly crucial is finding the deer in the spring time.. if they're aren't any deer there or close by in the spring I dont usually see them in October either. find the does and bucks will show up. cuts that border thick cover and timber seem to produce well.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[fishsticks]

I’ve been most successful walking roads that are too brushy to drive. Sometimes the deer are in the timber other times clearcuts. I think the key is to find lower pressure areas and for me that’s by walking old grades or brushed in roads. All of my black tail have been on “public” ground but most are on timber company access permits. So private ownership but broad access. Best success is late in the season, and in the rain.

 

[Btp4]

I saw quite a few deer last season on a road similar to fishsticks described road, seen a few doe the last few days but still haven’t found a buck to take, saw a few doe still hunting an area next to a large clear cut

 

[kodiakfisher]

I build roads for timber companies and we get the same thing. Especially when folks know you have keys to every gate, they get insanely pissed when you won't just let them in

I have found that if your nice and polite and ask for a contact number in case you see anything worth reporting, that if they are in the area sometimes they will help you out with either a ride or an open gate to retrieve the animal. As with most things in life if you are a nice person nice things occasionally happen.

 

[BryanL]

Some resources for those interested.

 

[marksman1941]

I have found that if your nice and polite and ask for a contact number in case you see anything worth reporting, that if they are in the area sometimes they will help you out with either a ride or an open gate to retrieve the animal. As with most things in life if you are a nice person nice things occasionally happen.

You are 100% correct on that. Most of the timber co employees are hunters too. Being decent goes a long ways, as does avoiding the "I can't believe you're gating off my hunting ground!" Gripe session. I've absolutely helped retrieve critters with my gate keys, just so someone could skip an uneeded pack out. Most companies are cool with that. It's different letting someone into a locked gate just to hunt their way around.

 

[BryanL]

Well I went out today. Walked in to some clear cuts and glassed in the rain. Only saw one doe that I watched for 30 mins or so before something spooked her. Stayed there for another 30 to see what it was. After seeing nothing. I proceeded to very fast walk back down the logging road in a big loop out. I happened to make a turn off on a road to check out a pond (for future bear hunting area) and right in the middle of the road facing away was a really nice 3x3. The only buck I’ve seen all season. I backed up around the bend and dropped my pack. Belly crawled on the road til I could just see it. The road had a hump that obscured everything but his antlers and ears. I scooted back to get my pack for a rest. That was my mistake. I should have just gone to a kneeling position as it was just shy of 60 yards. When I inched back into position, he was now facing me. Cover blown. I could only see his nose, eyes, ears, and antlers. We stared at each other for a good 10 seconds before he turned 90 degrees scuttled off. I checked the wind and then went slowly and quietly after him. Constantly checking my flanks. He was gone. The woods taught me a valuable lesson. If you have a shot that will kill it, take it. Probably should have held at his nose and let it fly since I had a very stable position. It was dumping rain so I’m guessing that’s why he didn’t hear me but I suspect my move for my pack I mad a noise I can’t even comprehend. I’m super upset with myself…. But I guess it’s a good lesson and I’m glad I didn’t wound it. This was at 4pm 10/22/21 in the Alsea unit.

 

[Hoodie]

I’m super upset with myself…. But I guess it’s a good lesson and I’m glad I didn’t wound it. This was at 4pm 10/22/21 in the Alsea unit.

You made the right call, nothing to be upset about.

 

[Btp4]

The woods taught me a valuable lesson. If you have a shot that will kill it, take it. Probably should have held at his nose and let it fly since I had a very stable position. -This was at 4pm 10/22/21 in the Alsea unit.

I had a very similar experience last year… also make sure your scope isn’t on full zoom if your walking through a thick section of land

 

[BryanL]

I had a very similar experience last year… also make sure your scope isn’t on full zoom if your walking through a thick section of land

Yea copy that. I keep it on 1.5x all the time. I figure I can dial it up if I actually need it.

 

[BryanL]

You made the right call, nothing to be upset about.

Thanks for that. I know I should have moved slower and just gone to kneeling. But in the moment, I was trying to do everything just right and not rushed. I know I educated him a little, but I also got the guy on a trail camera only 0.4 miles away from this spot. Needless to say, I’m gonna hunt it again. I’ve seen at least two bucks on my trail camera now. One forked horn and this big 3x3.