I'm mostly asking in general because I'm new to the coast, but I do know where a few bucks live in mostly wooded areas so wasnt sure where to put Cams. There is a dozen trails through the woods so hard to focus on where to put cameras out. I considered laying a few salt blocks, but wasnt sure those helped much either. . . I do know a few rub lines though so I'll have to try that. Do you think even in June/July you think they will walk the old rub lines or should I focus on those spots more towards September when they start looking to shed velvet?
Focus on the spot year round, blacktails in the coast range live their life in a small spot.
Good Info. A labyrinth is spot on. Dozens of trails in the same direction, and none of which are more used and obvious than the others. I'll try the camera rotation though. . . Or maybe I just need to put out 20 cameras
Have you read Boyd Iverson’s book yet? I’m wrapping up Scott Haugen’s and I’ll admit, I’m a little disappointed. There are some really good nuggets of info in it, but I found it quite “unscientific” for a book titled “Science of the Hunt”.
I have read it, and frankly I found it less helpful still. It’s over 30 years old, and western Oregon has changed a lot in that time. Also, it is really focused on hunting private land, which isn’t the reality for most of us.
Theres very little research on Blacktail deer. Haugens book only vaugly references an ODFW research study but alot of the anecdotal tips and information in Haugens book do correlate with that study. I still find Haugens book very useful the only problem is he tells it like a story so getting the tips and tricks requires reading thru it to find the knowledge gems.
I've found most of the information about blacktails and deer numbers coming from odfw is worthless at best. I've talked to a few of the biologists while checking in bears, ams deer to get the teeth pulled for age cards and what they said was baffling. They have absolutely no idea how many deer there really aren't and they pretty much all suck at their jobs.
Theres very little research available on blacktail deer and most of it is old, what little is gained is only confirmed by experienced hunters like Haugen. In the coast range (especially the north coast range) you could sum everything up by they live in a small area and dont migrate. If your finding rubs, focus on that area and maybe you will run into him.
I gave up hunting Weyerhaeuser land. I’m up near st Helen’s. Way too many hunters with poor etiquette.
Same here in Oregon. The Weyerhaeuser permit areas are worse then state land. Every one thinks they own the dam place and people are driving everywhere. Judging by the amount of people I see in archery, deer, elk rifle and bear seasons it’s really hard to believe they only sell the amount of permits they claim.
What are you talking about?!?! The ONLY WAY to be successful hunting in western Oregon is to hunt private timber lands.
Ha. So true. In fact, this is why I didn’t grow up hunting—even though we lived on the coast and my dad was a bow hunter.
This is why I wear blaze orange vest & hat every time. No damn way someone can claim they thought I was some game animal. Not that that’s a guarantee they won’t still scope me, but it lessens the possibility.What are you talking about?!?! The ONLY WAY to be successful hunting in western Oregon is to hunt private timber lands.
The general rifle season in Oregon is a mess. Every clear cut is a family reunion and everyone has keys to the locked gates. Probably half of the “Hunters” driving around are drunk by 10am. I quit hunting in the unit I live in due to getting glassed through rifle scopes on a regular basis.
Don’t even get me started on the amount of poaching throughout the year and let alone the spike or better BS.
