Oregon Rifle hunt

[BelfordB]

Little back story. Have never hunted Oregon or Elk. My sister moved to the Medford area and plan on coming a visit and fulfilling a dream of hunting Elk. OTC. I don’t expect someone to tell me where to hunt but looking for some advice on best unit to hunt. Literally never having been there and my family there doesn’t hunt. We plan on backpack hunting. Getting in a few miles is fine. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Tmac]

I’d suggest getting online and finding the site (s) showing recent burns and spend a little time studying the satellite images. You find significant open areas in the forest, burns/logging etc., odds are you find elk. Lots of good areas in SW OR. A call to the local ODFW office asking for an area biologist would probably give you some good ideas where to start.

Elk use the land differently than deer, they are more likely to be in larger herds. So you can be in great elk country and not see a thing and a week later be covered up in elk. We usually stay fairly mobile to find elk. You do not always have to go in deep.

 

[BelfordB]

I’d suggest getting online and finding the site (s) showing recent burns and spend a little time studying the satellite images. You find significant open areas in the forest, burns/logging etc., odds are you find elk. Lots of good areas in SW OR. A call to the local ODFW office asking for an area biologist would probably give you some good ideas where to start.

Elk use the land differently than deer, they are more likely to be in larger herds. So you can be in great elk country and not see a thing and a week later be covered up in elk. We usually stay fairly mobile to find elk. You do not always have to go in deep.

Thanks for the reply. I will look into those suggestions. Any units you would suggest is a better place to focus on?

 

[JoeDirt]

Eastern Oregon is mostly controlled hunts you'll have to save some points and put in for the draw. (few spike hunts OTC) Western Oregon has more elk and is OTC minus two draw units which are easier to draw.

Lots of people hunt Western Oregon rifle, it can be a mad house. Dont get discouraged, keep an open mind. I find new people every year that get the jump on me going into an area they have never seen before. Beginners luck is real with no expectations and a fresh set of eye that are not skewed by previous hunts or learned behavior (bad or good)

Lots of public and private timber lands, you need to know all the rules of every private timber land you plan to hunt. Some offer little info some you'll need a permit to access. Some allow you to hunt but there are a lot of rules with times you can be on their land.

In Oregon the average is 1 hunter kills an elk every 10 years. If you do the work, scout, avoid people, put the miles in, glass areas, be respectful to others you will have a good hunt.

 

[BelfordB]

Eastern Oregon is mostly controlled hunts you'll have to save some points and put in for the draw. (few spike hunts OTC) Western Oregon has more elk and is OTC minus two draw units which are easier to draw.

Lots of people hunt Western Oregon rifle, it can be a mad house. Dont get discouraged, keep an open mind. I find new people every year that get the jump on me going into an area they have never seen before. Beginners luck is real with no expectations and a fresh set of eye that are not skewed by previous hunts or learned behavior (bad or good)

Lots of public and private timber lands, you need to know all the rules of every private timber land you plan to hunt. Some offer little info some you'll need a permit to access. Some allow you to hunt but there are a lot of rules with times you can be on their land.

In Oregon the average is 1 hunter kills an elk every 10 years. If you do the work, scout, avoid people, put the miles in, glass areas, be respectful to others you will have a good hunt.

Agree with everything you say. Appreciate the input. Scouting is the hard part. We live in Michigan so we may get a few day before our hunt but tough to get much more time than that. Which is kinda why I’m asking. I know most won’t give up too much information since it takes a lot of work to find good areas, so I appreciate any help. It’s a big ask I know it. Thanks Joe dirt..lol love the name.

 

[Koda_]

Little back story. Have never hunted Oregon or Elk. My sister moved to the Medford area and plan on coming a visit and fulfilling a dream of hunting Elk. OTC. I don’t expect someone to tell me where to hunt but looking for some advice on best unit to hunt. Literally never having been there and my family there doesn’t hunt. We plan on backpack hunting. Getting in a few miles is fine. Any help would be appreciated.

I'm in Oregon. I haven't hunted SW Oregon so I don't have any spots to share but know enough about Oregon to suggest getting a national forest map and if you dive into public lands you will find elk. From Medford your closest OTC opportunity is the Dixon unit, get an Umpqua National Forest map, is essential for road navigation, and drive to the middle of it and scout for sign before the hunt and you will have as good a chance as any local. You need to find at least 3 places to truck camp and 3 places to hunt showing fresh sign.

I do not recommend backpack hunting first time here, cascade wilderness areas are high country and snowfall can be an issue in general elk season. If its a stellar weather year and you insist take a look at the Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness Area but again your adding complexity to a brand new experience for you.

 

[BelfordB]

I'm in Oregon. I haven't hunted SW Oregon so I don't have any spots to share but know enough about Oregon to suggest getting a national forest map and if you dive into public lands you will find elk. From Medford your closest OTC opportunity is the Dixon unit, get an Umpqua National Forest map, is essential for road navigation, and drive to the middle of it and scout for sign before the hunt and you will have as good a chance as any local. You need to find at least 3 places to truck camp and 3 places to hunt showing fresh sign.

I do not recommend backpack hunting first time here, cascade wilderness areas are high country and snowfall can be an issue in general elk season. If its a stellar weather year and you insist take a look at the Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness Area but again your adding complexity to a brand new experience for you.

Part of my hope for this hunt is to experience the outdoors of Oregon. The actual harvesting of an Elk for me is second. My hunting partner is the opposite. lol..I don’t take it lightly the rugged area so your warnings let’s say don’t fall on deaf ears. I am trying to get out there this summer to at least see what I am getting myself into. lol. Appreciate the unit suggestion for me that’s the hardest thing to decide. I have to go hunt app and it’s solid but talking to people who know it is much better. Thanks man.

 

[Koda_]

Part of my hope for this hunt is to experience the outdoors of Oregon. ....I am trying to get out there this summer to at least see what I am getting myself into.

If you don't have time to scout you wont have as good an experience, at a bare minimum you need a nice truck camp. The locals know where to go and will fill those spots fast, camping in a poor leftover spot usually means driving each day to better areas where the elk are (hence my 3x min rule of thumb). At a minimum, if you can just spend a full day out there driving the forest roads marking camp locations in the heart of the forest you at least assure a good experience chasing elk even if you have to drive up the road to hunt other areas each day.

Ideally, spend a full 3 day weekend scouting and camping and dedicate each day to hiking some draws to find some sign. No sign move on. If you do the 3x3 places rule I mentioned you will have as good a chance at filling a tag as any local there. Good luck.

 

[BelfordB]

If you don't have time to scout you wont have as good an experience, at a bare minimum you need a nice truck camp. The locals know where to go and will fill those spots fast, camping in a poor leftover spot usually means driving each day to better areas where the elk are (hence my 3x min rule of thumb). At a minimum, if you can just spend a full day out there driving the forest roads marking camp locations in the heart of the forest you at least assure a good experience chasing elk even if you have to drive up the road to hunt other areas each day.

Ideally, spend a full 3 day weekend scouting and camping and dedicate each day to hiking some draws to find some sign. No sign move on. If you do the 3x3 places rule I mentioned you will have as good a chance at filling a tag as any local there. Good luck.

Awesome thanks very much. I will follow that.

 

[elkliver]

100% agree on not backpacking. you need to be mobile and there really isnt an area that i think would be worth backpacking into. Plus if you have never experienced western Oregon vegetation... you are in for a rude awakening. Closed logging roads are your friend

 

[Blacktail_Brown]

Hunted Oregon all my life. Not much in SW, but there are lots of elk, especially in your timber lands. I'd start looking for open meadows close enough to the road to be mobile, but far enough to keep the real road hunters out of there. I'd also start scouting on OnX. A lot of the private timber companies have walk-in access, or permit purchases. Above Roseburg is going to be blackberries and alder bushes everywhere. But there are good elk populations.

It's also banquet season... join RMEF, OHA, BHA and see if there are any folks willing to help you get started. Best of luck out here!

 

[MarlinMark]

If I was visiting Medford and wanted to hunt big game it wouldn't be elk. Blacktails!!!

 

[JoeDirt]

If I was visiting Medford and wanted to hunt big game it wouldn't be elk. Blacktails!!!

Pro tip:

Go Blacktail hunting instead, you're guaranteed to see elk without a tag in hand

Get a deer tag if you have enough time to stay for the season or make two trips. Blacktail hunting season is elk scouting time.

I agree with the statements up above if scouting inst an option. Dont backpack in, truck camp, spend a few nights out there, be mobile, glass a lot, short hikes into key areas. Learn the area for future trips, make it fun so youll do it again even if you dont find success.

The elk will be pressured at that time so they will move a lot. Save your energy for the pack out from the bottom of a hell hole!!!