Anybody hunted the WU ranchs in Oregon for Elk

[leftyhunter]

I am a WU member and I was thinking about hunting for elk in the WU ranch's in Oregon. I estimate it would cost at least a grand after paying non-resident licenses and tags plus the extra fees to hunt for elk. Has anybody here hunted on their ranch's and at least seen elk during hunting season? I am intrigued by elk hunting but it seems rather complicated and expensive. For guided hunts it seems that cost wise hunting in Argentina for red deer is almost on par with hunting for elk in premium areas of the US or Canada. Has anyone used SJ Kennel hunting services?

Thanks ;
Leftyhunter

 

[Speckmisser]

lefty,

I can't speak to the WU ranch you're talking about (never even knew they had such a thing, but it sounds like a good option), but I can speak to getting started elk hunting.

I don't recommend comparing the cost of a guided hunt in the US with the cost of a similar hunt out of the country, since there are a ton of complications and additional costs involved in leaving the borders of the U.S.... not to mention the complications of trying to come back in with meat or other animal products.

For a total cost of around $4k (license, tags, lodging, food, and guide), you can do a good, fully-guided elk hunt in CO. Depending on how you travel, you can add an additional $200-$500 to that. Optional costs like taxidermy are totally up to you, of course.

 

[db 183]

I agree with Speckmisser. There are a lot of complications going out of the country. I have always shunned the idea since I hunt for the meat and bringing it back in is such a problem if you can bring it at all.

I think his reccomendation for Colorado is an excellent one. My neighbor across the street did this and now goes back and freelances in an area near the guided hunt and has had great success.

He spent about $4500 on the guided hunt and now that he knows what to do, goes on his own for much, much less.

 

[tcrhunter]

But certainly you can hunt elk in Colorado do it youre self for just several hundred dollors. The north west part has 50% success rate and the tag is $ 250 for cow or $ 500 for bul. In any case unless you are looking for record animals would be the list expensive way, or for me it was.
Good lock.

 

[D7hunter]

leftyhunter, as a member of WU if I was going to pay the extra fee to hunt the Oregon ranchs I would add deer and if possible bear. Just to get as much as possible out of my money. Just my two cents.

 

[leftyhunter]

Thanks guys keep them coming!

 

[rodngun]

Hey Lefty,

I used to hunt the WU ranches in Oregon up until they lost what used to be Kinzua 2 then Camas Butte. Before that they had a good ranch outside Madras (I killed 3 bulls and a cow there!) that was eventually sold. One year I did look at two other ranches they had open to archery elk and they were void of elk at the time I was there. Like any WU ranch they get pounded pretty hard by some good and some bad hunters. You never know who (or even what!) is going to be hunting the ranch while you are there and it can really make or break your hunt.

One of the last years they had The Camas property they advertised it's availability until it was time to make the reservations and they informed us the landowner was going to hunt the property during the peak of the rut and WU members only had access for the first two weeks of the season

. That spoiled it for me. I am on inactive while my Oregon buddies are as well. The ranches they have recently pushed for elk fail in comparison to what they once had. I'll be watching the flyers for anything new though.

 

[MikenSoCo]

Lefty, get yourself an OTC either sex archery tag and hit a good wilderness area after some research. Just my 2 cents....

 

[leftyhunter]

Thanks Guys! How would you guys rate public land hunting Oregon for elk vs say Colo , New Mexico or other Rocky Mtn states?

Thanks;
Leftyhunter

 

[Redneck75]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MikenSoCo @ Jan 29 2007, 09:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Lefty, get yourself an OTC either sex archery tag and hit a good wilderness area after some research. Just my 2 cents....[/b]

Some/many of the areas/seasons in Oregon that have traditionally been either sex archery tags for both deer and elk got changed recently. A good portion (at least where I hunt on the west side of the state) have all gone to Bull/Buck only. They also make you stick to the same antler restrictions as the rifle hunters... forked horn or better for deer if that applies to the rifles in that area, 3-point or better for elk. As a guy who hunts both rifle and bow (depending on what season I can get away from the ship to go hunt) I think it's a good idea! Elk #s are down in some areas so they're reigning in the extra cow kills. I know they've always allowed cows with a bow and the logic behind it is that it's a whole lot tougher to kill an elk with a bow than a rifle. Anyhow...check your regs ahead of time and make sure you're good with the rules on the unit you're hunting. I'd hate to get the tag and realize you're in over your head when the hunt starts...or realize you screwed up and took a cow in a bull only area!!

 

[leftyhunter]

Good tip Redneck!

Leftyhunter