Oregon High Desert Elk Hunt

[spacecowby]

I have drawn High Desert Elk tag in Ore. It is a huge area and not sure where to start looking. Any suggestion would be great. I am thinking about starting in the Steens Mtn. but have heard that the elk have moved out of that area.

 

[easymoney]

Look to the private ranches, they are where the elk are. In fact many areas have increased tag numbers to deal with the increasing herd numbers which do damage to crops and fences.

 

[smithstation]

Is it around Baker? I have hunted between Baker and Vail with good success if they have weather.i also have family in Baker so if you can hunt that area let me know and I will see what I can turn up.

 

[Orygun]

Sucker!!!!! Just kidding. Congrats on your tag. It is a huuuuge hunt area that is in fact, desert. Wide, very wide open spaces. You can go 3-4 hrs just driving pavement from one side to the other

The Steens would be a good place to start. Many of the tag holders will be there on the opener. I would start with the ODFW Oregon hunting map site. There are a couple Access and Habitat properties on the east side of the Steens worth looking at. You can often see the elk on the alfalfa fields over there. Or bring your mtn climbing gear and hunt the east side of the Steens just below the cliff faces. Or get as far from any of the established roads as possible on the west side. Or try the Blitzen river canyon. Or skirt the private properties staying on BLM land on the NW side of the Steens.

The Stink Water Mountains NE of the Steens above Warm Springs Reservoir sometimes holds elk. As mentioned the area between Vale and Jordan Valley (Cow Lakes) or the Owyhee River Canyon are (vast open) places to look. Between Summer Lake and Lake Abert is also a place to check. As are Beattys Butte proper or bordering Hart Mountain NWR and the Trout Creek Mountains. Most all of Whitehorse Unit around the ranches will hold elk form time to time.

They can be found literally anywhere out in the desert. You are talking a unit about the size of ¼ of the state. Which is why they give out 600 tags and have a one elk limit.

I have been over a lot of that country. Roads in general are lousy: rocky, rutted. Tight two tracks with tall sage/bitterbrush giving your rig those beautiful (and free) Oregon pin striping. An extra full sized spare is not unreasonable. There are roads where you will be only one on them that day or for the next few days. The unit you will be in is the least populated part of the lower 48, per capita.

Bring twice as much water as you think you need. There are few established campgrounds in the area with drinking water. Bring extra fuel cans. Many of the “towns” have a gas station/post office/general store that may be closed a couple days a week. Or they may be out of fuel for a week till the tanker comes by. Some places like Wagontire, are on the map because there is space to put the name. I believe two people live there right now.

I did that hunt about 9 years ago. Mostly on the Steens and in the Whitehorse. We found lots of sign on the Steens. Those elk move a lot. We found elk sign in the Whitehorse way out in the open sage. Almost all of it old. This is a hunt you really NEED to scout. I would it on par with X9C and hunting the White Mtns. You can spend weeks going miles and glassing all day and not see a deer. Or you can get out of your rig, slam the door and have 20 get up a few feet away from you. Any tagged elk in this hunt is a trophy.

I would pick one place, like the Steens and stay there. Just makes sure to cover all the open ground you can. If you strike sign and it is not too old, follow it and be prepared to go miles after them. I personally love the Steens as it is as beautiful a place you can go to hunt. Don’t be discouraged just be realistic about the hunt. The best part is that when you do find a mature bull, odds are he’s been around a while and he will be top heavy with antler.

I will be in the SW corner of the Juniper Unit in early August and if I see anything I’ll let you know.

 

[easymoney]

What orygun said.... My decades of hunting this area leads me to add, look for good habitat(private ranches) next to public land (with little road access), east Beulah gets lots of tags because of the damage being done to the crops and ranches, any place with a wooded canyon leading down to alfalfa fields, with a permanent water source can be a gold mine. Bucks and elk will travel a long way for high quality food and easy water. West Beulah gets hammered by road shooters. And like orygun says they can be anywhere out in the sage, until dusk...