Hi, I have Inlaw's in Lincln city and was wondering if I could get a tip or two. From the limited research that I have done it looks like Lincoln co. isn't the best area for trophy quality, but It would be nice to get out of the house while my wife visits with her parents. Is it difficult to gain access to private lands? What are hunter #'s like, timing, access on public lands ect. Her folks don't hunt so info on that end is limited, any input would be greatly accepted. It is beutifull country and I look forward to stalking the hills.

Blacktail are an over the counter tag in that area. There are alot of Roosevelt's all along the coast especially in that area. Please do your part with the Bears and Cougars too. Bowhunting is over the counter, and some rifle elk hunting is over the otc also and plenty of tags in the draws. The regs can get a little complicated but the regs are on line at the ODF&W website. Good luck.

Thanks Rouge6,

Are there any public lands that you could recommend in that region.? How does a person find and contact timber company's to gain access to their lands.? I'm also looking at the Applegate unit, what are your thoughts for that area.? Sorry for all the questions, but I know no one in that region to gain knowledge from.

I will buy predator tags if the seasons coincide-I have the regulations on order-and I relish the thought of getting a crack at a cougar.

Thanks agian-Ron

Oregon is something like 80% public land. Timber companies own alot on the coast but access is usually not a problem except for road hunters. The Applegate Unit has very few elk and deer numbers are getting lower all over the state because of the cougar and bear problems. Alot of very nice Blacktail have been shot out of the Applegate, I spend alot of time hunting it every year, but it is over the counter and gets hunted hard so you'll have to work hard for a decent buck. The key is to get away from the roads and the more it rains and snows the better the hunting.

Rouge6,

I forgot to mention that I was looking at the applegate unit with that muzzleloader hunt in mind, don't know if that changes anything.

I will be tenting it for 3-5 days at a time-visit with family-then one more go around, thats the plan as I like to get away from people if possible.

If anyone has the contact #'s for the timber co. in Oregon, or an address I would be grateful.

Why are the cougar numbers so high-is it illegal to hunt them with dogs? Political like Ak.?

Thanks for your replies-Ron

Grizzly,
Yep, no hound hunting for Bears or Cougars.
In the Applegate no need to worry about timber companies. On the coast look up Wyerhauser and Boise Cascade on the internet they're the big ones.
The Applegate is at it's best during muzzelloader season, as late in the season as possible. Your ML rifle must be open ignition with no glass or fiber optic sights. That means use a real muzzle loader. The Cascade muzzle loader elk hunt is the same way, real muzzle loaders. It'll more than likely take you 2-3 years to draw a Applegate muzzle loader tag. If you can't hunt hear this year make sure to put in for a points saver instead of the actual hunt. You might draw the tag your first year on accident and not have time to hunt.

Rogue,

Thats sad when they take away a great management tool like they did, as well as a tradition for some. I hear it's very difficult to hunt cats without dogs.

I am putting in for the points in hopes of drawing the tag by 07. The applegate hunt would be a totally different hunt than the lincoln hunting. Hunting around lincoln is going to tide me over until I draw and after as well. By the way the record book (P&Y) shakes out it looks like south of lincoln is the way to go-is that how you see it.? How's that cascade elk hunt with the smoke stick.?

Rogue, thanks for fielding my questions and if you ever are doing a hunt up here in alaska & need a pointer or 2 just PM me-I've hunted or guided in most regions of ak.

-Ron

One thing to be aware of in the coast range east of Lincoln City is that the brush can be
very THICK and besides blackberry vines there is a thin whiteish vine that grows low and adds to the difficulty in getting through the brush. I hate hunting in the brush over there as I spend half my time getting my feet untangled from the vines. There are a lot of logging roads and a lot of them are not actively used. They make excellent paths to get through the woods. Be prepared to be WET from head to foot. If you can scout the area first, look for new or recent clear cuts. The elk and deer love them.
Watch the edges of clear cuts where the deer and elk feel comfortable being a few feet into the woods.

Most of the timber lands now have access controls that prevent you being able to camp up in the woods or get into the woods much before daylight. Some timber companies will only let you in with a valid elk or deer tag. Do your research before you go! You will need a Siusilaw (sp?) national forest map.

When you park your truck in the woods lock it up tight and do not leave anything valuable in sight.

Have fun!

I'm from eastern oregon and I hunted the coast once, in the trask unit and I will probably never hunt there again it rained everyday I spent half the time on my ass. Don't buy expensive rain gear cause by the end of the day it will be tore up and by the end of the week you can throw it away. If I remember right the the record Roosevelt bull was brought out of Tillamook county. Like the guys have said the big timber companies don't mind you hunting on there land, they usually have the roads gated so you have to walk in. Majority of the hunts on the coast you can buy tags over the counter. I would recommend you go on line and look at the Oregon regs they are out right now. If you use a muzzleloader make sure you get a synthetic stainless steel one I swear it never stops raining.

Grizzly 1,
When you get that Applegate tag let me know. I do know that unit and hunt it alot. You could pick up a fall turkey tag also.

Hey guys thanks for the info and insight on Oregon hunting, it's my hope to put it to use soon.

Rogue6, if I can pop that tag I'll look you up-you be sure to do the same.

Kudos-Ron

Rogue6, The turkey sounds good too. Have you ever jumped the border into california to chase Blacktails, if so how was it? For some reason I'm hot to trot on those Blacktails and have considered california, it's the logistics for me that make california a stretch. Don't know but I've always thought of washington & oregon as classic Blacktail country.

-Ron

Griz:

I am an aquaintence or Rogue 6 and live about 25 miles away from him in Grants Pass. We are about 25 miles as the crow flys from No Calif. California will not really offer you any other or better opportunities than Oregon.

The black tail population has sure changed in the last 10 yrs. IN 1995, you could pretty much take a nice one off the back porch when I moved here that year. My wife has done exactly that.

I have seen the best opportunities for some bigs ones that last several years, west of Grants Pass in Josephine County. Over toward Jackson County ( Medford) where Rogue 6 is based out of, that gets hunted much more heavily, and has suffered some real loss due to cougars over that way.

However, to the West side of Butte Falls, I have seen some guys take some big bucks out of there the last couple of years. East of Butte Falls where the deer are traditionally thicker, for the last 2 yrs, in there, I did not even see fresh deer crap on the ground anywhere! I do a lot of walking and it was bone dry void of any sign at all. 5 yrs ago they were so thick in there, a kid with a sling shot could have gotten a buck in there.

From Portland straight down I 5, Grants Pass and Josephine County are 250 miles from Portland. Medford and Jackson County is 25 miles further down I 5.

I don't hunt turkeys ( had to work with too many of them over the years!) but they are all over the place down this way. I have come across herds of them having 50 and 60 birds in the flock! while out deer hunting.

If you get to get down and hunt this way, good luck. The Black tails are not a turn on for me, as they are often real small. Good for making Deer McNuggets out of mainly.

However, I have taken a few that turned out to be very respectable, like 160 to 175 lbs on the hoof. But those are about like comparing the size of a 1957 Cadillac to a 2005 Honda Civic, ot the average blacktail. I have also taken some that weighed only 45 to 50 lbs dressed. They were forked horns late in the season, and each time, they were small enough that I thought they were farther away.

Cheers and Good shooting
seafire

We have some non-certified scales that we often wieght our gutted deer on. A mature blacktail buck will wieght around 125 hanging w/ head and hide. A really big one can wieght 150 gutted and a couple times in my life I have seen that scale tip 200 lbs on a gutted buck. I stuck a little forky a couple years ago with an arrow that I got right at 50 lbs of rapped meat from. I butcher my own deer and really don't waste much and don't skimp on butcher paper either. Most 2-4 year old bucks that arn't shot to sh** will net 75-100 lbs of meat. I have a few rack hanging in the rafters in my garage that look like respectable muley. Every few years I pick up a 20-24 spread 4x4. I have some cousins that hunt on "bench legs" (blacktail muley mix) a have taken some 150 b&c class bucks.

All that said deer and elk numbers are hurting, from the preditors.