Beginner-Roosevelt Elk Hunting

[Salmonchaser]

Contact Thompson Timber and Starker Forests, Both are based out of the Corvallis, Philomath area. I logged for both a long time ago, I'm betting they still have elk, I sure didn't kill them all.

 

[CaliforniaPatriot]

Contact Thompson Timber and Starker Forests, Both are based out of the Corvallis, Philomath area. I logged for both a long time ago, I'm betting they still have elk, I sure didn't kill them all.

Greatly appreciated Salmonchaser, greatly appreciated...

 

[CaliforniaPatriot]

1. Are designated Wilderness Areas legal for hunting elk in Oregon?

I'm currently looking at Unit 18, which for example contains Cummins Creek Wilderness, Rock Creek Wilderness, and Drift Creek Wilderness. When using the link below to try to find the answer, none of those areas pull after a search...

Search | Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife

myodfw.com

 

[Salmonchaser]

Yes you can hunt wilderness areas in Oregon.

 

[CaliforniaPatriot]

Yes you can hunt wilderness areas in Oregon.

Great, thanks for confirming sir.

 

[CaliforniaPatriot]

What might be incorrect regarding my below research on what elk will be eating, November, coastal Oregon (e.g. Siuslaw National Forest)?

• Grasses: If there has been sufficient rainfall, elk will graze on native grasses in meadows and forest openings.
• Forbs and shrubs: Broadleaf plants (forbs) and a variety of shrubs, especially species like salal, huckleberry, and vine maple.
• Ferns: Sword ferns are another common food source in the coastal regions, especially in more densely forested areas.
• Browse: During this time, elk will increasingly rely on woody browse, eating twigs and branches from trees like willows, alder, and redwood, especially as vegetation becomes less abundant.
• Conifer needles and bark: If food becomes scarce, they will also eat conifer needles and strip bark from young trees, such as Douglas fir.

 

[QuazyQuinton]

What might be incorrect regarding my below research on what elk will be eating, November, coastal Oregon (e.g. Siuslaw)?

• Grasses: If there has been sufficient rainfall, elk will graze on native grasses in meadows and forest openings.
• Forbs and shrubs: Broadleaf plants (forbs) and a variety of shrubs, especially species like salal, huckleberry, and vine maple.
• Ferns: Sword ferns are another common food source in the coastal regions, especially in more densely forested areas.
• Browse: During this time, elk will increasingly rely on woody browse, eating twigs and branches from trees like willows, alder, and redwood, especially as vegetation becomes less abundant.
• Conifer needles and bark: If food becomes scarce, they will also eat conifer needles and strip bark from young trees, such as Douglas fir.

Finding elk food in the Oregon coast range is mostly about finding where the sun hits the ground. This can be natural meadows (even small ones) or clear-cuts. Clear-cuts are by far the most common source of food for elk here. You do need to look for green, however, because some timber outfits are spraying so heavy that only thistles and fir trees can grow. Not much food there. Also, don't overlook roads as a food source. They make a long, skinny break in the canopy, and they usually have grasses on the shoulder. I know the cool kids brag about how far they hunt from the roads, but roads attract elk here. Besides, roads are so thick here, that if you tried to hunt a half mile from any roads, you'd have no place to hunt.

QQ

 

[CaliforniaPatriot]

Very informative input QQ, thank you very much sir.