NE Oregon elk--Was it worth 21 points?

QuazyQuinton

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Western Oregon
I cashed my 21 Oregon elk points this year to draw a rifle tag for the Wxxxxx Unit in the NE part of the state. For those not familiar, this is the highest demand rifle elk tag in the state and the one with the reputation for the biggest bulls. I didn't really start out saving for this unit, but when my point total started getting up there, I decided to go for it since it would be my one chance.

Scouting consisted of hunting the unit for deer last fall, plus a couple of two day scouting trips leading up to the season. I felt somewhat familiar with the unit, but there is a lot of country that is really difficult to access. The northern part of the unit requires either crossing the main river canyon or hiking miles in from trailheads in Washington. Much of the canyon country is steep and cliffy. Seeing elk is one thing, but getting close is a challenge.

I missed the first two days of the season due to work schedule, but then I headed over with the rest of the season ahead of me. I was solo for the first few days, and then a buddy joined me. It didn't take long to realize there were not 400" bulls hiding behind every tree. I was seeing some elk, but every sighting was followed by a map study to see if there was a way to get close in the next 24 hours. One bull that my buddy spotted was probably in the 360-370 range, but it was clearly across the line into Washington. Nothing else we saw was bigger than about 300 inches. The other challenge of the hunt is that there is one main road through the unit. Unless you commit to hiking into one specific canyon, you have a lot of company on the major vantage points.

On the second Saturday morning (day 7 of hunting), we saw a 6x6 with a broken right side walking out the top of a canyon and into the timber. Not particularly big, and no way to find him in the thick stuff above the canyon. We took Sunday off to go visit my dad, uncle, and son hunting an OTC tag in a nearby unit. Monday morning we were back looking in the same area. The same bull showed up on the same finger ridge, but this time he was down lower on an open ridge about 1200 yards from us. We decided to get closer.

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We had to hike out away from the elk, drive farther away, and then drive 10 or 15 miles to make a loop to get above that segment of the canyon. Then probably a mile or two of hiking to come out at the location where he had gone into the timber 2 days before. From that vantage point, 700 yards away, we assessed him better and debated if he was a bull I would be happy with. Fortunately, I had the sense to take the opportunity while my buddy was still there to help. I busted down the ridge to get closer and set up for the shot. On my signal, my buddy began cow calling, and the bull stood up. I had ranged it at 294 yards, and the first shot felt good. The bull ran toward me about 40 yards and stopped facing straight on. He was still on his feet, so I put the crosshairs on his chin and shot again. That folded him up, and he slid down the hill. Dying under this log was his final revenge.

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Scenic shot with a dead elk

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We had known he was broken on the right side, but he turned out to be kind of clubbed and a little palmated. There was a fourth tine on the end that was broken off. He was nowhere close to the size of bull that the unit is supposed to produce, but I really felt pretty happy. We packed the head and backstraps out that night. The next day we got all the meat up to the rim of the canyon and some of it all the way out. On Wednesday we finished the packing and broke camp. Let me tell you I was glad there were two of us and I wasn't working by myself.

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So, was it worth 21 points? I certainly will not start out again, even if I knew I could have that tag with 21 points again. That's just too long to wait for one tag. On the other hand, it was one of the coolest trips I have ever been on. Sharing it with a good friend made some great memories. It challenged me more than I thought it would for being such a premium tag, but I'm satisfied that I met the challenge. I'll be looking forward to getting out after them again next fall. And I got to drive home with this view in the mirror.

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QQ
 
Congratulations on your bull, some of the toughest country to hunt in the state. I’ ve always felt that ODFW was making a mistake when the raised the tag numbers to 20, much less 40. While there are still a few 400 inches running around up there it is getting thin. I didn’t get any pictures of anything bigger than about 350 from either of the big three units this year. Finally getting enough snow up there to start pushing them down, we’ll see if anything great shows up.
I do like how unique your bull is. Good job getting it done.
I got the same hat, Go Beavs.
 
I cashed my 21 Oregon elk points this year to draw a rifle tag for the Wxxxxx Unit in the NE part of the state.

I missed the first two days of the season due to work schedule,

Fortunately, I had the sense to take the opportunity while my buddy was still there to help.
Didn't we learn anything from the Montana mountain goat thread? Premium unit that so many people want, you tell work to shove it and get out there opening day and don't settle because you're buddy is there. So many people could have went in there with more dedication to get a monster and you stole it from them. Why don't you just shank the tent next time and if you didn't have a tent then shank the truck.

Before y'all get offended by a guy on the internet I am completely kidding.
Good job man I'd be happy with a bull like that and glad you had a great time with a good friend to enjoy it. I believe it was worth the points.
 
Congrats! Such cool big country. I drove through some of that country a couple years ago and wish I started buying points as a kid
 
Three items.

A: Congrats on a trophy!
B: Hunting in a flannel shirt makes you a hero, how refreshing to see a hunter dressed like a normal person.
C: I'll be in that unit in three years (per Ron), excellent post and thank you for sharing.
 
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Congrats on filling a tag after a 21 year wait. I've known people who hunted that unit who spent big bucks on aerial scouting to find their bull. Your journey to a dead bull was more pure. That is a rugged piece of dirt and rock, and you should be proud of the way you got it done.
 
Congrats, and nice write up! Also took me 21 pts before drawing, and longer than expected to tag out. Definitely not the number of bulls that used to be in there, even from 10 years ago. Enjoy that steak!
 
Congrats on filling a tag after a 21 year wait. I've known people who hunted that unit who spent big bucks on aerial scouting to find their bull. Your journey to a dead bull was more pure. That is a rugged piece of dirt and rock, and you should be proud of the way you got it done.
I agree, looks rugged and steep. Way to stick with it. As said before, it doesn't matter what's on the head, the meat tastes the same. Nice pic as you drove home. Congrats!
 
Pretty typical of the unit. You did well
 

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21 points are with it if you had a good hunt enjoyable hunt. I burned 15 deer for Steens this year and was told I was crazy. I shot the only deer in about 30 camps. Even if I wouldn’t have I had a blast seeing new country.

Good for you. Beautiful elk.
 
Cool bull! I archery hunted it in 2018 and saw over 40 bulls with only one being really big. Congrats on having success! I've never hunted another state for elk but I can only hope that there are a lot of tags that are much easier to draw that are as good or better.
 
Cool bull! I archery hunted it in 2018 and saw over 40 bulls with only one being really big. Congrats on having success! I've never hunted another state for elk but I can only hope that there are a lot of tags that are much easier to draw that are as good or better.

A few years ago with 5 or 6 days left in the second rifle season, on a main FS road I drove past some guys who'd gotten a small branch bull right there. It was starting to snow and those guys looked like the happiest dudes ever.

Sounds like some above posters hunt more north into the unit. I usually turn at the spot up on Rd 62 where guys glass into the canyons and send elk locations to the hunters down there. Good setup if you got it.
 
That is a really cool bull, @QuazyQuinton. That country you hunted, and most of the surrounding landscape, is some of the most incredible in the world. Congratulations on your long-awaited success.
 
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