My friend Rich Howarth sent me pictures from his Fall elk hunting trip in Oregon.  While he didn’t tag out, He called in a great bull for his friend, Jason Callahan from Junction City, Oregon.  Now if I can just get him to rattle me in a good blacktail this November!

 

In the morning Ed, Jason and I set off to a ridge top saddle that is a primary game crossing between canyons. Having set up to locate, we pulled in a cow, but she spotted movement and calmly made her retreat. As we carefully made our way up the ridge spine, a bull bugled at the three “cows” that were making noise. He was only 30 yards away but, unfortunately; Ed was in the lead and stuck in the middle of the dog hair. I was behind and pulled the bull over to 15 yards, Ed could see his antlers and hear him breathing, but just could not get a clear shot, it was just too thick. The wind was perfect but, eventually, after a long game of cat and mouse the bull followed his suspicious cows down into the drainage.

We followed them down to the bottom, but with the bone dry conditions, we lost the trail. After hunting our way to the other side of the canyon, we set up on a high spot which allowed us to call into three separate areas. The country we hunt in is not conducive to spot and stalk, one’s best chances are to get the elk to reveal their location, move in close and pull the bull in with calls. However, this was proving to be rather difficult this year, the weather was extremely hot and the elk did not appear to be very enthusiastic. We were fairly sure elk were in the vicinity, but try as we might, we could not locate them in the midday heat. We decided to wait it out until later in the afternoon and take up the chase again.

After lounging in the shade on top for several hours, we started discussing our plans for the evening. With a sudden itch, Jason let out a sneeze. Call it coincidence, call it luck, we heard a distinct bugle only 300 yards away to the east and down the hill. It was 2 in the afternoon and the breeze was extremely unpredictable, switching back and forth, and we debated whether to sit there and wait for a better wind, or push our luck and go right at him. Ed suggested we split up, send two down to the bottom and work the bull from below, and keep one person on top to set up in a saddle to ambush the bull if he winded us and tried to escape over the top.

Jason and I made our way to the bottom and moved over to approach from below. After some doubtful moments trying to relocate the bull, he finally sounded off again about 150 yards up the hill. We carefully made our way into position, trying in vain to keep a favorable wind, until we thought we shouldn’t press it anymore. I started calling the bull with cow calls. He responded quickly, but after several minutes did not seem motivated to get out of his bed. With Jason set up hill and to the side about 30 yards, I switched to a cow call, followed by a bugle with my Chuckler tube. Immediately I heard the bull get up and start down the hill. In seconds, I spotted the bull on a fast walk, his antlers swaying as he came to investigate. When he made it to a grove of small hemlocks, he stopped and proceeded to thrash the trees. I ranged him at 70 yards and he proceeded to put on a display of tree abuse for several minutes. I watched to see if Jason would close the gap with the bull occupied, but he could only move when the bull turned his back. The breeze kept shifting and I was sure it was only a matter of time before it betrayed us. I needed to pull the bull down some more to get Jason a shot, so I looked around, spotted a suitable hemlock below me, snuck down to it, started raking the tree with a limb and hit him with another bugle.

That did the trick, and the bull quickly moved down to close the distance. I knew he was in range of Jason, and although the bull was slightly obscured, I heard the loud twang of Jason’s trusty old Hoyt and watched his arrow streak across to the bull followed by the inevitable “thwack!” The bull sprinted down the hill away from us both, but as he left our sight, we heard a distinct crash and the bull let out one last gurgled bugle.

Jason misjudged the distance and the bull turned right at the shot. While quite high, the arrow punctured both lungs and ended up lodging in the back quarter. He only made it 150 yards before he could go no further.

Well a few months ago it was confirmed that wolves moved into Oregon. the Oregon Wolf Program is headed up by Russ Morgan of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

You can find out about the status of wolves in Oregon at the ODFW Wolf Webpage.  The latest press release details a depredation that occured in Eastern Oregon

September 5, 2009

BAKER CITY, Ore.—Two problem wolves involved in five separate incidents of livestock depredation in the Keating Valley area were killed in Baker County this morning by USDA Wildlife Services.

 ODFW authorized Wildlife Services to kill the wolves on Saturday, Aug. 29 after both agencies investigated and confirmed the last two depredation incidents at a private ranch in the Keating Valley area of Baker County.

The first incident occurred the evening of April 9, 2009 and the last occurred the evening of Aug. 27, 2009 on the same ranch. ODFW and Wildlife Services documented the loss of 29 domestic animals in the five separate incidents, all of which occurred on private property. Four of the five incidents occurred on one ranch and the fifth occurred at an adjacent ranch.

Evidence including bite marks and other wounds on the livestock, track sizes, the wolves’ historic use of the area and the style of the depredation itself confirmed that the same two wolves were involved in all of the livestock losses.

After the first incident, ODFW, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Defenders of Wildlife and the landowners worked together to try non-lethal measures to keep the wolves from killing livestock again. Those measures included radio-collaring one of the wolves so they could be monitored, installing fladry (flagged fencing that can be a wolf deterrent), using a radio-activated-guard box that makes noise when a radio collar approaches, double-penning livestock, keeping livestock near homes at night, burying carcass piles and using guard dogs.

ODFW hazed the wolves out of the Keating Valley area multiple times with an airplane or helicopter and also used cracker shells (noise making devices) to discourage them from remaining in the Keating Valley area around livestock operations.

“Under Oregon’s Wolf Conservation and Management Plan our first response to wolf-livestock conflict is to use non-lethal measures to deter the wolves,” said Russ Morgan, ODFW wolf coordinator. “If non-lethal efforts are ineffective, then lethal measures are taken. It’s unfortunate that we got to this step but these wolves continued to kill livestock despite our many efforts to keep them out of trouble. We cannot allow chronic losses to continue.”

Wolves in Oregon are protected and listed under the state’s Endangered Species Act. Wolves are also protected by the federal Endangered Species Act west of highways 395/78/95.

The state’s Wolf Conservation and Management Plan provides livestock producers and wildlife managers with specific tools to manage any wolf depredation. Ranchers may not shoot a wolf without a permit, even when it is in the act of attacking their livestock. The rancher that experienced four out of the five depredations had tried non-lethal measures to deter the wolves and ODFW and Wildlife Services had documented his continued losses. Because of this, he was given a permit to kill the wolves should they return to his ranch and be caught attacking his livestock again.

The two wolves that were killed were yearling animals and never bred. Their genetics link them to Idaho wolves, but it is not clear if they were born in Oregon or dispersed to Oregon from Idaho. For unknown reasons, the wolves were on their own at a young age, which could have contributed to their inability to survive on wild animals rather than livestock.

ODFW is currently monitoring two wolf packs in Wallowa County. In July, two pups were observed with one of the packs, marking the second confirmed instance of wolf reproduction in Oregon. Besides these two packs, other wolves continue to disperse into Oregon from Idaho.

If you have seen a wolf or wolf sign contact Russ Morgan the Wolf Coordinator for ODFW.  GPS coordinates and as many other details as possible will help determine the true number of wolves in the state. Track size, stride, direction of travel, scat location, etc. is all valuable informatin and may allow more wolves to be collared. 

With enough information, Oregon will be able to truly manage the wolves sooner

Here is Russ Morgan’s info:
541-963-2138 Ex.231
Russ.L.Morgan@state.or.us

After a dry run earlier this spring, Kirk returned to Western Oregon and glassed clearcut units for spring black bear.

On the Second day of his hunt he spotted a bear feeding on grass on a clearcut 550 yards away. He moved in to 300 yards, took aim and the cartridge didn’t fire.

Expelling the bad round, I jacked in another one and settled in for the shot. The bear was at 308 yards, so I put the cross hairs just below his spine, at the shot, the bear turned quickly downhill and appeared to be hit hard. He ran into a small patch of brush and disappeared.

Putting another round in the gun, I looked up and saw the bear walking out of the brush pile, appearing to be unharmed as he continued to feed.

Aiming just at/over his spine, I touched off another shot and bear crumpled, sliding a few yards downhill. Coming to rest on a downed log.

Luckily the shot took out the bears heart. She was a younger sow, probably 3-5 years old, very healthy with a great coat. I’d say she went roughly 175lbs.

Although I was hunting alone, I had some great hospitality and hand drawn maps from one of the locals.

Well done Kirk!

SALEM, Ore.— ODFW has extended the controlled hunt deadline until June 1 due to the large volume of applications and a slowdown in the license sales system.

“We understand the frustration customers and license sales vendors are experiencing and we apologize for the inconvenience this has caused,” said Roy Elicker, ODFW director. “We are dealing with a system problem that has slowed down service, and we are working around the clock with our vendor, Outdoor Central, to get the problem fixed.”

Typically every year, May 15 is the controlled hunt deadline. On May 12, ODFW extended the deadline to May 19 due to a slowdown in the license sales system believed to be caused by the high volume of sales activity in the days leading up to the deadline. The system continues to be slow so ODFW is extending the deadline further.

To ease the long lines, ODFW is making mail/fax order controlled hunt applications available at all ODFW offices and license sales locations. The application is also available on page 15 of the 2009 Oregon Big Game Regulations. Individuals can also download the application from the ODFW website. It’s called 2009 Big Game Mail Order Application Form under Licenses and Fees section of Web site.

Hunters can fill out the application and either drop it off at an ODFW office; mail it to ODFW Licensing, 3406 Cherry Ave. NE, Salem, OR 97303; or fax it to 503 947-6117/6113. Mailed applications must be postmarked by June 1; dropped-off applications given to an ODFW office by close-of-business or 5 p.m. on June 1; and faxed applications received by 11:59 p.m. PT June 1.

Hunters are also encouraged to apply for controlled hunts online. Online sales are not experiencing the slowness that sales at license agents are, especially when done early in the morning or later in the evening.

Hunters need to purchase a hunting license and obtain a Hunter/Angler ID number before they can apply for a controlled hunt, but the license purchase can be made simultaneously. Hunter/Angler ID numbers stay the same from year to year, so even if you have not yet purchased a 2009 hunting license, you can write in your past ID number on your application.

The deadline extension will also delay the controlled hunt draw and results notification. The draw will occur by June 15 instead of June 5 and hunters will be mailed results notification no later than July 1, rather than by June 20. Draw results are usually made available online at the same time that notification postcards mailed. Any leftover controlled hunt tags will go on sale July 15 at 10 a.m. PT rather than July 1.

“We recognize these delays may impact planning for the fall hunts and we apologize again for any inconvenience,” said Elicker.

Some of Oregon’s big game hunts are limited entry, including almost all rifle hunting of deer and elk east of the Cascades and pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, and Rocky Mountain goat hunts. These hunts require a controlled hunt application.

Jody Cyr, a fellow Pope and Young measurer had success on a nice Oregon Roosevelt Elk this September.  hunting is a family affair for him. 

Well, its been a tough year until Saturday…Ended up calling in a few bulls here and there, but for some reason didn’t really work out. Got into this bull early in the season and then left him alone for a bit..Ed (Fanchin) was up for a while, and for those of you that haven’t had the chance to hunt with him, he’s a first class dude and welcome at my place anytime..Came back to this bull after putting him to bed on Friday night and got right on him Saturday morning..By eight, he was broadside at 50 and that was all she wrote..Another good roosey bites the dust…Died in a hole that i had to go home and get a chainsaw winch to get him out of….That was cool though, cause the girls got to go back up with me….

I don’t know about you, but I tried to avoid my high school principal as much as possible.  You see, everytime I talked to him, I didn’t talk, I got talked to….If you know what I mean.  Maybe things would have been different if I had a principal like Mr. Cyr of the Powers, Oregon High school.  When he is not performing his administrative duties, Coaching basketball, or being a father to his infant daughter, Mr. Jody Cyr in the hills, and mountains.  When asked about spring sports, he replied ”Not coaching anything this spring, it’s shed hunting season.”

And from the looks of it , he is a darn good shed hunter. The Oregon Coast Range is a brushy place and it takes determination and perserverence to find one, let alone a dozen, fresh brown current year sheds.
Here is this years Haul….
Click on thumbnail to see full size…

An impressive Roosevelt Shed. Yes, That’s his office!

“I’ve been trying to figure out where a few specific bulls have been spending their winters..After hundreds of hours of hiking, I found one of their drops about 5 miles from where they spend time in the fall. I know their all bachelored up that time of year so I will be hiking like crazy looking for this match and a couple other giant sets…”

His shed hunting clues him into places to find deer and elk during the rifle and archery seasons as well. Remember those office photos? Here are his greatest hits from 2007, in thumbnail, clickable form…

When I asked him about future plans, he mentioned a trip to Hawaii with his family.  He was quick to add that he will be bringing his bow to squeeze in a few quick hunts between beach and hotel time!   

For years the states surrounding Idaho have been wrestling with the possibility of Idaho’s wolves, from re-introduction in the 90’s, would spread to their neighboring states.  Oregon has now officially acknowledged that it does have wolves within its borders. 

Here is the LINK to the official Press release from the Idaho Fish and Game.

A LINK to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Wolf Page 

This Weekend while opening the mail, I saw the January/February Edition of the Eastmans Bowhunting Journal.  Thumbing  through, I came across a familiar face in the members success pictures…Me!

Of course I started getting phone calls and e-mails from  all my buddies across the West with obligatory “Hollywood” jokes.  I had submitted a story along with a bunch of photos that I haven’t had the opportunity to share with my readers.  So I’ll do that here, now.

The Preparation

It was February when I saw that I was unsuccessful in drawing a Wyoming elk permit. I gathered my composure, and called my friend Shane, who lived in Oregon. Shane invited me to join him in Oregon where I could get an over the counter archery license. I was happy that I would have a chance to hunt elk this year.

In July, I received the news I had drawn a Wyoming deer tag. I was worried that the seasons would conflict. After numerous calls to my Wyoming and my Oregon hunting partners, we figured out a schedule that would accommodate both. I would spend 5 days hunting in Wyoming, then drive 12 hours to central Oregon to catch the last 4 days of the Oregon archery elk season. I knew if I was going to hunt for two weeks straight for two of the toughest game animals the West has to offer, I’d better get in shape.

Over the next 12 weeks, I had signed up with a trainer and began a regime of weights and cardio training 5 days a week. I dropped 4% in body fat and lost 25 pounds. I shot my bow every night, and competed in the local 3-D league with my daughters. By the middle of September we had all won our divisions. I also let my moustache and a goatee grow as a reminder to prepare for my upcoming hunts, much to my family’s amusement. My wife asked me when I was going to shave it, I replied, “When I arrow a bull elk”. Read the rest of this entry »

For hunters who want to apply for the Spring bear hunts in Oregon, the deadline is fast approaching.  February 10th is the last day to apply.  Results will be posted on or after February 20th.  successful applicants must purchase their bear tags BEFORE the first day of the season.  Spring Bear Seasons start as early as April 1st, and all controlled bear hunts end May 31st.

 On the Controlled hunts page of the Oregon Fish and Game website you can check draw odds and success statistics, as well as check your preference point totals.  The 2008 regulations are also now available for those hunters looking forward to the Fall Controlled Hunt application due May 15th.

My recent posts about my 2 week pilgrimage to Elk Country has raised some questions from my readers, so I thought I would respond to those I’ve received so far.

How many miles did you travel?  How long did that take?

I drove about 2400 miles total in my 2001 GMC Crew Cab who I affectionately call “Mighty Whitey”.  I made it to Oregon Elk Camp (550 miles) in 10 Hours.  From Eastern Oregon to Western Wyoming was a 2 part trip, but was a total of 14 .5 hours and 650 miles.  The return trip through Nevada was 940 miles. 

What did your bull score?

When I scored him in camp he was 259 before deductions for symmetry.  He netted 241.  That is still bigger than my 2006 Oregon Archery bull.

How much meat did you get?

I delivered 4 quarters totalling 360 pounds to the plant.  I got back nearly 250 pounds of boneless steaks, roasts, and ground meat.

What did you do with the meat? 

The meat I had custom cut and wrapped in Jackson by JH processing, a division of Cowboy natural meats.

What rifle, scope cartridge and caliber were you using?

I shot my bull with a Ruger Model 77 .300 Winchester Magnum.  Ammunition was a Federal Premium factory load with 180 grain Nosler Partition Bullets.

What was the weather like?

We had everything from sun to rain, sleet, snow, hail, and wind. The coldest was in the morning just before sunrise. It was as cold as 19 degrees, and as warm as 65 degrees.

What did you wear on your elk hunt?

In a situation like that layering is essential. I always wore Under Armour Cold Gear as my base layer. I wore Merino wool blend socks from wigwam, and REI. I wore Cabelas Microtex pants and shirt. I also had good results with a Woolrich wool shirt and Army surplus wool pants. For insulation I had a Cabelas Jacket, under Rain Suede Raingear, when I needed it, from Cabela’s. On my feet I had either uninsulated Danner Quarry boots or Hoffman 14″ pacs with 200gram Thinsulate liners. For my hands and head, I wore heatmax gloves, a polar fleece beanie or a Sage Creek outfitters ball cap.

Where were you hunting?

My typical Answer is “Up No Tellum Creek. For the exact location the person who can point it out is named Helen Hunt. If you REALLY want to know, go to Helen Hunt.” By the way that is a smart aleck answer for folks that are prying, trying to find out my “honey hole”.
But let it suffice to say Western Wyoming.