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Jeff_O Offline OP
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Pulled this one this year as a 2nd choice. This tag puts a guy up on the PCT "more or less" and is an early tag (September) that reverts to an OTC blacktail general-season tag if you don't punch it up high. So it's a neat tag in that regard.

I've been up in the realm of the PCT a lot and hunted up there a little but I don't yet have an area picked out... any ideas from those who've hunted it? Planning on backpacking of course.

One thought is the Theilson area, either from the east side or pack up from the Kelsey Butte area. I've hunted there some years ago.


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Jeff,
I've got the same tag this year - also as a 2nd choice. I've never had good luck on this hunt, its a tough one unless you get into a little area that holds deer which is really hard to find in that country. I've hunted it up around the Three Finger Jack Wilderness a couple times, me and about 1000 others crazy Problem was always seeing much more deer on the wrong side of the boundary!

I know some guys that hunt this every year and I think they hunt more central part of the state and do Ok but no idea where exactly. Always makes for a fun hunt in beautiful country though. This was a few years ago on a early scouting trip.

[Linked Image]

This was up top looking east - wish we could hunt this area but its the wrong side of the PCT unfortunately

[Linked Image]

Last edited by Oregonmuley; 07/09/17.

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Jeff_O Offline OP
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Thanks! Yeah, it's not a high-percentage tag, but as a 2nd choice it's got some good qualities (we still get a preference point in Oregon if we get a 2nd or 3rd choice tag).

I think Santiam hunts the central part of things and has had success. Maybe he will see this.

I did kill a benchleg (blacktail/mule deer hybrid) up above Cougar Res getting towards the PCT. Neat-looking deer! Looong body.

Hopefully ODFW will send out unit maps like in years past so I can stare at the thing. The hunt description in the book is complex. I'm just looking forward to getting into some new country way up high. smile


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Yup Santiam and his crew are the ones that do really well up there - but never have figured out where that is?? I had the tag last year as well, you should be getting a nice map shortly showing the unit or if you want to PM me your address i have an extra be happy to send you. And yes they do have some gnarly big benchlegs up in that country - really an interesting deer especially the bigger bucks.


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Jeff_O Offline OP
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Nice antelope in your avatar! I'll be at Steens in August chasing them around ...


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I spent many years hunting the 3 Sisters and adjacent wildernesses. I lived close enough to really spend some time up there. Hunted the high cascade hunt a few times, archery hunted elk in Sept there A LOT. If I had a tag for the cascades in September I would expect warm days and cool nights, dry conditions, great camping weather. I'd hunt the recent burns and water up high. Believe it or not, there are deer out in the lava flows up high. Hint

Last edited by Fireball2; 07/09/17.

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Jeff_O Offline OP
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Ooooh, I like hints! grin


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Good luck on your hunt Jeff.

September Cascades buck, archery, net 173

[Linked Image]




Last edited by Fireball2; 07/09/17.

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&$!?* Photobucket...

I switched to imgur.... seems to work ok.


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Jeff, that is really a crazy tough hunt, to be honest. Bucks don't move much in the day, cover is generally tight, conditions are dry. I would check out the lava flows for islands of timber where a buck can hide undisturbed, and you can get in on him quietly. Might find a bull elk now and then too.
Water is really important in September up high. There's a bunch of really small ponds all over the cascades. The smaller and more isolated the better. If you can get away from everyone you may have a chance at one any time of day on his way to water. I got the big archery buck at 2pm near water.


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Jeff_O Offline OP
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Bump since it's getting close

Thanks Fireball- what you are suggesting sounds like "the plan".


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Jeff -

Take a good look at the Inciweb site. A lot of areas I would have suggested are under fire closure if not actually burning. We have a lot of summer left and no significant rain in sight. We do, however, have a shot at more dry lightning Tue/Wed. It's going to get worse before it gets better.

Tom


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Originally Posted by Jeff_O
Bump since it's getting close

Thanks Fireball- what you are suggesting sounds like "the plan".


I'd consider the dry conditions a blessing in that it concentrates the bucks by water sources. You will find them coming to small ponds and puddles, but they must be isolated and small for the best chance of success during daylight hours. The best bucks in the Cascades want isolation. I've seen deer use a water hole barely big enough to get their nose in. They know where those sources are and it's your job to find them. The best success I had when I hunted these conditions was to find some forest up high that didn't look good for habitat, no understory, very dry, generally very unappealing, and walk thru it until I found deer sign, then follow it. It usually leads to a water source. I don't hunt large numbers of deer, I hunt for one, and I feel more confident in finding "the" buck in marginal habitat than I do in prime habitat. The Cascades has plenty of marginal habitat! LOL.

Remember, it doesn't take much food to make just one very old very smart buck a good living up where no one bothers him. Like I said I'd hunt marginal old forest with little understory that's caked with decades of dry needles on the ground. They'll be there. If it's intermixed with small fir patches occasionally so much the better. They are waiting in this type of habitat for fall mushrooms to pop up after some moisture arrives. The biggest bucks require this type of isolation to survive so don't go getting all nostalgic for civilization, just stay there and tough it out. Hunt by faith and they will be there and you will be successful. If you can find an area like this you will be hunting deer that are behaving more naturally and are therefore more huntable than the one's you occasionally find closer to roads and people.

As tough as the hunt is, there are some aspects of it that are easier than other hunts, but you must be mentally tough enough and confident enough to stay in the hunt to wait for an opportunity. It will come if you hunt faithfully.

All that said, that's not the only way to get a Cascade buck, but that's one that consistently worked for me in the area I preferred to hunt. Recent burns are also worth looking at.


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Jeff_O Offline OP
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Tom- good point, and thanks. I'll check that out. Coming back from Steens the other day, the fire south of Sisters was very visible but still small. I heard it blew up. I hope things cool down by then. Steens was HOT and it kinda sucks hunting when it's that hot, not to mention fire danger and getting the meat out in good shape.

Fireball- that kind of advice is very helpful and I appreciate it. Totally different hunt but I've given similar advice to beginning blacktail hunters: have faith, be patient, hunt hard, stay in the game, it'll happen. It can be hard to keep the spirit up when hunting new conditions. I've been up on the top of the Cascades enough to know it's not exactly crawling with deer.

So to recap- look for obscure water holes in marginal habitat up in the lava fields in Three Sisters?


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Just got the unit map in the mail today so if you don't have yours it should be there shortly.


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Originally Posted by Jeff_O
Tom- good point, and thanks. I'll check that out. Coming back from Steens the other day, the fire south of Sisters was very visible but still small. I heard it blew up. I hope things cool down by then. Steens was HOT and it kinda sucks hunting when it's that hot, not to mention fire danger and getting the meat out in good shape.

Fireball- that kind of advice is very helpful and I appreciate it. Totally different hunt but I've given similar advice to beginning blacktail hunters: have faith, be patient, hunt hard, stay in the game, it'll happen. It can be hard to keep the spirit up when hunting new conditions. I've been up on the top of the Cascades enough to know it's not exactly crawling with deer.

So to recap- look for obscure water holes in marginal habitat up in the lava fields in Three Sisters?


Jeff, the lava fields are a bit of a different ballgame. There are small islands of timber in the lava flows that never see people, but it is pretty serious work walking those lava fields to get in and out. Big deer and an occasional bull elk hide out there. It's hot out there, take water.

The other scenario with the marginal habitat isn't for everyone but it sounds like you have the idea. I would try to avoid the forest with a carpet of bear grass, that type of habitat will be a waste of time. Hunt above or below that.


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OregonMuley, got my map yesterday. I forgot how far east it goes in some areas. I mean a guy would be hunting mule deer above Miller Lake, I'd think? Anyway, always nice to have a map to light up the fires. smile

Thanks Fireball. I know exactly what you mean about the bear grass "band".

Unless I'm staring at the map wrong it includes an area I actually killed a benchleg many years ago. Hmmm! Off the PCT a ways, down around Cougar.


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Yup, lots of area from north to south and over east a ways. I usually only hunt the north end of it, its the only area I sort of know so figure may as well hunt it before the general season opens up. Blacktails are evil little deer - mostly because they seem to outsmart me most years crazy


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Originally Posted by Jeff_O


down around Cougar.


Nothing wrong with the more traditional blacktail habitat if it's in the hunt area. Beautiful stuff in September.


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Jeff_O Offline OP
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A base camp at Miller Lake and hunting mule deer sounds fun too. I like that Thielsen area. The headwaters of the North Umpqua are on the other side of the mountains; I've hunted and backpacked over there too. And yes, pretty pumped to get up there in the Cascades in September!

Last edited by Jeff_O; 08/23/17.

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