I have enough pref points (8 long years worth) to do the premier Oregon mule deer hunt, which is in the Trout Creek Mountains in far SE Oregon. There's not much info out there about that area that I've been able to find, but I'm thinking that perhaps since Nevada manages that part of the state differently (Oregon gives out very few tags), there might be more from Nevada guys??

Anyway, if you've hunted that area I would very much appreciate hearing about it. Thanks.

Other than drive through the area, I can't help you.
But the state of Nevada's website can. Log on to ndow.org/hunt/resourses/advise or somewhere in that neighborhood. Look up Zone 031/Mule Deer and see what they say. I seem to recall that's a prime area for throphy mulies. Very few tags issued each year and pretty good access.
You can also call that district's biologist and see what he has to say. I've obtaioned some really helpful information using both metods. E

Call the ODF&W bio in Burns. 541 573 6553. I believe they just finished their counts about 2 weeks ago.

Thanks. I have a call into them. I like talking to those guys.

I'm hoping to hear from someone who's hunted there... or even BEEN there. Steens is all the closer I've been to that part of the state. That area is a long ways from anywhere!

Sounds like Nevada manages it as a trophy unit too...

Do you mean North Western Nevada?

I hunt the Idaho Owyhees for lions and sometimes go into Jordan Valley for fuel and food. Big Country out there. If you have that special of a tag, you would be an idiot to not scout it out first. Just start knocking on ranch doors. Someone will let you hunt and they often tell you where they see deer.

I have never been to Trout Creek OR, but I know the Owyhees well, and honestly, I wouldn't hunt the timbered ridges. I see the biggest bucks on the rimrock canyon edges that look more like goat country than deer country.

Hunted Idaho Unit 40 just outside Jordan Valley with a buddy last year. Awesome country and great people in that neck of the woods! Our timing was a little off, but the guys who were there during the peak of the rut had a heyday. I'll keep applying in hopes of drawing someday!

Jeff, if you mean between highway 95 and NV 240? I have. Around the Pine Forest Range and the Santa Rosa Range. NV units 31 and 32.
Some very nice bucks, but few and far between the last couple of years. Mountain Lions.
The Oregon Idaho Border sits about dead center of Northern NV.

I have not hunted Trout Creek for deer in Nv. but have driven around in that area and I have hunted Chuckers, coyotes ands rock chucks on the Idaho side. I most always see deer in that area..I have worked cattle across the line in Nv. and about 10 years ago, right after the Idaho season closed I saw about 10 monster bucks in a couple of hours while looking for some strays up in the rimrocks. I guess they had run to Nv. because of hunting pressure or maybe they are always there, don't know. I have a friend that drew a sheep tag close to there, not sure exactly where, and he says he has seen some really big bucks on the Idaho side but not a lot of them...also up in the rimrocks.

I scouted that area a few years back in July and I still have the BLM maps around here somewhere. We had dirt bikes along and could travel over some of the semi-volcanic trace roads that would simply eat-up your 4-ply truck tires ... (if you do go, I�d recommend you take along two extra mounted spare-tires ... some �shade� and all the gas/water and mosquito-repellant you can carry). We saw way more antelope than deer, but the few shooter Mule-Deer bucks (tall and massive but not wide) ... were (naturally) hanging around the Aspen groves on the heavily posted Private-Property, up at the higher altitudes. We did Trout, Willow and Whitehorse creeks. The State boundary wasn�t well marked (in the boonies) and the only way we realized we had tracked into Nevada, was by GPS.
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Not to burst anyone's bubble here ... but before you stop the newspaper and hold your mail ... you need a REALITY-CHECK here.

Trout Creek has 52 tags authorized for 2009. Last year (2008), 38 of those tags went to people with preference points ........

11 tags went to people with 10 (or-more) points

only 27 of the 49 applicants with 9 points drew the tag ... those remaining 22 (undrawn ) applicants will all have 10 points for the 2009 draw ....

101 applicants had 8 points last year (none drew a tag) .... all 101 undrawn applicants (from 2008) will have 9 points this year ... That makes at LEAST 132 Hunters ahead of you in points .... and only 38 tags in 2009 will be awarded by pref-points.

So you have the same chance of drawing a Trout-Creek deer tag in 2009 with 8 points ... as Hillary does of becoming Miss-USA.

... Silver Bullet

So many Pirates ... so few Lifeboats

Silver Bullet,

Sounds like it's a year harder to get, then it was a few years ago when I last looked. It was an 8-point tag then. Oh well. It isn't looking like my bro is going to be ready this year, anyway.

I've been having second thoughts about hunting that tag with him anyway. Not because of HIM, but just because I've got a lot of time and money invested in HIS point, too... I buy him and out of state license every year for his birthday, along with deer and elk pref points.

So what that means is, I could go hunt (say) Trout Creek myself. Then, he and I could combine his points, the next year, and still pull off a 4-point hunt together (his 8 points divided by two).

That might make more sense.

I sure wish Oregon would let us manage our points a little. If I could, I'd use 3-4 of mine to do a "good" mule deer hunt, and still have 4-5 points left to do another one. Oh well. I've waited this long, might as well just keep whackin' blacktails another year or two and do the Trout Creek's...

Now there's another little known FLAW in the Oregon preference-point system. If you applied along with your Non-Resident brother as a "Party" ... you would both need 12+ points to draw that tag.

Why ?? .. because with only 50 some total-tags available ... non-residents are limited to a total of just 1 tag a year ....(the Non-Resident limit for deer/elk is 5% of total unit tags). So, if just one non-resident (with 13 points)applies and is drawn ahead of your party .... no other individual non-resident or "Party" that includes a non-resident member... can draw a tag there. Even if you had 9, 10, 11 or 12 points.

Gotta go reload some T-TSX's, for a little range-trip on Monday.
Spring bear snow-depth ... still being reported at 68"

... Silver Boolit

So many PIRATES ... so few Lifeboats

Well, that clinches it then. Plan B.

Silver, I know you are a hoarder of pref points from our conversations about your elk hunt a couple years ago in a unit which shall remain nameless <g>.

If YOU had 8 mule deer pref point, and an out of state brother with the same, what would YOU do? Steens? Forget trying to hunt together, and use them seperatly like I said up above?

The whole damn thing is a PITA...

I say keep the faith and keep putting in for Trout Creek.

Jeff, go to monstermuleys.com and pul up their draw odds calculator, punch in the point info and the area and it will tell you the odds per point for last year, you can figure out pretty close what you need for any draw hunt....Steens might be aa stretch for a non resident with 8 points also....

http://monstermuleys.hunterstrailhead.com/huntsearch.php?ST=UT

This is for Utah, but I think you can figure out how to go to Oregon, the trail is pretty obvious...

If you don't spend some time in the Trout Creeks and get a feel for it you are a fool. It is not the kind of country that a lot of fellas will be comfortable in. Very desolate, "God forsaken" type of land. That and the deer aren't there like they used to be. It would take a lot of work and a lot of scouting to get a 190+ deer out of there.

You aren't going to draw this year so you might as well take a week and go "camping" down there. I bet you don't stay the whole week.

Mark

I am betting you are right....

I mailed me and my hunting partners deer hunting applications today, we applied for the series 100 Oregon deer hunts. Our first choice was South Warners followed by Interstate as our second, we only have one bonus point and we are non residents so we are not to confident of being drawn. Has anyone hunted those units?

Jeff O: I've run around a bit in the Oregon side of the Trout Creeks, and it's grand spot and stalk country. The deer population crashed there about 10 years ago, but has been slowly recovering. It's by no means a spot for a weekend endeavor. Go for the entire season pluse about 2 full days on the front end for scouting. Spike camp thoughts might be beneficial too. Also, be very aware of exactly where the OR/NV border sits.

As to points: I've been thinking about petitioning the Oregon Game Commission for a points banking system. I'm lucky, and have been consistently doing out of state stuff for some time. I'm now carrying enough deer, pronghorn, elk, and bear points to do anything I want. First order is a Wenaha elk tag, probably next year if I don't score an out of state elk tag. After that, I don't see much that's worth expending a dozen or more points on.

With a banking system, one only sacrifices the minimum number of points needed to secure a tag and still retains the remainder. With that design, I could probably score 3 Steens tags in a row.

I think a petition run through the OHA organization might be a successful route. Might give it a go in a couple of months. 1Minute

Hey guys, let's slow down here. That is one of the drier, more open, low density areas. To hunt it, you need to understand a few things and hunt accordingly.
I've done alot hunting in drier, less dense areas. You need to understand what you are dealing with and be prepared to address those conditions.
As to not liking it, that depends on what you like and how you like to hunt. I, for one, happen to like and understand wide open country and enjoy hunting it.
You need to find the animals. So lots of time checking key areas. I'd think water first, and green feed second. For large, older bucks, I'd also think out of the way places where the ATV addicts don't go.
Such areas often have a high ratio of older bucks because of these conditions.
Such areas often offer some high quality bird hunting, and even high quality trout fishing if they have running streams. Other wildlife, like Pronghorn and Bighorn Sheep are other considerations. E

Thanks for the posts, guys.

1minute, I'll sign that petition!

Sgt217, I grew up in central New Mexico. Big, desolate country is home for me. Not worried in the slightest that I somehow can't handle it there- but thanks fir your concern <g>.

I spoke with the biologist down there. Not sure WTF to do. They are at 30-something percent of their management goal for deer numbers. Might make more sense to just donate half my points to someone else (put in as a party with them) and hunt NE Oregon. I don't know.

Eremicus: Some good points there. Especially on bucks in out of the way obscure spots. An observation though that might seem a bit counter intuitive in regards to green feed..... Most of my recent deer seasons have been spent in Hells Canyon and on the Steens with family member tags. One can find a wealth of green feed in the canyon bottoms around creeks, springs, and seeps, but in the early fall, deer are mostly out feeding on what appears to be almost barren scabland slopes.

The complexion of those sites is mostly derived from soil and rock, but one also finds a great variety of small succulent forbs that deer and sheep seem to relish. The bottom line... Don't dismiss those expansive barren hill sides as being unproductive. The actual biting surface of a deer's incisors is about 1 inch wide, and they get through by being very picky and selective foragers. Those areas are worth looking at in the early AM when working big country.

1minute,

Do you consider the Steens tag to still be a quality hunt?

I love Steens. Started going there in '87. It may be that my pref points are better spent there, than the Trout Ck's. Last time I was there, a couple years ago, the locals were pretty down on the hunting prospects, though.

Your thoughts appreciated.

The sad reality in Oregon right now is that mule deer numbers are down everyhere! If you base your expectations on what buck numbers were in the past you're gonna be disappointed no matter where you go.
The deer numbers have had a steady decline since Measure 18 passed in 94. Theres certainly other factors as well.
HOWEVER... there's still some great bucks out there, and the units that produced the big ones in the past are still gonna have a few.

Oh yeah. When the forbs come out, they go for those and forego everything else. That's true wherever mulies are found.
It takes some sort of moisture to bring out the forbs. So it always pays to know when it last rained or snowed. Moisture also disperses them. That's another reason why one must know the recent rain and snow fall history of the area.
I have found that you can't know the country unless you get out on foot in it. If it's got cattle grazing in it, that may or may not make a difference. As a rule, since cattle stay in the easy to get to places unless the feed conditions are really bad. The deer tend to stay in the rougher stuff simple because the feed is better.
I've also found that in really low density areas you are better off looking for fresh sign rather than the animals themselves.
The other thing is that low density areas often have a much higher percentage of older bucks in their herds than the more populated herds. For the guy that knows how to hunt them such areas are often excellent throphy areas simply because they have as many, or more, bucks in the 4 yr. old plus class. E

KCBighorn,

And me with all these pref points... damn!

Well, we'll see what happens. I'm toying with the idea of a solo hunt into Steens. I've backpacked several times into both the east and west sides of that mountain. Can't say I've seen a lot of deer, but then I wasn't hunting, either.

I guess if I'm not SURE, I'll just sit on the points.

Our deer numbers are generally down, most likely due to a series of less than average precip years and their accompanying poor forage quality. Fall rains in particular give deer a nutritional and weight gain boost going into winter, and we've not seen much of that lately.

Those things given, one can still find some good bucks on the Steens due to the many isolated refuges. It takes time, mobility, more time, and patience to score those guys. Unless one is backpacking to a truly remote portion of the range, the first two days of the season are not conducive to spot and stalk type hunting. Too many folks stumble madly around because they only go for the first weekend. After the first Saturday and Sunday they are gone or physically shot, and one can get in the classic spot and stalk mode with few if any interruptions.

Get 2 to 3 miles away from the Loop road system, and one should do well. The west side of Kiger gets over run with 4-wheelers even though they should not be there, and I would not work that country at all for the first few days. There are large portions of the mountain north and south of the tourist loop that are seldom explored. The spectacular rugged canyons have a lot of appeal and do hold some fine bucks. The huge sagebrush flats and ridges to the south of the Steen peaks, don't offer much character, but they serve up a lot of seclusion to bucks and they are generally overlooked. One needs a primo vantage point at first visible light and some glass to hunt those spots. Trying to walk something up is exhausting, and Big Eddy doesn't pause and look back to offer a shot if one jumps him by accident.

Again, if one elects to burn his points there, it would be best to do the entire season. I would not give up the first couple of days either, simply because some one may still run a big boy up a canyon for yor. I should see our local bio in a day or two, and will see what he has to say about post season herd comp.

Thanks 1minute, thanks a LOT.

These damn pref points become like an albatross around your neck after a while! I'll be glad when I've just used them for whatever hunt, and I can start thinking in terms of "lesser" hunts in the future.

Steens has the advantage, for me, of familiarity. I love that place. I've never been there in October, though.

I've hunted the Trout Creek mountains in Oregon for sage grouse and there are some really nice deer in that area. A couple of the guys in my grouse hunting party stayed for the deer season and found a couple of large 4 pointers. One thing I prefer about Trout Creek is that I see alot less people there than in the Steens. The Steens are more popular for hiking and sightseeing.

There will be way fewer people in the Trout Creeks as there are only 50 tags. The deer are there, some real big ones too, they are just hard to find, they didn't get big by standing next to the road during October. In my experience, the deer are found in pockets there. I got lucky and found an area that always holds deer my first trip in. The weather can be a concern, I've been in there 4 times in September, been chased out 2 times by snow. The other issue is flat tires, take 2 spares. It's beautiful, remote country, good luck if you go in!

I know what you mean about tires. Last time we were at Steens, we broke a tire on the Land Cruiser on the sharp stuff they have all over (even on the roads) down there.

Are you bowhunting, to have been able to hunt it multiple times like that?

Yeah, I hunt the traditional archery only area. It's been a couple years since the last time though. I always go back to the same area since I know it holds deer, so I haven't explored much of the unit. While I haven't had any issues with tires, knock on wood, I talked to a couple guys that learned the hard way and had to be rescued by one of the ranchers who happened to find them. It is a really amazing area and I'd love to go there more often, but it's a heck of long drive.

Jeff O I hunted the TC mtns in '07. If you would like to hear what I found send me a PM. But SB hit on your real problem. You don't have the points to draw, and with your brother being a non-resident, you are many years away. By yourself you are 4 or 5 yrs away. If you want a great hunt keep the faith!

here is the 2009 oregon odds book http://ronwold.googlepages.com/

I get tired of this stupid lottery draw "control hunt" BS here in Oregon...its all about revenue generation and overly justifying F & W existence....

I have scouted the Trout Creek Mountains, Steens Mountains, and been able to hunt White Horse once... didn't get to shoot anything, but I sure enjoyed being out in White Horse...

kicked up two huge bucks, but we were right on the line with Idaho, and they crossed into Idaho before I could get a good shot at them... ( within 200 yds!).. they just stood there in the open field looking at me.... them in Idaho, and me standing 200 yds away in Oregon.....how is that for having to adhere to hunting ethics?

even not getting a tag it is more than worth the trip to scout that area.... between there and scouting the Snake River Canyon when I drew a tag for up there..... have been two of my most enjoyable "wilderness" adventures...

I'd rather hunt White Horse and Skunk, than hunt locally with a solid guarantee of a blacktail.....the experience of walking those ridges 'hunting' is unbelievable.... you are truly in the back country wilds over there....

Thanks Seafire.

Steens is one of my favorite places, period. Just spectacular. I've been up two of the canyons on the east side, all the way to the base of the cliffs. There are juniper up there with trunks 10 feet across, kid you not! Just gorgeous. I can only imagine that hunting such terrain would be sublime.

I haven't been to the Trouts. I don't know why I thought 8 points would get me there; I think it WOULD have, last time I looked 4-5 years ago. Apparantly now it's 12 points. I'm not waiting that long, so Steens or Whitehorse will get my points I guess.

I have traipsed through most of Owyhee County, Floated down the Owyhee river, met the wife at the Big Loop in Jordan Valley and spent some time in Jarbidge. I really enjoy the country and have seen a few big mulies among other game through the years.

That being said, unless you grew up or have spent a few years working that kind of country you probably do not realize the vastness of the sagebrush sea and the fact that you are entirely on your own. If you get stuck in the gumbo after even a light rain, pop a tire on the sharp desert rocks or have some other mechanical or medical issue, you are entirely on your own.

There are more people out there than ever before, but it is still an area where you may have to walk 40 miles to find another person. The Twin Falls and Owyhee county Sheriff's offices recover dead hunters, city folks and jackass ATV riders every year.

Bear it in mind.

And sporting an Obama sticker on a vehicle will likely result in you getting no help at all.

Thanks. No worries, I've never liked ANY presidential candidate enough to soil my truck with a sticker... much less Obama <G>.

That is big country, I could tell by being on the edge of it even. I did grow up in big high desert (New Mexico) so it's not foriegn to me, but I hear what you are saying. And if the rocks there are anything like around Steens, they will flat out ruin your day (and your tires).

At this point these damn preference points are starting to feel like an albatross! The path forward is not cleat. Aargh.

Wife just drew Trouts for 09'.I would take any good suggestions where to look for a good buck(feel free to pm). I've chukar hunted in the Trouts a bit and have seen some dandies, but late Nov. is not Oct.. Thank for any insight.-Robert

We spent yesterday driving in the Trout Creeks Mtns., it is big country. I think it could be a once in a lifetime hunt. Saw some antelope, coyote and rattlesnakes. But no deer, not even a doe. But we were there mid-day. Also not a single person. I recommend the BLM sportsmans map from Burns for starters and a GPS. Stop for a burger and shake in Fields on the way in. We had no truck problems, but when there is a next time I will come ready for war! Mosquitos were fierce, they say they will be gone next month. We did see about a 28-30" 4 pt. buck on Malhuer Refuge Tues. evening.