Hunting guide 2012: Oregon regional outlooks | OregonLive.com

Northwest region ?

DEER
Saddle Mountain, Wilson, W. Trask units
Forage conditions are excellent and while deer densities overall are only moderate, good survival of bucks from last year's hunting season should give hunters a decent chance, especially in the Wilson unit. Deer are most numerous in the eastern portions of these units, on the valley side of the Coast Range.

W. Stott Mountain, W. Alsea, N. Siuslaw units
Deer numbers are increasing in various areas and hair loss syndrome is abating. Buck numbers in most areas are fair to good and deer are in good body condition with good vegetation growth. The best hunting will be the central and east parts of Alsea and Siuslaw units; deer numbers decline closer to the ocean.

Scappoose, E. Trask, N. Willamette, N. Santiam units
Mixed results are in store for buck hunting. More mature bucks are available in Scappoose and Trask units, while the number of bucks has decreased in the Santiam unit.

S. Santiam, McKenzie, N. Indigo units
Deer numbers remain below historic levels. The bright spot is fall surveys showing more mature bucks in all three units.

ELK
Saddle Mountain, Wilson, W. Trask units
Elk herds are robust, with the highest densities in the western portions of the units. Bull hunting should be very good in the Wilson and Trask units.

W. Stott Mountain, W. Alsea, N. Siuslaw units
Elk numbers are relatively unchanged. However, bull ratios are slightly down in the Alsea unit and up in the Stott Mountain unit. Elk will be scattered throughout the units, with most close to agricultural valleys.

Scappoose, E. Trask, N. Willamette, N. Santiam units
Hunting should be good in the eastern Trask and Scappoose units. Scappoose elk are more numerous in timberlands of the northwestern part of the unit. East Trask elk are widely scattered near agricultural fields and within the private timberlands. Elk continue to decline in national forest lands in the Cascades, but more elk can be located in industrial forestlands and agricultural fields at lower elevations.

S. Santiam, McKenzie, N. Indigo units
Expect elk hunting similar to recent years. As with the north, elk in the Cascades are stable to increasing on private lands but decreasing on national forestlands. More elk are likely to be found along the higher elevation fringes, where past timber management improved forage, and low-elevation private timberland.

BEAR and COUGAR
Saddle Mountain, Wilson, W. Trask, W. Stott Mt., W. Alsea, N. Siuslaw units
The black bear outlook looks fair to good. Densities tend to increase from north to south and from east to west, with the highest numbers in the western fringe of the Trask unit. Berry crops are excellent, so bears will most likely be out in open areas during the early fall.

Scappoose, E. Trask, N. Willamette, N. Santiam units
Bear hunting in the eastern slopes of the Coast Range should be average this year. Look in blackberry patches and abandoned fruit orchards. Cougar numbers are low in the Coast mountains, higher in the Cascades.

S. Santiam, McKenzie, N. Indigo units
Bear populations are strong. Unlike the Coast Range, a cool, wet spring delayed berry crops by a couple of weeks. Bears are common throughout the Indigo and Siuslaw units, less widespread in the McKenzie unit. There are plenty of cougar, but they're hard to find before the snow falls and deer and elk move to winter range.

UPLAND BIRDS
Grouse and quail numbers are low in the northern parts of the Coast Range, better than expected in the southern part of the range (on the valley side) and about average in the valley and Cascade mountains.

WATERFOWL
Resident mallards offer early-season hunting along the Willamette River and in local ponds, wetlands and lakes. Early duck hunting should also be fair to good on coastal bays for widgeon, pintails, mallards and divers. Ducks tend to concentrate in estuaries earlier in the season, with numbers diminishing by December. The best hunting is during storms, before heavy rains flood fields and disperse birds. Also get to the coast during cold snaps, when inland waters are iced over.

Goose hunting should be good in the Willamette Valley. The cackling Canada goose limit has been increased to three in northwest Oregon.

Southwest Region ?

DEER
W. Tioga and W. Powers, N. Sixes, S.W. Siuslaw units
Coos County deer numbers are on the mend and hair-loss syndrome is abating. Hunting prospects are good in all units, but public land is most accessible in the Tioga unit. Contact timberland and ranch owners and hunt for deer in brushy openings, meadows and clear-cuts where brush is beginning to grow.

Dixon, S. Indigo, N.W. Evans Creek, Melrose, S.W. Siuslaw, E. Tioga and N.E. Powers units
Large numbers of deer are on the Umpqua Valley floor, with lower populations in the Cascade and Coast ranges. Legal bucks are in clearcuts and other brushy habitats.

Applegate, Chetco, Evans Creek, Rogue, portions of Dixon, and Sixes units
Hunting will be average. Oak trees have plenty of acorns for late-season hunters. Most deer will be in high elevations through September. Jackson County deer are migratory, unlike other blacktails. Hunt high in the first part of the season and work lower elevations later. Josephine and Curry counties' deer populations show very little migration and deer can be found throughout all elevations.

ELK
W. Tioga and W. Powers, N. Sixes, S.W. Siuslaw units
Elk are in good condition and more numerous in the Sixes and Powers units than the Tioga. Look to north-facing slopes in the early season, then south-facing later. Pay attention to thinned timber, which encourages grass and brush forage.

Dixon, S. Indigo, N.W. Evans Creek, Melrose, S.W. Siuslaw, E. Tioga and N.E. Powers units
Elk numbers are highest in the E. Tioga, mid-to-high elevations of the Dixon and S. Indigo and the perimeter of the Melrose units.

Applegate, Chetco, Evans Creek, Rogue, portions of Dixon, and Sixes units
Scout for elk around water sources or wallows. Elk numbers are minimal in E. Chetco and Applegate units, although some are in select drainages in Applegate. Coastal elk numbers are highest on private property.

BEAR AND COUGAR
Coos County
Bear and cougar numbers are similar to last year. The highest bear densities appear to be near the Umpqua River, close to the coast. Bear hunting is best near blackberry patches in creek bottoms, clearcuts or along deactivated forest roads. Cougars are difficult to locate in Coos County. Cougars approach calls slowly and are easily distracted if calling is not consistent. Electronic calls are useful tools, using fawn and elk calf distress sounds.

Douglas County
Bear numbers are highest at mid-to-low elevations in the Coast Range. Cougars are abundant throughout Douglas County and are a challenge to hunt.

Jackson, Josephine and Curry counties
Hunters can expect an above-average year, especially around cooler wet drainages. Berries are plentiful. Cougars are found throughout the units.

UPLAND BIRD
Coos County
Blue and ruffed grouse and turkey production were poor in the long, winter-like spring. Mountain California quail did better, but rain in June probably had a negative effect on these birds as well.

Douglas County
Same as Coos County, although there was a larger carryover of adult turkeys from 2011. Success is best in the mid-elevations of the Cascades and Coast Range near brushy clear-cuts on secondary forest roads. California quail are on agricultural and low-elevation forestland.

Jackson, Josephine and Curry counties
Hatches of forest grouse and quail failed with the rains, although many were able to nest again. Fall turkey hunting should be fair, but mostly on private property. Bureau of Land Management land with oak/grassland habitat below 3,000 feet is prime public habitat for turkeys. Turkey hunters may use dogs during the fall season.

WATERFOWL
Coos County
Ducks will move in early in the fall and initially concentrate in coastal bays and other large water bodies. As the rainy season starts, waterfowl disperse inland to flooded river valleys like the Coquille.

Geese concentrate on private pastures around river valleys. Canada goose populations have been growing over the past few years.

Douglas County
Hunting for resident geese in Douglas County should be good. Local duck production was fair to good this year. Nearly all waterfowl hunting in the Umpqua Valley is on private property. Plat-I Reservoir in Sutherlin, the Umpqua River and its tributaries offer the best public waterfowl hunting.

Jackson, Josephine and Curry counties
A good number of local geese are in valley floors, agricultural land, and at Denman Wildlife Area toward the end of November.

Northeast region ?

DEER
Sumpter, Keating, Pine Creek, Lookout Mountain units
Winter survival was better than average, but deer numbers are still down from the hard winter of 2010.

Murderers Creek, Northside, Desolation, S.E. Heppner, N.W. Beulah units
Deer numbers are down, with good adult survival last winter, but only average fawn survival.

Heppner, Fossil, E. Biggs, S. Columbia Basin units (Heppner district)
Deer in the Heppner and Fossil units are stable to slightly increasing. Decent hunting is expected in the Columbia Basin and East Biggs units.

Starkey, Catherine Creek, E. Mt. Emily, portions of Sled Springs, and Wenaha units
Hunting should be good to very good.

Walla Walla, Mount Emily, Ukiah, E. Heppner, N. Columbia Basin units
Hunting will be average. Conditions were favorable when fawning occurred and deer came through to mid-summer in excellent condition. Ukiah and Walla Walla units have the best numbers, West Mount Emily the bigger bucks.

Wenaha, Sled Springs, Chesnimnus, Snake River, Minam, Imnaha units
Deer numbers are still low in all units with this past year's fawn survival lower than the previous year, but deer are in good condition with large bucks throughout the district.

ELK
Sumpter, Keating, Pine Creek, Lookout Mountain units
Elk herds in Baker County came out of the winter in good shape with large healthy calves.

Murderers Creek, Northside, Desolation, S.E. Heppner, N.W. Beulah units
Elk numbers are good, with calf ratios higher at the end of the winter than in the past few years. The exception is the Desolation unit, with lower calf numbers.

Heppner, Fossil, E. Biggs, S. Columbia Basin units
Hunting should be similar to last year, with more older bulls.

Starkey, Catherine Creek, E. Mount Emily, portions of Sled Springs, and Wenaha units
Elk hunting should be above-average in the Starkey, Catherine Creek and East Mount Emily units.

Walla Walla, Mount Emily, Ukiah, E. Heppner, N. Columbia Basin units
Mount Emily and Walla Walla units continue to offer high-quality hunting for branch bulls. Heppner is another bright spot, but it will be a tough year for spike hunters in the Walla Walla and Mount Emily units due to what biologists believe is continued high predation. The Ukiah unit has improved in the past year where the Department of Fish and Wildlife has been thinning cougar populations.

Wenaha, Sled Springs, Chesnimnus, Snake River, Minam, Imnaha units
Elk numbers continue to increase slowly in most units, hampered by predation. The Wenaha unit elk herd is still lower numbers than normal.

BEAR AND COUGAR

Sumpter, Keating, Pine Creek, Lookout Mountain units
Bear and cougar hunting should be good. Fall bear hunters have best success in higher elevation areas of the Keating and Pine Creek units. Find cougars just about anywhere; remember to carry a tag while deer and elk hunting.

Murderers Creek, Northside, Desolation, S.E. Heppner, N.W. Beulah units
Bear and cougar hunting should be decent this fall. Look for black bear in high elevations in the Murderers Creek and Beulah units.

Heppner, Fossil, E. Biggs, S. Columbia Basin units
Hunters are still seeing cougars in Heppner and throughout the district. It's not good bear habitat, though.

Walla Walla, Mount Emily, Ukiah, E. Heppner, N. Columbia Basin units
Bears are high early in the season, moving downhill slowly. The best bear hunting is north of Interstate 84 in Mount Emily and Walla Walla units. Cougar populations are healthy.

UPLAND BIRD
Baker County
Chukar production looks fair this year.

Morrow, Gilliam, Wheeler counties
Production is down from last year for all species.

Grant County
Upland game bird production appears to be good.

Union County
The wet spring and flooding in the Grande Ronde Valley resulted in a strong re-nesting effort for quail. Pheasant production is about average.

Umatilla County
Hunting should be slightly above average this year. Quail are holding their own.

Wallowa County
Heavy May-June rains and cooler temperatures resulted in much reduced chick survival for most upland bird species. Chukar hunting will remain poor. Blue grouse numbers and chicks per brood were below last year.

WATERFOWL
Baker County
Duck and goose hunting is expected to be similar to past years with a few resident birds early in the season.

Umatilla County
Lots of wintering Canada geese are expected.

Union County
Waterfowl hunting will be good, with good numbers of local mallards and gadwall.

High Desert Region ?

DEER
Hood, White River, Maupin, West Biggs units
The Hood unit's biggest deer are in thick cover. West Biggs and Maupin units also have good numbers of deer. Look into the Deschutes and John Day river canyons later in the season.

Maury, Ochoco, Grizzly units
Deer hunters should find good deer hunting in the Ochoco and Deschutes national forests.

Upper Deschutes, Paulina, North Wagontire, Northwest Fort Rock, Metolius units
Deer numbers are down everywhere except in the Metolius unit.

Keno, Klamath Falls, Sprague, S.W. portion of Fort Rock, West portion of Silver Lake, West Interstate
Hunting should be average, with slightly fewer yearling bucks.

Warner, Interstate, Silver Lake, southern portions of Beatys Butte, Fort Rock and Wagontire units
Success will be down in the Silver Lake, Fort Rock, Interstate and Warner units, with low fawn recruitment last year, but hunting should be better in the Beatys Butte and Wagontire units.

Silvies, Malheur River, Steens Mountain, Juniper, portions of Beatys Butte and Wagontire units
Deer populations are stable and buck ratios are good in all units. Desert units, however, have fewer deer spread across the dry country.

Whitehorse, Owyhee and Beulah units
Winter conditions were extremely mild in the Beulah Unit and an average hunt is predicted. Deer are scattered in the Owyhee and Whitehorse units. Avoid newly burned wildfire areas.

ELK
Hood, White River, Maupin, West Biggs units
Elk are scattered in small groups in the White River and Hood units.

Maury, Ochoco, Grizzly units
Elk populations are down in all three units. Elk are in good body condition and highly mobile across their range, with the best hunting expected in the Maury and Ochoco units.

Upper Deschutes, Paulina, North Wagontire, Northwest Fort Rock, Metolius units
Elk numbers continue to grow slowly in the Cascade units, but are fewer and farther between across the high desert.

Silvies, Malheur River, Steens Mountain, Juniper, portions of Beatys Butte and Wagontire units
Elk populations in the Silvies and Malheur River units should offer good hunting. High desert hunts are more challenging.

Whitehorse, Owyhee and Beulah units
Elk hunting is difficult and success rates poor on public lands.

Keno, Klamath Falls, Sprague, S.W. portion of Fort Rock, West portion of Silver Lake, West Interstate units
The Cascades offer the best elk hunting.

Warner, Interstate, Silver Lake, southern portions of Beatys Butte, Fort Rock and Wagontire units
Elk numbers are low; best hunting is high in the Silver Lake and Fort Rock units.

BEAR AND COUGAR
Bear numbers are low, with most taken in the Cascades, west of U.S. 97. The best bear hunting will be in northern Cascade units. Deer and elk hunters who also carry bear tags typically do the best. Successful deer and elk hunters sometimes score by returning to the kill site and finding bears attracted by the scent.

Cougar are abundant across most high desert units, with the best hunting after a snowfall and using predator calls near fresh tracks.

UPLAND BIRD
Wasco and Sherman counties
Quail did well, but chukar and pheasant hatches are down.

Deschutes County
California quail are healthy but numbers are down slightly.

Lake and Klamath counties
Quail production was fair to good and chukar hunting should be fair in Lake County.

Harney County
Chukar and quail numbers are down.

Malheur County
Chukar and quail numbers are about average, but the pheasant hatch was nearly double that of 2011. Outlying areas around Willow Creek and Vale have higher bird numbers than areas closer to Ontario and Nyssa.

WATERFOWL
Duck hunting should be very good in Klamath and Lake counties, with matching goose prospects for both Klamath County and the Columbia Gorge wheat country. The Warner Wetlands and Warner Lakes are full.

Good hunting is also on tap in Harney and Malheur counties, where many desert ponds still have water. Reservoirs aren't filled, however, so some creativity may be necessary in setting decoys.

Snake River hunters should find decent duck hunting throughout the winter.

-- Forecasts are paraphrased from detailed reports by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Source: http://www.oregonlive.com/outdoors/index.ssf/2012/09/oregon_hunting_guide_2012_nort.html

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