Ochoco Mule Deer

Marlin3030 · Oct 5, 2021

Hi Folks -
I've been rifle hunting Mule Deer in Ochoco since 1986 and just wanted to share my experience and see if anyone wants to give an alternate perspective or share their own.
Some background:
We've been in the same camp, high elevation for 35 years - we hunt the south point area (~6000 feet elevation). On years with no tag (like this one) I grab a pair of binoculars, spot and push for the other members of my party. I've got a year by year experience with the area.

When I started hunting the region 35 years ago (as a kid with my dad and grandpa) I counted ~50 deer every year. During the 90s a low year would be 45+ deer spotted and several opportunities on bucks. A high year would be 100+ deer spotted and every tag filled.

This year I heard one distant shot opening morning and saw three doe and a bull elk. Everything else was silence and chipmunks. This is slightly worse than the general experience over the past decade.
Lookout creek was completely dry up top for the first time in my memory... further evidence of a fairly significant drought that has impacted the area. The selective lumber harvest has opened up the forest somewhat, but the slash piles and debris that have covered the ground the last two years seem to further impact big game and forage... Unless there are plans for a prescribed burn these debris piles will remain for another decade. Is selective logging good for the area? At first I was hopeful, but the after effects seem negative so far.

I've seen the numbers and know the overall story of a decrease in deer herds, but it feels to me like even those decreased deer herds are more and more somewhere else. I'm wondering if it's time to say goodbye to the high country and head downhill. My son has started hunting, but has seen virtually no deer the last two years. I'm eager for him to at least experience the excitement of a possibility each year. Anyone with familiarity of the region having a different experience? Anyone hunting independence mine area or north point having success?

Caveat: I was successful in 2020 with a decent size fork - made good on the one opportunity I had opening morning.

callsalot · Oct 5, 2021

I don't have much to add but I grew up there to. In 1982/83 at 16 I would head up around Walton Lake archery hunting and would see between five and twenty bucks a day with deer everywhere. Also lots of deer in the crooked river national grasslands 15 minutes from home and everywhere else. Its been discuss many times on this forum that Muledeer across the west are in trouble but I've hunted most and think Oregon is the worst. It's far worse than the fish and game numbers suggest in my opinion. I can't answer high, low or in the middle but it won't come back until we make some changes to predator hunting "dogs", hunter technology, "hunters efficiency" and forest management. Again just my opinion from a lifelong Oregonian. Best of Luck to you.

callsalot · Oct 5, 2021

Just noticed your new. Welcome to the site.

oregonmuley · Oct 6, 2021

I've hunted the Ochocos in the past when it was great but like you said not these days. I just returned from hunting a unit just east of there and noticed the same thing. Few deer and lots of thinning going on in my general area. Its pretty ugly and like you mentioned long term it may help but never did see any animals in any of the active logging areas. I did get lucky and kill a rather unique fork but few deer seen overall. Our mule deer are in tough shape in many areas thats for sure.

baltz526 · Oct 15, 2021

The piles are the new global warming method of thinning. One guy with an excavator with grapple making piles. Then not burning the piles. Lot of it in the Fort Rock unit. The road hunters love it.

desperatehills · Oct 15, 2021

I know Oregon's mule deer are in trouble, I would not argue that one minute. But this year I hunted a new area and was pleasantly surprised by the deer numbers. Granted this was early in the archery season, I am sure they would be harder to find by rifle season. We were seeing 25 to 35 deer each day with a third of them being bucks. We were on public ground and we were glassing from a road anyone could drive on. A handful of the bucks were 4 points but nothing huge. This unit gives way to many rifle tags so I am sure older bucks are hard to come by.

callsalot · Oct 17, 2021

desperatehills said:
I know Oregon's mule deer are in trouble, I would not argue that one minute. But this year I hunted a new area and was pleasantly surprised by the deer numbers. Granted this was early in the archery season, I am sure they would be harder to find by rifle season. We were seeing 25 to 35 deer each day with a third of them being bucks. We were on public ground and we were glassing from a road anyone could drive on. A handful of the bucks were 4 points but nothing huge. This unit gives way to many rifle tags so I am sure older bucks are hard to come by.

I saw a few more deer this archery season than in the last few years so hopefully a good sign but still a fraction of what it used to be but here's to hoping this year was the start of a rebound!!!

Salmon · Oct 17, 2021

I have a bull tag starting next week. Would anyone be willing to share any ideas about that hunt?

NPHunter · Oct 18, 2021

oregonmuley said:
I've hunted the Ochocos in the past when it was great but like you said not these days. I just returned from hunting a unit just east of there and noticed the same thing. Few deer and lots of thinning going on in my general area. Its pretty ugly and like you mentioned long term it may help but never did see any animals in any of the active logging areas. I did get lucky and kill a rather unique fork but few deer seen overall. Our mule deer are in tough shape in many areas thats for sure.

They have been doing that thinning in NEO for several years now and some of those areas are starting to see quite a few deer compared to the surrounding landscape. Creates good feed for the deer and elk, sucks to walk through when it’s fresh though.
This deer lives in one of those spots, first time I’ve seen a buck like this in that area since I was a teenager.

Togwotee · Dec 10, 2021

Like nearly all units in OR the Ochoco has been going down hill for decades. for anyone who hunted it in the 80's or earlier it's simply depressing today there's nothing else you can say.

I live in the unit and I do see a few more deer the last couple years than I had been seeing. a small improvement but any positive developments are welcome.

I

Joedirt311 · Oct 11, 2024

Marlin3030 said:
Hi Folks -
I've been rifle hunting Mule Deer in Ochoco since 1986 and just wanted to share my experience and see if anyone wants to give an alternate perspective or share their own.
Some background:
We've been in the same camp, high elevation for 35 years - we hunt the south point area (~6000 feet elevation). On years with no tag (like this one) I grab a pair of binoculars, spot and push for the other members of my party. I've got a year by year experience with the area.

When I started hunting the region 35 years ago (as a kid with my dad and grandpa) I counted ~50 deer every year. During the 90s a low year would be 45+ deer spotted and several opportunities on bucks. A high year would be 100+ deer spotted and every tag filled.

This year I heard one distant shot opening morning and saw three doe and a bull elk. Everything else was silence and chipmunks. This is slightly worse than the general experience over the past decade.
Lookout creek was completely dry up top for the first time in my memory... further evidence of a fairly significant drought that has impacted the area. The selective lumber harvest has opened up the forest somewhat, but the slash piles and debris that have covered the ground the last two years seem to further impact big game and forage... Unless there are plans for a prescribed burn these debris piles will remain for another decade. Is selective logging good for the area? At first I was hopeful, but the after effects seem negative so far.

I've seen the numbers and know the overall story of a decrease in deer herds, but it feels to me like even those decreased deer herds are more and more somewhere else. I'm wondering if it's time to say goodbye to the high country and head downhill. My son has started hunting, but has seen virtually no deer the last two years. I'm eager for him to at least experience the excitement of a possibility each year. Anyone with familiarity of the region having a different experience? Anyone hunting independence mine area or north point having success?

Caveat: I was successful in 2020 with a decent size fork - made good on the one opportunity I had opening morning.

I’d agree with your statement on that. I’ve hunted there my entire life and the numbers just keep dropping. I know lookout like the back of my hand, this year we saw several big mature bucks and a bunch of little guys. The management boundary area has really turned into elk country & I think most have dropped into the old Ochoco lumber co which is owned by O’ryan ranches llc. All that stuff’s been closed since keystone ranch closed the Arvid Nelson rd (4215) back in the 80’s. It’s really sad knowing the decline. It’s certainly the forest management.

Togwotee · Oct 12, 2024

Most everything from Deep creek to the South Fork of the John Day has brunt this year, including all the wintering area on the murderer's Creek side. Black Canyon and over into Cottonwood is still on fire.

If you think Ochoco is bad now you ain't seen nothing yet if we get a bad winter, or even a winter. it won't really effect the Ochoco unit as bad as Murderer's creek but a good number of animals do winter to the east from the Wolf Mountain area.

I called ODFW and asked them if they were getting a jump start on a feeding program since it's obvious we have an enormous problem and all they said was like the general public they're not allowed into the burn area so they haven't assessed the situation yet. which is BS, he should have just told me don't know don't care. I really feel we have a disaster like we've never seen in the South Fork coming and nobody cares.