Author Topic: Eagle Cap Wilderness? (Read 17811 times)

strattonje · « **on:** July 04, 2012, 02:43:06 AM »

hey guys well in planned on hunting wa this year but looks like the navy has plans for me once again, but i wont let them completely ruin it for me i have till sept 5th to hunt so looks like im limited to oregon or colorado. i want to do a wildness hunt and have my eye set on eagle cap. im not looking to for anybodys honey hole just a trail head or too that i can use to get back and scout thanks you it will be much apprecietd... i also wouldnt turn down any honey holes.

MM3 Stratton USN

spin05 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 04, 2012, 03:11:30 AM »

I went there on a drop camp 12 miles in.So unless you want to do that or hike 12 miles. Cant help ya

strattonje · « **Reply #2 on:** July 04, 2012, 12:08:36 PM »

drop camps are a option too

coachcw · « **Reply #3 on:** July 04, 2012, 01:55:12 PM »

be carefull of the drop camps in the eagle caps .

strattonje · « **Reply #4 on:** July 04, 2012, 02:09:54 PM »

why do u have to be careful of the drop camps?

BLUEBULLS · « **Reply #5 on:** July 04, 2012, 07:53:21 PM »

my piece of advise is to go less than 4 miles in or more than 10.

strattonje · « **Reply #6 on:** July 05, 2012, 01:06:25 AM »

yea that what i was thinking.. if you dont mind me asking any you guys that hunt there how much elk or mule deer do u actually see. id be happy just seeing them let alone shooting one..

coachcw · « **Reply #7 on:** July 05, 2012, 06:24:45 AM »

my group had a very bad experiance with an outtfitter that drop camps in the caps , His first name starts with a O and last with a W.

elkoholic1 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 05, 2012, 10:49:37 AM »

strattonje · « **Reply #9 on:** July 05, 2012, 10:55:02 AM »

ill take note from what ive read online its probably best to hunt not too far in just get off the trail.. ive also thought about hunting heppener how busy is that dusy achery? im mostly just looking to see elk not shoot a reacord id be happy with a spike or cow in a legal unit

et1702 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 05, 2012, 11:00:03 AM »

I archery hunted Eagle Caps in 2008 and had great experience w/my outfitter for drop camp. Had one planned for this year too, but drew Valles Caldera in New Mex

Outfitter was really helpful and said I could move to rifle hunt later in year or move my deposit to next year. I moved to next year. If you want a drop camp, call Mark Halley, with Moss Springs Outfitters.

Let me know if you need phone # or e-mail address for Mark.

ET

strattonje · « **Reply #11 on:** July 05, 2012, 11:45:25 AM »

sent you a pm about outfitter..

ok so frm what ive gathered is success isnt best and i could very easily not see an elk but id rather see a few hunters back there than a million driving the roads.. nothing is worse than seeing someone shoot a herd for him and his buddies while driving down the road.

Elkpiss · « **Reply #12 on:** July 05, 2012, 01:18:47 PM »

Quote from: et1702 on July 05, 2012, 11:00:03 AM

I archery hunted Eagle Caps in 2008 and had great experience w/my outfitter for drop camp. Had one planned for this year too, but drew Valles Caldera in New Mex Outfitter was really helpful and said I could move to rifle hunt later in year or move my deposit to next year. I moved to next year. If you want a drop camp, call Mark Halley, with Moss Springs Outfitters.

Let me know if you need phone # or e-mail address for Mark.

ET

Mark is a good dude, ive guided for him a couple times... They got really good Horses and Mules too... Mark Knows the area well and well put you where the elk are.. However its no gimme in the Caps and you better be in good shape!..

strattonje · « **Reply #13 on:** July 05, 2012, 02:43:10 PM »

yea im in descent shape.. ive literally been training for back country elk hunt for 2 years but get screwed every fall by some navy event or school

Elkpiss · « **Reply #14 on:** July 05, 2012, 02:47:45 PM »

Ive seen some big bucks and some huge bulls in the caps as well but there are days where you dont see chit... Its rugged country so be in shape like i said cause if your not it well ruin your hunt... And be prepared for all weather conditions, i have had it about 80 then snow the following morning and thats in early sept... But you can get some opportunities at some true giant bulls.. I think the state record out of Oregon came out of the caps a few years back but i could be wrong.. A good way to hunt it is have Mark do you a drop camp, they usually put you right in the middle of the elk..

WSU · « **Reply #15 on:** July 05, 2012, 02:49:47 PM »

How difficult is it get out of state tags?

Curly · « **Reply #16 on:** July 05, 2012, 02:52:09 PM »

Wouldn't the only way to get a tag at this late date, be to go with an Outfitter so you could use one of his outfitter tags?

strattonje · « **Reply #17 on:** July 05, 2012, 03:43:45 PM »

they are over the counter tags im pretty sure

KopperBuck · « **Reply #18 on:** July 05, 2012, 03:48:56 PM »

blackveltbowhunter · « **Reply #19 on:** July 05, 2012, 04:13:12 PM »

Quote from: strattonje on July 05, 2012, 10:55:02 AM

ill take note from what ive read online its probably best to hunt not too far in just get off the trail.. ive also thought about hunting heppener how busy is that dusy achery? im mostly just looking to see elk not shoot a reacord id be happy with a spike or cow in a legal unit

The same can be said for roads. My

and I am Absolutley NOT trying to discourage you with this post. Its as gorgeous country as you can find and there is alot of it. But if your goal is any elk, IMHO this is not the hunt for that. The majority of the unit is bull only, while many other units offer any elk opportunities. Your absolutley right about hunting off trail, during alot of early archery the trails are busier with hikers and campers, than alot of adjacent units roads are with hunters. My experience is there are some good... even great bulls. But OPPORTUNITY is limited, due to numbers and sheer difficulty of traversing the terrain. I have no experience with the drop camps. And it may be much better...

I have been in pretty deep, and the elk density seemed fairly consistent, they are where they are. I am sure an outfitter who is in and out all summer is going to be a huge advantage in putting you into elk fairly quickly. But again I have no experience..... If my goal was to kill any elk I would look at some of the more popular units with any elk options, and higher overall elk populations then get off the roads from there. Any way you go Good Luck!!

Shawn Ryan · « **Reply #20 on:** July 05, 2012, 04:45:18 PM »

The Imnaha and Pine Creek units are either sex, the Minam and Catherine units are bull only. I've hunted from the Tenderfoot TH the past few years and been into elk each week I've been there. I've considered hunting Hurricane Creek and the country to the west of the Lostine River. There is good hunting up the Wallowa (east and west fork) and the Imnaha from the Indian Crossing TH.

If you are not stuck on the Eagle Caps, you might try the Snake River unit. Driving on the ridge road ends at the Warnock Corral. Hunting down into the canyon from there can be productive, but a lot of work to get meat out. Hunting north or west from there is good hunting as well. There are plenty of elk, and big bulls, all along the rim and west of the rim--or at least from the Freezeout area north to Mormon Flat. Other areas are probably just as good; I'm just not familiar with them.

IME, those with horses head in at least 8 miles, so by camping 4-5 miles in, you get the area between those with horses and the day hunters starting from the trail heads.

Can't disagree with blackvelvetbowhunter about other, more popular units. One of the reasons to hunt the Eagle Caps is the sheer beauty of the place, not the number of elk.

strattonje · « **Reply #21 on:** July 05, 2012, 05:56:30 PM »

yea like i said id be happy see a bunch of elk... my problem is also i dont have the time to find a area in a unit example heppener.. find public land.. then scout..takes alot work and resources im probably going to only have time for one scouting trip and then my next trip being the hunt soo im fully open to other units if u guys have any ideas im willing to try anything the average hunter wouldn't..

BLUEBULLS · « **Reply #22 on:** July 05, 2012, 09:55:06 PM »

Quote from: Shawn Ryan on July 05, 2012, 04:45:18 PM

The Imnaha and Pine Creek units are either sex, the Minam and Catherine units are bull only. I've hunted from the Tenderfoot TH the past few years and been into elk each week I've been there. I've considered hunting Hurricane Creek and the country to the west of the Lostine River. There is good hunting up the Wallowa (east and west fork) and the Imnaha from the Indian Crossing TH.

If you are not stuck on the Eagle Caps, you might try the Snake River unit. Driving on the ridge road ends at the Warnock Corral. Hunting down into the canyon from there can be productive, but a lot of work to get meat out. Hunting north or west from there is good hunting as well. There are plenty of elk, and big bulls, all along the rim and west of the rim--or at least from the Freezeout area north to Mormon Flat. Other areas are probably just as good; I'm just not familiar with them.

IME, those with horses head in at least 8 miles, so by camping 4-5 miles in, you get the area between those with horses and the day hunters starting from the trail heads.

Can't disagree with blackvelvetbowhunter about other, more popular units. One of the reasons to hunt the Eagle Caps is the sheer beauty of the place, not the number of elk.

that last sentence couldn't be more true

spin05 · « **Reply #23 on:** July 06, 2012, 03:50:17 AM »

i used these guys for my drop camp. http://www.steenswildernessadventures.com/index.htm although we didnt kill a animal we had a few chances. Unfortunitly it took us 3 days to find the elk.They were up top. We were camped on the bottom by the river....

Opportunist · « **Reply #24 on:** July 06, 2012, 02:13:34 PM »

Did a rifle deer drop camp with Mark Halley (Moss Springs packers) 2011 and killed a good buck, but it was the only buck we saw. I had hiked in there in 2010 with my dad on his hunt, so I knew where we wanted our camp. I was actually skirting a herd of elk with a solid 330" bull as the herd bull, trying not to bust them when I jumped my buck out of his bed. He went 174" and is a 6x6 with eye-guards. The day before my hunting partner and I had a nice 260-270" 6 point walk up to us while we were glassing off a cliff. Probably the most beautiful country I have hunted. I would go back for an elk bowhunt but not deer. We probably only saw 20 deer, the cats are really putting a hurt on the mule deer. Our camp was not the best, I would take in my own next time. It was just bad placement and they used a rope for the ridge instead of an A-frame log frame. We woke up to 2" of water in the tent, we broke down camp and moved the camp 30 yards to a high spot. Marks stock was second to none and he was very flexible in a last minute schedule change on our end, so overall I was satisfied and would recommend and use him again.

[smg id=11553]

Jayfire83 · « **Reply #25 on:** July 07, 2012, 07:24:00 AM »

Call Cameron Hanes! Or read his book! lol

It has A lot about the Eagle Cap.

strattonje · « **Reply #26 on:** July 07, 2012, 03:00:11 PM »

yea ive read that book more times than the bible... yea thats probably y i was insistent on eagle cap... im going to scout eagle cap and snake river and see which i feel more comfortable with.

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Author Topic: Eagle Cap Wilderness? (Read 17811 times)

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