advice.. Snake river Or

[strattonje]

okay im coming home on leave (Navy) in aug.. but have to head back sept 4th!!!! i know missing elk season again.. but i dont want to let that happen. so opted for oregon season starts aug 25th... ive chosen to hunt the snake river unit and was wondering if you guys have any experience out there.. is it worth my time to get a deer tag.. elk is my primary but i wouldnt mind taking a decent muley.. not looking for honey holes or even advice.. i plan to scout just wanted to know so i could plan.. but i would love advice if you dont mind on the unit thanks.

[fly4fish]

I have never hunted in OR, but been through that area on several occasions.  I have seen one quite nice muley on the breaks on the road between Joseph and halfway.  I know there are a lot of elk in that area too, but it has been hit by wolves pretty hard and gets hunted pretty hard. 

I have hunted a bit in Idaho in the snake river canyon and have noticed that the elk are down low pretty early, so if you are not seeing any on top, don't be afraid to go low, like maybe even over half way, which is deep (deepest canyon in North America).  If you are over the edge, you will be in big muley country, so if you can afford a tag, it would be nice to have.  The Idaho area I have hunted gets hit hard during the Rut by the natives on top, which may be the reason they head over the breaks.
Shouldn't be much different in OR except the hunters will be using different weapons, which the elk don't know the difference; they just head down hill.

Good Luck, thanks for the service

[BLUEBULLS]

In that unit, hunting on foot... I wouldn't buy both tags. There is a good opportunity to shoot both but if you're packing them out on your back and you shoot a deer, you most likey won't have much elk hunting time and if you shoot an elk... rip that deer tag up on the spot because it'd be spoiled meat city trying to pack 2 critters out on your back. I personally wouldn't buy both even if I had horses as it'll cost so much time getting the first critter to a cooler. If I had a packer (which luckily I will when I hunt the unit) I would buy both.

  The unit is getting more and more popular with people and wolves. It's BIG country that takes a real toll on the backpacker but if the tag money is no issue then sure, buy both because you could stumble onto something worth killing.

[strattonje]

ok sounds good.. yea im torn between hunting hells canyon or hunting private land in heppener... i wish i could go out and scout right now cause im basically going to have to make my discussion on which area 3000 miles away.. due to lease

[time2hunt]

Hunt the heppner unit if you have private access the snake river country will eat you up if you havent scout it.

[skybusterbo]

Do you have access to horses? If not... very hard to hunt. 

[strattonje]

ok thanks for the advice looks like im going to hunt heppener.. what the elk like out there should i be picky? or shoot anybull?

[BLUEBULLS]

I'd probably shoot any 5pt. Actually probably any bull. The unit has some good bulls but not many. Generally a heavy 5 is a good bull in Heppner.

Good luck and let us know how you do.

[strattonje]

will do

[KopperBuck]

I'd probably shoot any 5pt. Actually probably any bull. The unit has some good bulls but not many. Generally a heavy 5 is a good bull in Heppner.

Good luck and let us know how you do.