Murderer's Creek and Heppner units/ Oregon Elk

[vandeman17]

My folks moved down to Redmond Oregon last fall and we have been endless researching different options for an elk hunt this fall. We are torn between Montana, Idaho and Oregon. We are thinking about putting in for the archery tag in the Ochoco unit but there is no season other than that in that unit. If we didn't get drawn we would want to hunt somewhere else and those are two units that we have found can be decent. Does anybody have any experience in either of them?

[vandeman17]

I should also add that this is my dad's first year archery hunting but he is a very experienced elk hunter overall and can get around the hills just fine.

[Crunchy]

Both units you mentioned are good units to hunt.  I hit the desolation unit every year for the last six years.  Starkey is another really good unit to hunt.

[vandeman17]

Both units you mentioned are good units to hunt.  I hit the desolation unit every year for the last six years.  Starkey is another really good unit to hunt.

Do both of them have otc archery tags?

[Crunchy]

Oregon's 2013 regs are already out.  Double check them.  Starkey, Desolation, and parts of Hepner units are OTC.  Murderscreek is draw only from what I saw for archery.

[The scout]

one of my uncles grew up in the heppner he still hunts it almost every year,decent elk hunting just dont pass on anything and dont expect to get a big bull,he hunts it more of a family tradition than the great hunting

[vandeman17]

one of my uncles grew up in the heppner he still hunts it almost every year,decent elk hunting just dont pass on anything and dont expect to get a big bull,he hunts it more of a family tradition than the great hunting

We would love to shoot a big bull but I am more after just getting my dad on an elk. I would be more then happy calling a raghorn into bow range and give my dad a shot at him!

[Blacklab]

Hunted the starkey unit a hundred years ago. Man I'm gettin old . We didn't get any elk but it was one of my best hunting memories. 

[Opportunist]

Both units are OTC archery tags, I haven't hunted Heppner archery since 2004, it's a good unit, murderers gets hit hard during archery the last two weeks.

[Opportunist]

That's a murderers creek bull in my avatar. 1st rifle season

[vandeman17]

Both units are OTC archery tags, I haven't hunted Heppner archery since 2004, it's a good unit, murderers gets hit hard during archery the last two weeks.

I can understand that being as the season opens the 24 of August. I wanted to hunt the last two weeks but there is a full moon about 3-4 days before the season ends so who the heck knows!

[Opportunist]

Moon phase can really screw you, especially once the elk get stirred up by hunters. I'm actually considering a treestand/wallow hunt this year in Murderers, I know where a 1/2 dozen wallows and some good crossings are and leaving my calls in the truck. I've done this style of hunt in southeast Idaho and have done real well. Calling in a screaming bull is always a whole lot more exciting.

[vandeman17]

Moon phase can really screw you, especially once the elk get stirred up by hunters. I'm actually considering a treestand/wallow hunt this year in Murderers, I know where a 1/2 dozen wallows and some good crossings are and leaving my calls in the truck. I've done this style of hunt in southeast Idaho and have done real well. Calling in a screaming bull is always a whole lot more exciting.

I agree. It may not be as "attractive" of a hunt but if sitting on a wallow is how to get it done then I am totally ok going that route too!