Deer

When she sees a deer or a picture of one, our nearly two year-old daughter will exclaim, “Ah, bucka. See bucka!” We’ll tell her, “Right. Deer,” or, “Buck deer.” “Yah. Gear,” she says. I think she has a point. Every huntger needs to consider the gear they will take into the field on opening day.…

On a November morning, a hunter poured a careful measure of powder down the muzzle of his rifle and seated a round ball against the charge. He looked to the priming, pinched the percussion cap and slipped it under the hammer. Then he put his hand on his brother’s shoulder to wake him. They slipped…

Over on the dry side, where water holes are few and far between, it isn’t hard to find deer sign. Spend a day scouting near water and you’ll find evidence aplenty. Once you locate a buck’s track, stop and look around. Chances are he’s no more than a half-mile away. We know this, but mule…

You’re missing something if you don’t apply for the 600-series antlerless deer hunts. Halfway down page 57 in the 2007 Oregon Big Game Regulations, you’ll see there is a One Deer bag limit for Hunt No. 644A3 Umatilla NWR No. 3. There are a couple of other One Deer opportunities, but this one is special.…

Simply stated, Oregon’s Cascade crest divides mule deer country on the east side from blacktail country on the west slope. But a hunter can find blacktails in several east side units, including the White River Unit, a large controlled hunting area east of Mt. Hood.

A dull glow filled the somber sky and filtered down through the tops of the big pine trees. I began to move. A driving rain had been falling since 4:00 a.m. and the treetops were saturated, leaving precious few places where a hunter could find dry shelter.

Don’t go scouting for mule deer this year if scouting, to you, means walking all the trails, and sky-lining yourself on every hilltop to watch for deer. Better to stay home and mow the lawn, wash the car, or take the kids to the lake. Because when you go scouting, you’re more likely to educate…

On a high plateau bordered by rimrock, Steve Jones checked the cap on his blackpowder rifle. He looked out across the sagebrush below him to where he could see a four-point buck browsing in the open plain. His hunt took place in the new millenium but it could have been a scene from 150 years…

This fall, a few of Oregon’s muzzleloader hunters will grab their long-barreled rifles and sling their ‘possibles’ bags in pursuit of Columbia whitetails in the North Bank Habitat Area.

After dark, I stood outside of camp and gazed across the valley at the lights of Ashland. Opening day in Jackson County had been tough. This was public land and pressure was high. By now, the deer would have moved into heavy cover. The woods were so dry that still-hunting was difficult. If I wanted…