Oregon Rifle Season

[GDBrown]

Never hunted in Oregon and I've been here for 25 years now. I'm thinking of going this year for a coastal blacktail. What I want to know is:

Are tree stands legal during the center fire rifle season in western Oregon?

I don't find anything is the regs and the online hunter safety course seems to indicate that they are ok to use Only if you are wearing a safety harness.

GD
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Winchester M70 in .243 cal.

 

[lizardman]

Tree stands are legal... baiting is illegal. However unless you are darned sure that your stand is either a) on a game trail or b) overlooking an open spot in the dense brush I don't believe you would have much luck getting a deer.

For western side scope out the tree line of clear cuts early morning, find a game trail to observe in an area you know is densly populated by deer, or find a watering hole with a lot of deer sign around it.

Others may have other advice for you that works equally well... they may even counter my opinion that a tree stand is virtually useless in westen Oregon deer and elk hunts.

I hunt eastern Oregon now as it is too far for me to drive to the western part of the state for a hunt.

Dave

 

[capblack]

i think a treestand is a very useful tool for hunting deer in western oregon, im not sure they would work the same for elk. just find an area with lots of travel by deer, and put your stand up. the key is to get into it early, without leaving your scent everywhere. i would probably try to be in the stand at least 2 or 3 hrs before you think the deer will be there. this could mean 3 or 4 am if you plan on hunting the morning. in the early morning hrs expect the deer to be moving back into the trees from clearings, and if your hunting the evening i have a lot of luck watching the treelines from the clear cuts, and reprods. the reprods hold deer the best when the young trees are just tall enough that it makes it a real pain to find the deer. Brian

 

[Markcanby]

I agree with Capblack. IF you can find a good trail an can stand to sit there you can't go wrong. Also a putting a Tree Stand along a reprod you will have a better view of the cut. It also helps to get up off the ground so you sent is carried over teh deers head.

 

[GDBrown]

By reprod do you mean areas where they have replanted after harvesting mature (LOL) trees? I know of several areas like that in the Trask unit and also Wilson unit. I spend a lot of time driving around the hills on both sides of the Wilson River. I will be out there again this week and will look for areas that are heavily traveled but I'm sure that changes as soon as the rifle season starts, right?

 

[Markcanby]

Yes you are looking for cuts that have been replanted maybe 3 to 7 years ago. As for finding them after the start of season. Its a crap shoot. If you can find water your will have a better shot.

 

[GDBrown]

Yes you are looking for cuts that have been replanted maybe 3 to 7 years ago. As for finding them after the start of season. Its a crap shoot. If you can find water your will have a better shot.

Water! There are so many places with water that time of year they wouldn't have to leave the draw they are in!

I spent a couple hours out by Larch Mt. today followed an old logging road that hasn't been used in twenty five years that I know of and didn't see any sign at all. No rubs, no droppings and no tracks. All the saplings are now 8 inch trees and the rubs look to be a few years old.

GD