To hunters in Central and Eastern Oregon, the Ochoco Unit is considered an “opportunity” unit. Typically, more than 3,000 hunters draw tags to hunt there for the buck deer rifle season each fall.

But even with all those hunters, lots of mature bucks are roaming around in that part of Crook County.

“When we’re doing our fall herd compositions after the season, driving around counting bucks and does, it’s incredible the number of mature bucks that survive that rifle season despite the high number of tags,” says Andrew Walch, a Prineville-based assistant wildlife biologist for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. “They’re still around. They get wise and old by being able to escape hunters during the hunting season.”

Rifle buck hunting seasons start Saturday in most of Oregon. In Eastern Oregon, controlled hunts start Saturday and run through Oct. 12, and those hunts include the six Central Oregon units.

In the Ochoco District — which includes the Ochoco, Grizzly and Maury units — deer hunters should find good prospects for a buck this fall, according to the ODFW. Buck ratios remain above management objective in all three units, where the districtwide average is 21 bucks per 100 does.

Good numbers of younger age-class bucks (1½ to 2½ years old) should be available due to exceptional fawn recruitment in the previous few mild springs, according to Walch.

Hunter harvest of deer last fall was about average throughout the Ochoco District. According to the ODFW, deer populations continue to be lower than management objectives because of habitat loss and disturbance, poaching, predation, disease and road kills.

In the Ochoco Unit, hunters can draw a tag about every other year, Walch says.

“There’s a lot of longtime tradition of deer hunting in the Ochocos,” he says. “In the Ochoco Unit last year we had 16 bucks per 100 does. It’s pretty similar this year. We’re still slightly below management objective with population numbers in the Ochoco, and we’re starting to dial back tag numbers a little bit to try to bump that up. But we’re also doing a lot of habitat work and other efforts to try to increase the numbers (of deer) out there.”

In the Deschutes District, which includes the Upper Deschutes, Paulina, North Wagontire, Northwest Fort Rock and Metolius units, hunters can expect decent numbers of both mature and yearling bucks relative to the population size, according to the ODFW.

Buck ratios are near or exceed management objectives across the district with a ratio of 24 bucks per 100 does. Late-spring rains gave a boost to the population, providing better forage and available water.

Last fall’s relatively dry, hot conditions made hunting tough, according to the ODFW. As a result, animals were bedded early and did not start moving again until almost dark, contributing to lower hunter success.

While most hunters like to hit the field on opening weekend, Walch says that sometimes it pays to hunt later in the 12-day season.

“By the end of the season, some cooler nights and damper weather can help make some of those bucks start moving around more, as you’re approaching the rut (mating season),” Walch says. “It’s amazing, the mass exodus of hunters the Monday after that first weekend. If you want a little more solitude, the middle of that week or even that last weekend is drastically quieter out there, as far as hunter numbers.”

And, he adds, “All the big bucks don’t get killed on opening weekend.”

— Reporter: 541-383-0318,

mmorical@bendbulletin.com