BigGameHoundsmen.com

I was reading another post and someone made a comment about west side/east side type of cat hounds which caught my attention. I will be retiring in less than two years and I have been looking in southern Oregon for a place. I have found places around the Grants Pass area and around the La Pine/Bend area which I assume would be the west and east side for cat hunters.

Would someone please give me a general description of the hunting conditions between the two areas. Also given I have been hunting in Southern California by dogs are use to really dry, brushy hills with lots of rocks, cactus and the ground is about 90 percent decomposed granite. In a lot of the areas the brush is so thick that you either have to get on your hands and knees and crawl or you try and walk through the tops of the bushes to get to your hounds. It stops raining around mid March and does not start again until mid November... Which area would best be suited to what my dogs are use to? OH yes, we hunt 99 percent of our time at night for the cooler temps and better tracking.

Grants Pass is a pretty place. I've done a lot of lion and bear hunting there in years past. Summer is usually in the 90's but can get higher. The hills can get dry but not nearly like you are used to. The winters dont get to cold. They do get snow. The hills can get snowed out but there roads are way better than California. Way better. I've never hunted bend but went through it the other day. Beautiful and I am going to be hunting it someday. I talked to some guys stopped at a gas station that had hounds. They told me the snow gets DEEP in the winter. One year they had 4 feet in one day. Dont know if they were joshin but another clerk confirmed they get lots of snow.

Thanks Bearhunter,

That was exactly the info I was looking for..

Thanks Again

Bend is a tourism town as well. It gets a lot of snow... I love going to MT. Bachelor. A snowmobile I'd recommend most of the area there I've been in. You might check out Burns its in the desert. The roads anywhere in Oregon usually are good but locked off to trucks. ... sighn

Unreal-tk

Roads or closed to trucks! We do a lot of road hunting here at night, do to the dryness and heat. If they have the roads blocked or locked off to thru traffic can you use a ATV or do you just have to walk ? Or are there roads you can drive on, just in other parts of the state.... Maybe use a bicycle to road hunt! Been getting a little soft in my old age that would help the old heart.... road hunt on a bike.....

Alot of the roads are closed in the winter due to deer migration and they would hate for a guy to disturb that. I think they close down dec 1st until march something, pretty much the entire kill season. They are only closed to motorized veihicles, so yes you can ride a bike or ride a horse if you have one. If you have a snow mobile it would be a great assett to you as you would be away from all the rest of us road huntin yahoos. I personally myself have been riding some horses to get used to it and im goin in on those road closed areas on those dudes to get away from everyone. My honest advise is pick another state because this one is a pain in the ass for hunters/outdoorsmen and especially ones with hounds. good luck!

southern dix wrote:this one is a pain in the ass for hunters/outdoorsmen and especially ones with hounds. good luck!

Alot of truth there, but there are several "groups" trying to change things. "especially" and "hounds" should be boldfaced, underlined, and capitalized . But we don't have it as bad as our northern neighbor.

Regarding the two areas though, assuming you don't "only" hunt cats, S.Oregon has lots to offer: multiple bear tags (with a population to support it), I'll say "easier" deer hunting since all of E Oregon's a draw, higher number of bobcat takes allowed, and I'd say probably a better road system thanks to logging.

Central Or's drop dead gorgeous though. Cost of living is gonna be comparable, but the land's a better bargain. Fewer people, but S.O's not bad either (compared to "the valley"). A little congested in the summer/tourist season though.

I think your choice for OR is cool. It's exactly what this state needs is more outdoorsmen to combat the hippies

Thanks Dubl_t

Sounds like a grand place to live and if everything works out I hope to share it with you and a few years. Especially fewer people....

Joe

I'm not sure on those areas for roads but here they are tolerant usually of atvs and you can snowmobile just about anywhere you want. I'm in NE Oregon but I take trips that way during the winter sometimes.

Justaguy wrote:Thanks Dubl_t

Sounds like a grand place to live and if everything works out I hope to share it with you and a few years. Especially fewer people....

Joe

Joe, did you say "share it with me in a few years" or share with me a few beers?

More power to ya Joe, and bring your "hippy kickin boots". Just kidding.....no really, bring 'em.