howdy all...i have a serious question to ask everyone that was planning on coming to this hunt.i just saw on the news last night that this is an elnino year here,this is not very promising.the last two elnino years were hell on the hunting grounds.very dry,no fires allowed at all.some forests are closed down completely for risk of fire.california is getting our rain as is the case in elnino years.my fear is that we get to close to the season to wait another year for this hunt.people are out vacation time,airfare,etc,etc...i need help here guys...deciding what route to take...we need to decide now what to do not wait until the middle of august or so.this is just my opinion but i do live here and have been to burns twice during elnino and i swore i'd never do it again.i will be watching the ocean currents carefully.we are allready way below normal on mt hood for snow,its pretty much a given that how mt hood goes so goes the rest of the state.plus the east side of the state is historically more dry than the west.desert dude and joe d...you guys are more than likely going into the eagle caps with me and a couple other tradgangers.gonna cost me more money but it is what it is.i'll pay the difference.the caps should be ok if we hunt the river bottoms by a place loaded with sign.not everyone that wanted to go on this hunt can go into the caps (money wise) its 1100.00 per hunter just to get packed in plus license and tag for out of staters just shot over the moon to around 800.00.....lot of money.i'm literally sick about this and need some input.i promised good hunting and thats what you get in a normal year but not elnino years.i need input...if you dont know what elnino is just google it and you'll see. cali is getting our rain and we are warm and dry allready,almost like winters gone here allready.... :help: :help: :help: :help: :help: WE NEED TO DECIDE THIS SOON.i really dont like this at all...feel like crap and really want this hunt to work,i have allready got a lot of time invested in this....maybe a vote? :pray:
Some of the experts are saying that the storms we are getting at this time are what they call a Yukon express. 200 mph jet streem that is comming, well from the north. A normal elnino the storms come from the south. Im not saying thats its not a elnino year but that this set of storms are not. I would say lets keep an eye on it for a month or two.
What happens to the hunting during these times, does it just get real bad or just hot. Californias deer season starts in july and its not uncomon to be 105 degrees
gets real dry and we run the risk of the forest being completely shut down to vehicles period.no fires,no green grass,very little water.i think the elk head down low to where the alfalfa is or something.rut seems to be delayed because of the heat.cant speak for the entire state just what i have seen.if forest service says no hunting we are screwed.not a call i want to make on my own.
i did not realize those storms were coming from the north wtpops.just checked it out.
Larry, I'll support any outcome. If it means waiting another year, so be it. The call is in your hands when it comes to my vote. Maury is my ride up their and I'm sure he feels the same.
No worries here....
Mark
we can wait for a couple months and see how it looks i guess.from my experience its not very fun to hunt elk in.no grass means the elk migrate further and move more often searching for feed.boils down to a crap shoot pretty much.
Wait until at least June to make a decision.
Mother Nature has a way of changing her mind.
Larry, you and I went up there in June last year and it was greened up good and the hunt was great. Go back this year in the middle of June and make a decision then.
That leaves over 2 months for people to get prepared.
Just my $0.02.
But then again, I only plan to hunt with you guys a couple of days. I'm going elk hunting elnino or no-elnino.
Hey rick it's not me doing the blowing ok :bigsmyl:
Jer Bear
ElNino's seem to run in cycles every seven years, and I remember a few that where short, while others hard on everything. It comes with a change in the Pacific Ocean currents, changing the temperatures out there, the Jet Stream, direction of wind, rain and overall weather patterns. Waiting a few months until more is known might be okay. But, Larry is right if it is hot and dry like some, the Forest Service and shut down the forests to all hunting, fishing etc. to avoid the fire danger. Keep your fingers crossed. :coffee:
Damn,so you are saying that nobody can carry a bow that smokes a arrow.LOL
Larry, you live there, you make the decision. OK by me regardless. I don't know squat about the western weather so it's your call.
QuoteOriginally posted by cacciatore:
Damn,so you are saying that nobody can carry a bow that smokes a arrow.LOL
Now that's funny! :biglaugh:
I agree with leatherneck. The sooner we decide the better because of flights and vacation time but I won't loose sleep about 2010 or 2011. I appreciate your efforts and concern, and felix's smoking arrow.
lets wait until june first and i'll head to burns and check the grass situation.paul....last year was a perfect year for the area,nice and green with lots of elk.wish every year was like that.cross your fingers guys and hope for the best.we could always hunt the coast range but thats steep and brushy and this would not be very fun either.....i have one more area that may be good...mt hebo on the oregon coast has some decent hunting grounds with lots of newer logging units.i always hunt the fire trails for tracks and such...find sign then hunt it hard.i really hope this elnino crap goes away quick.
I'll be in the cap come hell or no water.
yup
Well, I want to hunt and book flights if thats possible. I'm used to coming home without animals and just looking forward to the experience with yall and my curve. Is it possible to just plan to hunt that unit and book everything regardless and if that unit won't work out, hunt another ? Thanks
I'm going too just play it by ear but, either way, I'll be out there. Guess it will just all depend on where. :rolleyes:
I hunted through a couple of El Nino weather patterns in Washington State. We did well if the forest was open. Sometimes we had only mornings too hunt and had to be out of the woods at noon.
Killed a bunch of elk though.
Mike
The weatherman is only correct 25% of the time predicting tomarrows weather. No chance I'd consider useing their predictions months in advance to base a decision on hunting.
Life is waaaay to short for that.
My opinion only.
we never used to have pelicans in pacific city.now you see them all the time.longbeach washington at the state park by bouy 10 has tons of them flying around crappin on everything...lol...its been raining hard here all afternoon so maybe with some luck things will work out for us.....i'm pretty much just getting you all prepared for the worse,i wont tell you all ..yeah'''yeah'''its great here then you come from all over the country to hunt in a very bad situation.i just wont do that to you guys.this also may be my huntin buddy carls last year to hunt.he's having triple bypass surgery at the end of sept and then hip replacement after that so i really doubt he'll ever hunt again.his wife will stop him.hes a good dude.ben,paul,tw met him this year.heart of gold.hope he makes it..........say a prayer for him sometime please. ty..............larry
They won't shut the national forest down, never have before. In 1988, it was extremely hot and dry, southwest Oregon was on fire, Yellowstone was on fire, they made everybody camp in established campgrounds, but the main roads were open. The roads were closed if they have grass growing in the center, but that's pretty much the case in most years when the fire index gets to Level 3. 1988 was a very good year of hunting for us! But I hunt just a little north of the Silvies.
Open campfires might be a no-no, no generators or chain saws allowed, smoking in vehicles only, that kind of stuff.
North Central Oregon is like a swamp at this time, water everywhere! It's going to green up nicely in a couple months. The deer and elk are going to come out of winter in great shape from what I've seen of the herds in my observations this winter. It all depends on what happens between March and August 1st. If it's a wet spring and early summer, the elk will be fat with awesome antler growth. If it remains dry they'll head for the hay fields and the hunting will be tough.
Mild, dry winters are sometimes a blessing in disguise.
lets hope tree killer....its not the next few months i'm worried about,thats called spring..green everywhere.its late august i'm worried about
I know the weather in Wyoming has changed drastically over the last 7 years or more. I can remember saying the same thing last year, and lone behold SNOW and lots of it in march and april and rain rain rain in may, june,and july. It was a great year, but started out a little slow. Patience, everybody will have a great time anyways.
The best hunting will be to meet some of you guys!
It's always dry in August, that's why the private timberlands get shut down on the west side just about the time archery season opens. :readit:
The only problem will be if the immediate area has a forest fire. The USFS seems to close down large areas for "public safety", about 3 times as much as they used to. :campfire:
yup...thats whats got me worried about this..green butte just went through a big fire several years ago.they just opened it back up to vehicles last year.last year was a very mild year in burns.still had nice green grass in sept.i sure hope the weather pattern gives us normal rainfall.was pouring here yesterday now its almost like a late spring day....gotta watch the blossoms and see when they start coming up.
I really want to try the coast this year, so I hope we get some good rains on the west side in August :pray:
Larry, I plan to spend at least 2 days hunting with the tradgangers this year. I will dedicate to being the caller for a couple guys during that time.
Paul