After 20 years of applying, I finally drew a Wenaha Unit Bull Tag in northeastern Oregon.  Many believe it is the very best unit in Oregon for large public land bulls.  I’ve been playing the points game in almost all western states and this was the final state in which I had significant elk points. Being my home state for the last 15 years, I’ve been able to hunt Oregon with over the counter archery or rifle tags while continuing to accumulate points.

For the last several years I have been researching the unit and knew even though there were a lot of elk in the unit, it would not be easy to take a big bull.  It’s big country and during the rifle season big bulls can be hard to find. For that reason I started talking to Brian Sanders from Oregon Backcountry Outfitting three years ago.  Brian was raised in the Wallowas and has hunted and guided in the area for years.  He also runs the Wallowa Pack Station near Joseph, Oregon so he spends a great deal of time in the mountains.  He puts multiple people in the mountains watching and looking for bulls throughout the year.  With 20 points Brian felt I was likely to draw this year but emphasized I needed to be in good shape and be able to shoot well.  I spent the Summer and early Fall getting in shape and shooting my rifle.  As October 28 approached I felt I was ready for the hunt.