Moving to Washington or Oregon From Michigan. Best Hunting and Fishing Communities?

[MikeDaily]

Hello!

I will be moving to Washington or Oregon, leaning towards Oregon, in 2021. I will likely be on the west side of the Cascades, so the wet part. Are there any great hunting/fishing/outdoor recreation communities? I can pick my city within reason, probably can't get away with a 100 acre mountain retreat off grid.

I'm interested in any deer species, fly fishing, trout fishing for food, perch, elk, black bear, saltwater fishing, foraging, clamming etc. Are these kinds of activities readily available? Michigan only has deer and flat ground hiking but it's all very accessible.

Any insight is appreciated! I've got a few trips scheduled in 2020 to check things out that way.

Thanks!

Mike

 

[BRTreedogs]

Ohh man that's tough.
I think either state the fishing options are great.
I think Oregon has more hunting opportunities but if you are on the west side and want to hunt close to home you will most likely have to apply and purchase and access permit from the timber company.
Not sure if western Washington is that way or not.

 

[MikeDaily]

Ohh man that's tough.
I think either state the fishing options are great.
I think Oregon has more hunting opportunities but if you are on the west side and want to hunt close to home you will most likely have to apply and purchase and access permit from the timber company.
Not sure if western Washington is that way or not.

I'd like to do a mix of both, close to home and eastern. Is it possible to do multiple elk or deer hunts in Oregon per year? Can I hunt NW black tail then go hunt Mule deer and elk on the far east side? So three separate tags.

In Michigan we are limited to a two-buck combo tag that is good all over the state but that's it. You have doe tags with quotas in each management unit that need to be purchased separately.

 

[ghostmoney]

I'd like to do a mix of both, close to home and eastern. Is it possible to do multiple elk or deer hunts in Oregon per year? Can I hunt NW black tail then go hunt Mule deer and elk on the far east side? So three separate tags.

In Michigan we are limited to a two-buck combo tag that is good all over the state but that's it. You have doe tags with quotas in each management unit that need to be purchased separately.

No you can only get a general buck tag which is good for the west side or draw a controlled tag for the east side, same with elk. If you archery hunt you can get a buck and elk tag that is good for most units across the state.

 

[BRTreedogs]

I'd like to do a mix of both, close to home and eastern. Is it possible to do multiple elk or deer hunts in Oregon per year? Can I hunt NW black tail then go hunt Mule deer and elk on the far east side? So three separate tags.

In Michigan we are limited to a two-buck combo tag that is good all over the state but that's it. You have doe tags with quotas in each management unit that need to be purchased separately.

No, 1 elk, 1 buck, 1 doe per year is all that possible. And you wont get a dow tag but every 2nd or 3rd year.
And your tag is weapon specific, so you choose archery, rifle or muzzy for each species for the yr.
What tag you have dictates where you can hunt.

 

[MikeDaily]

No, 1 elk, 1 buck, 1 doe per year is all that possible. And you wont get a dow tag but every 2nd or 3rd year.
And your tag is weapon specific, so you choose archery, rifle or muzzy for each species for the yr.
What tag you have dictates where you can hunt.

Oh man, alright. I'll definitely be a multi-state hunter then. I'd like to participate in archery but being a recurve hunter it's a nightmare on the success rates.

 

[theleo91386]

I'd like to do a mix of both, close to home and eastern. Is it possible to do multiple elk or deer hunts in Oregon per year? Can I hunt NW black tail then go hunt Mule deer and elk on the far east side? So three separate tags.

In Michigan we are limited to a two-buck combo tag that is good all over the state but that's it. You have doe tags with quotas in each management unit that need to be purchased separately.

The regs for Washington can make your head spin. The basic for deer is you buy a general tag for your preferred weapon and hunt the units when and where they're open for an OTC tag with that weapon. Elk, you have to buy a tag for the weapon and side of the state you want to hunt, then you're limited to the units open to OTC tags.

For hunting you're better off going to Oregon. If you archery hunt, most of the state is OTC for deer and elk during September and you've got a late season for black tails on the moldy side. Take a week and hunt elk over on the east side and spend the rest hunting season chasing them closer to home. Also, Oregon has more public land than Washington.

Both states are very salmon/steelhead centric when it comes to fishing (especially on the west side) but they've got some unique trout opportunities, mainly the Owyhee in Oregon and lake Roosevelt in Washington. I don't know squat about perch but you've got some major warm water fishing in the Columbia for bass and walleye.

The further you get from I-5 the communities have more sportsmen per capita.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Lots of adventure to be had, but its not a booklet of doe tags like Midwest/eastern people are used to.
I forget gen archery you can harvest a blacktail doe in most western units.
Eastern is buck only unless you can get on private.
A lot more options for elk.

Why are you heading the the west side of a coastal state?
If I had to start fresh no way id pick these states.

 

[Guy]

I'd say Oregon is better for most hunting. Fishing? Both states are good, despite problems with steelhead & salmon returns in recent years.

Don't overlook the bear hunting. At least 30,000 black bear in Washington, am sure Oregon has a lot too. No dogs or bait in Washington, but good bear hunting anyway with several different color varieties available.

Hiking and other outdoor pursuits are easy to find. I hope you will enjoy the Northwest. Here's an early "Welcome"

Guy

 

[MikeDaily]

Why are you heading the the west side of a coastal state?
If I had to start fresh no way id pick these states.

We are opening an office to handle customers in AK, CA, HI, OR, WA. I could move to Houston but no thanks. Always liked the PNW and would like to live there for 3-6 years. I like Michigan, but elk, mountains, alpine activities and salt water have too strong a song for me to resist!

Plus I get to work from home.

 

[MikeDaily]

.

For hunting you're better off going to Oregon. If you archery hunt, most of the state is OTC for deer and elk during September and you've got a late season for black tails on the moldy side. Take a week and hunt elk over on the east side and spend the rest hunting season chasing them closer to home. Also, Oregon has more public land than Washington.

I cannot buy a western archery elk tag and then a firearm eastern elk tag, correct? I have to choose one or the other. I'm still looking at the regulations lol. Very different!

 

[wapitibob]

correct

Move to OR and hunt WY. OR hunting is for weekends prior to real hunting out of state.

 

[BRTreedogs]

I cannot buy a western archery elk tag and then a firearm eastern elk tag, correct? I have to choose one or the other. I'm still looking at the regulations lol. Very different!

Nope.
1 Elk per year.

 

[OR Archer]

I cannot buy a western archery elk tag and then a firearm eastern elk tag, correct? I have to choose one or the other. I'm still looking at the regulations lol. Very different!

Your general archery tag is good statewide with the exception of a handful of units which are draw only. So you can technically hunt Roosevelt elk on day then be over east hunting Rockies the next. Same for deer in our early season. Late archery is for blacktail in select units.

 

[theleo91386]

We are opening an office to handle customers in AK, CA, HI, OR, WA. I could move to Houston but no thanks. Always liked the PNW and would like to live there for 3-6 years. I like Michigan, but elk, mountains, alpine activities and salt water have too strong a song for me to resist!

Plus I get to work from home.

I don't know what business you're in but I'd see if you could get away with building the offices around Coeur D'alene or Lewiston. Idaho beats Washington and Oregon in everything except the salt an salmon fishing.

 

[BluMtn]

^^^^^^^^^^^What he said.^^^^^^^^^^^ Idaho will treat your better than being a coasty, especially Commiewashington. Our game dept is nothing but a bunch of tree huger wannabe liberals.

 

[MikeDaily]

I don't know what business you're in but I'd see if you could get away with building the offices around Coeur D'alene or Lewiston. Idaho beats Washington and Oregon in everything except the salt an salmon fishing.

Unfortunately I can't even get Spokane or Bend accepted as they're too far from the coast/california which are major markets. I still plan to spend time in ID as a have a lot of friends out there.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Pretty sure wash makes you register ar15s to.
So it be completely out for me.

 

[theleo91386]

Pretty sure wash makes you register ar15s to.
So it be completely out for me.

No state registry yet but you have to go through training to be able to buy any semi auto rifle, even for a 10/22.

 

[i count eye guards]

For western Oregon...

If elk is your priority, look somewhere near Astoria. The saddle MTN unit is a great producer.

For deer/ bear, Roseburg is king.

Portland is a pretty good base of operations, sauvies island has some really good and well developed waterfowl opportunities. Fishing is great statewide.