I agree whtelk, I love that country too. I was probably 15-16 years old when my dad finally started taking me up for a full week of hunting. Back then we were going up there about the middle of November. We sure hunt earlier in the year now (late October). Boy sometimes that 2-3 weeks makes a big difference in the weather.
We started hunting in the Ochoco' s in 1983. That elk country sure looked different over there. We had always deer hunted there too. First year in central Oregon I was lucky enough to bump into a 330+ bull. That made the change of areas a little easier. I started bow hunting in the late 80' s and hunted Mt Emily one year then went to the Ochoco and Heppner units. Then, as I said on an earlier post, I started going back with my sons and I try to do that every year now.
Last year I archery hunted elk for a week in late September, then rifle hunted with my oldest son and friends. Good thing I had lots of vacation time