With a well-timed cow call, Ramage stopped the bull, picked his spot and released the arrow. The 6x4 ran uphill, out of sight and crashed on the ridge above him. After four bulls in five years, you can bet Ramage will be back at The Hotel again this season.

In central Oregon, elk populations in the east Fort Rock, Paulina and Wagontire units are down from the highs of six to eight years ago.

Herd numbers west of Highway 97 in the Upper Deschutes and Metolius units are stable to increasing. As you move west into the Cascades, you'll find the elk dispersed, mainly in groups of fewer than 10 animals. Corey Heath, with the Department of Fish and Wildlife in Bend, recommends that hunters look for thick cover in areas with low road density. A lot of hunting in this area is done from roads, and hunters looking for a higher-quality experience will find more elk and fewer hunters away from the roads, both inside and outside of the wilderness areas.

In the Northside, Desolation and Murderer's Creek units, elk numbers are high. The ODFW reports that bull ratios and wintering populations are at or above management objectives. The Desolation may have the highest density of elk in the region. Hunters in the Murderers Creek Unit saw a tremendous bull season last year.

"We got elk," reported Darren Bruning, an ODFW biologist for the Northside, Desolation and Murderer's Creek units. "Elk are well-distributed across the district. Get out and cover some ground and you should come across them."

To the east, the western half of the Beulah Unit is gaining more respect for its elk hunting. After-season harvest reports, surveys and landowner contacts show that this deer country's elk herd is thriving.

Last season's elk hunters did very well in the Starkey Unit. According to assistant biologist Jim Cadwell, hunter surveys showed 40 percent success in the any-elk season. But calf recruitment is down in this and several other northeast Oregon units. With fewer elk, fewer tags are issued. Still, the hunting can be good if you draw the tag.

Northeast Oregon's Rocky Mountain elk habitat is as good a country as can be found anywhere in the nation. Last year, the Minam Unit produced an archery bull that had 386 inches of scoreable antler, and a hunter with Wilderness Outfitters took a 372-inch bull from the Keating Unit. Another client missed a bull that, according to his guide, would have scored in the low 400s.

The Minam Unit, lying largely within the wilderness, is always a good bet. Elk numbers, while not as high as they could be, still provide good opportunity for the hunter prepared to make the ride in and out with pack animals. The Keating Unit offers another rugged, remote, mountainous hunt with ideal deer and elk habitat and good numbers of elk.

According to Norm Young with Wilderness Outfitters (888-420-7855), herds are stable in the Imnaha and Snake units. Even though black bears and mountain lions are taking a toll on elk calves, this is still a great hunt for a chance at a good bull, due to the open habitat and terraced terrain.

In summary, northeast Oregon is still a great bet if you're after Rocky Mountain elk. With predator numbers on the rise, elk hunters should carry black bear and cougar tags. And good optics and pre-season scouting will tip the balance in favor of the prepared hunter.

(Editor's note: To order a signed copy of Gary Lewis' book Hunting Oregon, send $18.95 [includes shipping and handling] to Gary Lewis Outdoors, PO Box 1364, Bend, OR 97709. The book is packed with valuable information and more than 100 photos.)