After the 2007 season ended, biologists counted 29 bucks per 100 does. "That means we should have some decent bucks this season," Wolfer said.

The McKenzie Unit fawn ratio was 39 per 100 does. "Not an outstanding fawn crop, but a decent fawn crop."

Wolfer had advice for hunters: "Some of the timber company ground has strong deer populations," he said.

It's difficult to hunt, but the thick second growth is where they go during the day.

Sometimes, access is restricted to weekends and late afternoons. That means more hunting pressure, but a lot of deer and a lot of bucks.

The National Forest is accessible all week long, "but hunters on private timberland have a better chance of coming across deer," said Wolfer.

To check on access to private timberlands, call the Weyerhauser hunter hotline at (541) 741-5403.

Wolfer also oversees the Indigo Unit, north of the Calapooya Divide. Samples were small, but biologists counted 32 fawns per 100 does and 54 bucks per 100 does.

Hunter success is tied to logging. The key, said Wolfer, is to look for the history of a cut pattern. Some pretty good blocks of land were logged 30, 40 and 50 years ago. As they continue to cut, deer populations are going to continue to rise.

"Look for new cuts adjacent to older cuts, in the five- to 10-year range," he said. "That means two reproductive classes have been able to take advantage of the new growth."

Some of the National Forest opportunities are better in this unit. "As you get to higher elevation, you still have some of those 15- to 20-year-old clearcuts," said Wolfer. They're too brushy to hunt, but you can find the deer in the bigger timber nearby.

The eastern edge of the Siuslaw Unit doesn't have a whole lot of public ground, but there is some checkerboard Bureau of Land Management land with good deer populations.

According to Wolfer, a better idea is to seek out the 100- and 200-acre parcels in the Crow and Lorraine valleys southwest of Eugene. Knock on doors and get permission to hunt.

In westside blacktail populations, hair-loss syndrome is still a concern. It is strongest at lower elevations and over time, has had an impact on blacktail numbers.

District Wildlife Biologist Tod Lum has his finger on the pulse of deer herds in the Tioga, Siuslaw, Melrose, Indigo, Dixon and Powers units. "Blacktail deer numbers are in a slight decline over time, relative to the recent past," said Lum.

"One of the culprits is the change in timber management." There is less logging activity, and that means less browse for deer. "We've had disease issues at lower elevations," said the biologist. "But if there was more logging going on, the deer and the elk would be doing better."

Antlerless hunts have been reduced to adjust for fewer deer, but there are still damage issues in the Willamette and Melrose units, as well as in the Applegate Unit.