The glory days of eastern Oregon mule deer hunting may be over, but hunters holding tags for these units have reason to be optimistic. Last year, the hunter-success rate in the Malheur River unit was 53 percent. And Garner believes deer hunting in the unit is improving.

"Malheur River looks like a bright spot this year. We've had good fawn recruitment the past two years, largely due to the end of a long drought, with 51 fawns per 100 adults surviving this year. That's our best year dating back to 1977. We're over our management objective with 21 bucks per 100 does, so 2006 should be a really good year in the Malheur."

While there are still some really good bucks in units such as the Malheur and Silvies, those units are managed for the overall deer herd, not for trophy individual animals.

If you are after a buck with antlers sporting a 30-inch spread, deep forks and heavy mass, the Steens Mountains and the Trout Creeks units are still your best bet. In both units, the management goal is 25 bucks per 100 does -- twice as many bucks as in some of the other units. At present, Trout Creeks' bucks-to-does ratio stands at 40-to-100, so that area may be staging a comeback to the glory days of the 1980s and early '90s when the area was considered as one of the elite mule deer hunts in the West.

In 2005, however, the ODFW issued only 52 tags for Trout Creek, so it takes a considerable donation of preference points to earn the right to hunt a buck in this corner of the Whitehorse unit.

For mule deer hunting in any of these units, the overall review seems to be "Not as good as it used to be, but it's still good." So, given these changes in habitat and predation, how should holders of tags for southeast Oregon deer-hunting units adjust their tactics?

Shawn Jones of Go West Outfitters in Pineville (contact him online at www.gowestsoutfitters.com) believes that the deer population in these units has declined moderately, but says that the biggest decline has been in the older age-class bucks.

"It sounds simple, but it's true. The best way to find a mature buck is to hunt as far away from roads as possible," he explains. "And study your topography maps to locate north-facing slopes and water sources, and start hiking."

That said, it's a huge advantage to have the option to "spike camp" for at least a couple of days of your hunt. By leaving your base camp with everything you'll need on your back, you can hunt deeper into the country and be there for those prime times -- dusk and dawn -- when the big bucks are out.

This is safest conducted with a partner. A sprained ankle in Oregon's Outback could make you the stuff of campfire legends.

To keep my pack weight down, I like to bring one water bottle and a water filter. Make sure to locate dependable, perennial water sources on your map before you head out with only one liter of liquid.