The Willamette Valley and other portions of western Oregon contain some of the world's richest agricultural grounds. With fertile soils, good rainfall and cool air from the Pacific Ocean, farmers are able to grow many different crops.

Scout out the land you want to hunt. Locate the landowner and offer to do some work on the farm in exchange for trespass rights. Photo by Troy Rodakowski.

And the real good news is, farmers are growing awfully nice deer in the process.

When deer herds expand, problems with crop damage increase drastically. Growers find themselves battling deer and elk herds to maintain the integrity of their crops.

But if you hunt western Oregon, you know that finding locations that contain pockets of good deer can be very difficult. If you're willing to do some homework and establish good relationships with landowners, your chances of success will grow.

TARGETING LAND
It's very hard to just drive into a stranger's yard and ask permission to hunt. So, first you might want to do as much research about likely locations as possible. Ask your local Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife field office for possible areas that have had problems with deer herds. Go online and check out www.dfw.state.or.us/agency/directory/local_offices.asp, or call (503) 947-6000 for an office location and personnel near you.

You might hear of where there have been damage tags or emergency hunts issued in previous seasons.

Once you have an idea of where you want to hunt, go to your local county public records office, or visit http://oregon.stategovrecords.com to see who owns the property.

Another good resource is the Oregon State University and the Department of Crop and Soil Science at http://cropandsoil.oregonstate.edu or (541) 737-3002.

You'll want to take drives into the country and look for small wood lots adjacent to production fields.

Once you are able to locate a likely tract, do your best to get to know the owner of the property. Ask if you might be able to help around the farm or ranch. They will surely appreciate the good gesture to say the least.

Get to know the boundaries of the property, respect fences, signs and equipment that may be in the area. Ask the landowners where and what times they see most of the deer on their property. They will likely give you some great starting points.

Never assume that you are allowed to do anything without asking first. For example, if a landowner says it's OK to drive down a muddy road, walk it anyway. I assure you that come springtime when the ground dries out it will be remembered and appreciated.

There are many deer found in the lowlands around river systems and foothills of western Oregon. However, many small wood lots near river-bottom farm ground hold large numbers of deer.

Christmas tree farms and vineyards also contain some great populations of deer. Small patches of woods that are 5-10 acres in size can be home to a surprising number of deer. In fact, many areas where I have found nice bucks are not very large at all.

Once you are able to obtain permission, scout during the early and mid summer as much as possible.

In the late summer and fall, scout for fresh sign, such as tracks, trails and rubs. Find bedding areas in between fields and trail entrances near the edges.

In the late winter and spring, look for shed horns in and around the bedding areas. Stay as late as possible in the evenings and watch the edges of the fields as well as travel routes between wood lots when the deer begin to move and feed.

Ag deer will feed early in the mornings and in the evenings. During the middle of summer, they are more frequently spotted during daylight hours in and around the fields.