'Tis the season.

Byline: MIKE STAHLBERG The Register-Guard

DRY FORESTS AND DEER DISEASE worries notwithstanding, Oregon's most popular hunting season opens Saturday, with more than 100,000 rifle tag holders eligible to take to the woods.

Those hunters lucky enough to draw controlled hunt tags in the High Desert Region east of the Cascades have above-average prospects of bagging their buck mule deer this year, according to Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) biologists.

Everywhere else, however, prospects are generally not as good as last year and biologists expect average or below-average hunter success rates.

Deer herds from Lane County north to the Columbia River have been fighting a losing battle on two fronts. One is the loss of habitat resulting from the long-term decline in clearcuts on federal forest lands. The second is deer mortality associated with a parasitic disease known as "deer hair loss syndrome."

The ODFW hunting forecast is based on such factors as deer population counts and buck ratios during winter and spring field surveys. It doesn't take into account forest or weather conditions during the season.

Following a steady diet of 80-degree days and little or no rain, crunchy conditions prevail thorughout Oregon. As a result, many forest managers have placed access or use restrictions on their lands. The Weyerhaeuser Co., for example, announced Wednesday that all 1.2 million acres of its holdings in Western Oregon will remain closed to the public for opening weekend of deer season.

All forest land protected by Eastern and Western Lane Districts, and the Bureau of Land Management, is under "Regulated Use Closure." That means smoking is prohibited except inside a closed vehicle. Warming fires and campfires outside of established campgrounds are prohibited. Driving any type of motorized vehicle off of improved roads is also banned. The Willamette National Forest also reinstated similar restrictions, effective today.

"Last week's rain might fool people into thinking the fire danger is gone," said Pual Bell, District Forester for Oregon Department of Forestry's Eastern Lane District "They may not realize the potential for wildfire is still high out in the woods."

Since fire-related restrictions vary widely from region to region, hunters are advised to check with the public agency or private landowner on whose land they plan to hunt before going afield.

The current conditions will have the greatest impact east of the Cascades, where holders of "controlled hunt" tags for mule deer have only a 12-day season.

Hunters who participate in the general season for black-tailed deer in western Oregon, on the other hand, have 40 days - until Nov. 6 - to fill their tags. As a result, they can afford to wait until the fall storms quiet the woods, and visibility improves as leaves drop.

General season deer tags remain on sale through the close of business Friday. Controlled tags were issued by lottery in June.

Meanwhile, hunters will find unprecedented attention being paid this year to the issue of deer diseases in Oregon - and beyond.

State wildlife biologists plan to gather biological samples from 500 mule deer and elk as part of a research effort designed to determine whether Oregon herds have been infected with bovine tuberculosis (TB) or chronic wasting disease (CWD).

There is no evidence either of those diseases has hit Oregon's wild herds, but either one would have very serious implications for the future of hunting.

So biologists will be collecting the trachea, heart and lungs of animals to test for the presence of TB. In addition, a small section from the base of the brain stem will be taken and tested for CWD.

Deer and elk hunters in some northeastern hunt units have been sent letters asking them to bring samples to an ODFW collection site. Throughout the rest of the state, hunters may be contacted in the field and asked to assist by providing samples.

The TB research is focusing on units near the town of Monument because bovine TB was confirmed in a single domestically-raised elk at a ranch near there. All 195 remaining elk on the game ranch were destroyed, tested and found to be negative for TB. But biologists want to make sure the disease has not jumped to the wild population.

The CWD sampling, meanwhile, is a spot check prompted by the fact that CWD has been found in deer and elk in Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota, Montana, Oklahoma, Wisconsin and New Mexico, plus two Canadian provinces.

Concern over CWD - similar in effect to European "mad cow disease" - runs so high that the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission recently adopted new regulations designed to prevent the import of the disease by Oregonians who hunt out of state. Such hunters are still allowed to bring their game meat home, but they cannot bring any part of the head or spinal column into Oregon. CWD attacks the spinal column and brain.

The import restrictions apply to all animals in the deer family, except reindeer and caribou.

Meanwhile, ODFW biologists are also tracking two other deer disease outbreaks, one on the east side of the state and one on the west.

Between May and August, more than 400 deer in the Crooked River Ranch area between Sisters and Madras died from adenovirus hemorrhagic disease. Symptoms include ulcers and abscesses in the mouth and throat, rapid or open-mouth breathing, foaming or drooling at the mouth, diarrhea and fluid in the body cavity. Death can occur within three to five days after the deer is exposed to the virus.

In Western Oregon, the incidence of deer hair loss syndrome (DHLS) appears to be on the rise. A significant increase in the number of reported cases was recorded last year.

DHLS is a condition in which a deer loses hair on large patches of its body, due apparently to excessive licking, rubbing and scratching. The disease is sometimes, but not always, fatal and is most evident from December through May, mainly in black-tailed does and fawns.

"There is no indication that DHLS can be harmful to humans or affect the edibility of the venison," the ODFW says in a prepared statement on the disease. "So far hunters have found very few deer with symptoms during the fall hunting season."

However, biologists are concerned that fawn production appears to have fallen off sharply since the onset of the disease was first noted about four years ago. That, of course, could have serious implications on future hunting seasons.

Below is the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's forecast for deer hunting in hunt management units in and around The Register-Guard's circulation area:

Deer population levels in the Indigo and McKenzie units appear to have declined slightly in the last few years.

In general, lower elevation areas are more productive and achieve higher deer densities. However, in the last two years many deer in the Willamette Valley and lower elevation areas of the Indigo and McKenzie unit have been affected by disease problems. Some localized areas have seen significant population declines.

However, buck ratios remain generally good. Large bucks can be found in agricultural fringe areas because of the good forage availability and the more-restricted access on private lands. High elevation areas also produce good bucks because the more extensive cover and limited road access in some areas allow many bucks to reach an older age.

The Weyerhaeuser company owns a large portion of the industrial forestlands in these two units. Several Weyerhaeuser tracts have significant acreage in young tree plantations and should provide fair hunting opportunities once the fire closures are lifted.

Updated access information for Weyerhaeuser lands is available through a recorded message at [phone].

Overall, hunters can expect to find fair deer hunting throughout most of the McKenzie and Indigo units.

Deer hunting is forecast to be below average in the Santiam and Willamette units. Significant mortality from hair loss syndrome has occurred in many areas within the Willamette Valley and lower elevations of the Santiam unit over the last two years. Low fawn survival will affect availability of young bucks this season.

Older bucks seem to be more resistant to hair loss syndrome.

Deer at lower elevations are very difficult to hunt in hot, dry conditions typically found early in the season. Better hunter success has traditionally occurred in the later part of the season when rain and leaf fall have improved hunting conditions.

Best early season bets are near irrigated croplands, north-facing slopes and cool areas near water. Fire closures will affect access to most private timberlands until significant rains occur. Hunters willing to spend time making contacts and securing permission to hunt private properties in the Willamette Valley should experience good hunting opportunities.

In the Alsea Unit, once known as the most productive black-tailed deer area in Oregon, the deer harvest has fallen considerably the last three hunting seasons.

If hot, dry weather continues into the deer season, expect hunting conditions to be poor to fair at best.

The eastern half and northern third of the unit provide the best opportunities, but deer can be found throughout. The best map available is from the Department of Forestry and is titled "Western Oregon."

Much of the Lane County portion of the Siuslaw Unit is composed of a mosaic of public and private lands. This mosaic has resulted in a diversity of habitat conditions that has been productive for deer.

As in other parts of western Oregon, deer populations in the Siuslaw unit appear to be declining. Buck ratios are still good.

Deer hair loss syndrome was much more evident this past spring, so expect hunting success to be only fair this fall.

In Douglas County (including the Dixon, South Indigo, Northwest Evans Creek, Melrose, Southwest Siuslaw, East Tioga and Northeast Powers units), deer populations are similar to last year with low numbers at higher elevations and medium to high populations levels on the Umpqua Valley floor.

Most low elevation lands are privately owned, so hunters are reminded to obtain permission before hunting on those lands. Also, hunters are reminded that the federally listed and protected Columbian White-tailed deer inhabit some of the lower elevations in Douglas County, so be certain your target is a black-tailed deer.

Buck and fawn ratio counts after last hunting season were average. In addition, mild winter conditions the last couple years have contributed to excellent survival providing a good deer harvest opportunity this season. During the early part of the rifle season, hunters should find deer on the northerly slopes and near water and green-up areas.

Finally, hunters are reminded that the ODFW is conducting a research project in southwest Oregon to estimate the population age structure and determine harvest rates for various age classes of deer. As a result, hunters are being asked to turn in the two incisor teeth from the lower jaw of any deer harvested in southwestern Oregon. Teeth can be dropped off at participating vendors, ODFW offices, collection sites, or mailed in pre-paid envelopes. Instructions and collection envelopes are available at all ODFW offices and at most sporting goods stores.

HUNTING HIGHLIGHTS

Deer-hunting season opens Saturday throughout Oregon, but big bucks are not the only hot topics of hunting camp discussions. Here's a summary of hunting headline news:

Fire danger closures: Most public lands remain open to hunting, although use restrictions are in effect. Most private timberlands remain closed to public access due to high fire danger. Updates are available through the "fire and drought info" links on the Web site: www.dfw.state.or.us.

Deer diseases: Wildlife biologists will be collecting samples from some harvested deer to check for signs that Oregon deer herds have been infected by bovine Tuberculosis or chronic wasting disease (CWD). So far, there is no evidence of either in wild deer or elk. Also, Oregon has placed restrictions on what Oregon hunters can bring back from other states in an attempt to prevent CWD from spreading here.

Deer diseases II: Bucks may be more difficult to find because mortality from two other deer diseases - deer hair loss syndrome and adenovirus -has reduced populations in some areas.

Tag deadline: The deadline for purchasing buck deer, cougar and bear hunting seasons is Friday. "Sport-Pac" holders also must pick up their buck deer tags before license agents close Friday.

These li'l piggies: The state has reclassified wild pigs as predatory animals. As a result, anyone with an Oregon hunting license may hunt feral pigs on public land at any time. Pig hunting on private lands requires that hunters receive landowner permission to hunt.

Fall turkeys: The state this year has doubled the number of available fall turkey tags - 2,000 tags will be issued this year on a first-come, first-served basis. Tag holders may hunt in 10 Western Oregon counties.

CAPTION(S):

Still-hunting will be difficult this season as long as forest conditions remain tinder dry. OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH & WILDLIFE Finding black-tailed bucks will be a goal for many Oregon hunters when the season opens Saturday. OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH & WILDLIFE An Oregon wildlife biologist takes a blood sample from a deer dying of deer hair loss syndrome. HUNTING HIGHLIGHTS Deer-hunting season opens Saturday throughout Oregon, but big bucks are not the only hot topics of hunting camp discussions. Here's a summary of hunting headline news: Fire danger closures: Most public lands remain open to hunting, although use restrictions are in effect. Most private timberlands remain closed to public access due to high fire danger. Updates are available through the "fire and drought info" links on the Web site: www.dfw.state.or.us. Deer diseases: Wildlife biologists will be collecting samples from some harvested deer to check for signs that Oregon deer herds have been infected by bovine Tuberculosis or chronic wasting disease (CWD). So far, there is no evidence of either in wild deer or elk. Also, Oregon has placed restrictions on what Oregon hunters can bring back from other states in an attempt to prevent CWD from spreading here. Deer diseases II: Bucks may be more difficult to find because mortality from two other deer diseases - deer hair loss syndrome and adenovirus -has reduced populations in some areas. Tag deadline: The deadline for purchasing buck deer, cougar and bear hunting seasons is Friday. "Sport-Pac" holders also must pick up their buck deer tags before license agents close Friday. These li'l piggies: The state has reclassified wild pigs as predatory animals. As a result, anyone with an Oregon hunting license may hunt feral pigs on public land at any time. Pig hunting on private lands requires that hunters receive landowner permission to hunt. Fall turkeys: The state this year has doubled the number of available fall turkey tags - 2,000 tags will be issued this year on a first-come, first-served basis. Tag holders may hunt in 10 Western Oregon counties.