Recreating during drought

To recreate responsibly during a time that’s already stressful for fish and wildlife, you should be aware of the conditions where you plan to recreate and minimize your impact once you get there.

Fishing during drought

Drought leads to low, warm water conditions that are detrimental to native fish, but that hit cold water species like trout, salmon and steelhead particularly hard. As the water warms, the fish’s metabolism increases rapidly, burning precious energy stores. Additionally, fish become more stressed and vulnerable to disease

What you can do

Anglers should feel free to fish during a drought but there are a few things to consider:

• Follow these 5 tips for fishing when water temperatures are high. Warm water can take a toll on fish and these tips can help you catch more fish and land them with less stress to the fish.
• Avoid steelhead while trout fishing. Steelhead and rainbow trout often occupy the same waters. But some steelhead populations, primarily summer steelhead, are hurting not just because of drought but also several years of poor ocean conditions. In some place, steelhead fishing might be closed due to poor returns, while trout fishing remains open. In these cases, try to avoid hooking steelhead when fishing for trout.

  

• Know before you go. This includes the latest information on water levels and temperatures, changes to the stocking schedule and emergency in-season regulation updates. This information can be easy to find in the weekly Recreation Report, which reports on current conditions of dozens of popular waterbodies.
• Be flexible. Anglers who are able and willing to explore new locations and to fish for different species such as bass and other warmwater fish, should continue to find lots of opportunities.

ODFW actions to protect fish

To help protect fish, ODFW will be monitoring conditions throughout the summer and fall, and may adjust the stocking schedule or adopt emergency fishing regulations when needed. Here are examples of some of the actions the agency may take:

• Adjust the stocking schedule. Already this year some districts have adjusted their stocking schedules to get more fish in the water during the cooler summer months. As the season progresses, look for other changes to the stocking schedule based on changing water conditions. The weekly Recreation Report is the best place to find the latest stocking updates.
• Adopt hoot owl regulations. This means closing fishing in an area during the hottest parts of the day – usually by mid-afternoon -- when water temperatures are the highest.
• Close fishing to protect native fish populations. Even catch-and-release fishing adds additional stress on fish.
• Lift bag and harvest method limits to salvage stocked fish in waterbodies that are likely to go dry or a least get too low and warm to support fish.

Anglers can find the latest regulation changes in the Regulation Updates sections of the weekly Recreation Report. Select the zone where you plan to fish, and then click on the white button that says "Regulation Updates."

Hunting in drought and wildfire season

Severe drought in the early summer can lead to severe wildfires risk in the early hunting seasons.

Actions you can take

• Learn more about the impact of wildfire on fish and wildlife, and what you can do to help.
• Know before you go. During wildfire season many landowners adopt special restrictions or even close public access to reduce the threat of fire. Areas may also be closed in and around active fire areas. Confirming that your hunt area is still open to hunter access should be the first step in planning your hunting trip. Here are some resources to help you find current fire closures and restrictions.

  

• Take care near watering areas, especially in you’re hunting from a blind. As seasonal water sources dry up early, animals will start to congregate near those water sources that remain. Federal land agencies suggest setting up at least 300 feet from the water.
• Be careful when using a motor vehicle. Hot mufflers and exhaust systems on cars, trucks, and ATVs can be an ignition source for wildfires. Even if the landowner is allowing motor vehicle use, don’t drive on roads with vegetation on the road surface and don’t park on dry vegetation.

ODFW actions to protect wildlife

• Access closures. During fire season some lands may be closed to public access or motor vehicle use may be restricted to reduce the fire risks.  ODFW can only close access on ODFW wildlife areas and other property it owns. Otherwise, access is controlled by the landowner, usually a private company or federal government agency.
• Hunting restrictions. These are appropriate when conditions pose a threat to animals on a populations level, as opposed to small scale impacts that threaten a small, local group of animals.
  
  For example, recent surveys show many deer in eastern Oregon aren’t finding enough food immediately following recent wildfires, and this may impact the health of young and adult animals, leading to lower survival rates. If this causes a decline in the deer population or the deer move out of the area, then future hunting opportunity will be reduced until the population recovers.
• Tag refunds. In the past, ODFW has issued tag refunds to hunters who weren’t able to access hunt areas when closures due to active fires or safety issues in newly burned areas resulted in nearly complete loss of access.

Drought and wildlife viewing

Since wildlife watchers will face many of the same challenges as hunter and anglers, many of the same things apply including:

• Exercise care near water. As small ponds and other water sources disappear, animals will start to concentrate at remaining watering holes. While this may increase the number and diversity of animals in one area – great for wildlife watching – your presence near this essential resource may place even more stress on the animals. Use binoculars or a spotting scope to observe wildlife from a distance to minimize disturbance.
• Know before you go. During wildfire season – often severe after summer drought -- many landowners adopt special restrictions or even close public access to reduce the threat of fire. Areas may also be closed in and around active fire areas. Here are some resources to help you find current fire closures and restrictions.
• Leave the dog at home – even if it’s on a leash. Many animals will already be stressed and just the presence of a dog can put them on high alert.

What we all can do

• Use water wisely. During times of drought each drop of water counts. So, follow your local community’s water conservation recommendations and reduce your water use as much as you can.
• Be fire safe in the field. After a summer drought, conditions are ripe for a severe wildfire season.
  • Don’t start fires. Use liquid fuel stoves instead of a campfire, smoke only inside your vehicle, don’t park your vehicle on dry grass or other vegetation that could be ignited by the hot catalytic converter.
  • Carry equipment to put out accidental fires. Have extra water or a fire extinguisher and a shovel to extinguish small accidental fires before they get bigger.