ODFW Articles
Need to figure out controlled hunts, find a place to clam, learn how to fish or get directions to a wildlife area? We've got information on all that and more, straight from ODFW biologists and other accomplished hunters, anglers and wildlife watchers.
Header image by Dave Budeau
Where to fish
The John Day – Umatilla area includes the John Day River and Umatilla River basins, and Oregon’s upper reaches of...
How to fish
Crappie are scrappy, hard-fighting fish, and with a two-rod validation you can double the excitement of reeling in these delicious...
Where to fish
Abundant rainfall feeds the massive Willamette River watershed, tamed by a system of reservoirs stocked annually with hundreds of thousands...
How to hunt big game
Desktop scouting, trail cameras and 5 other scouting tips
How to fish
Warm water temps take a toll on fish
During summer drought and high temperatures, fish start feeling the heat. Give them a break by following these warm weather...
Where to fish
The southwest area follows Interstate 5 from Drain south to the Oregon-California border and includes the communities of Grants Pass...
How to fish
As temperatures heat up during spring and summer, be on the watch for harmful algae blooms when recreating in Oregon...
Where to fish
The granite peaks of Oregon’s Blue and Wallowa Mountains form the backdrop for many of this zone’s glacier-carved lakes and...
How to hunt big game
Popularly hunted species include gray squirrels, cottontail rabbits, ground squirrels and coyotes.
Small game species provide a variety of hunting experiences throughout the state and are an excellent way to introduce new...
How to hunt game birds
Look for collection barrels where you hunt. Data gathered from wings and tails helps ODFW biologists look at population productivity...
How to hunt game birds
7 reasons they’re great for new hunters
The Western Oregon Fee Pheasant Hunts offer new hunters a chance to hone their skills in a hunt that’s close...
Buying a license or permit
All anglers fishing for salmon, steelhead or sturgeon (catch-and-release and retention) on all rivers and tributaries in the Columbia River...
How to hunt big game
Hunters know how easy it is to get focused on taking “the shot.” But a lot of planning and preparation...
Hunters and anglers can still visit their local ODFW license agent to purchase and print licenses, tags and other documents...
How to fish
Water conditions, gear and flexibility all matter
Some anglers think coho are more aggressive and easier to catch while they’re still in the open waters of the...
How to hunt big game
Rabbit hunting is the third most popular type of hunting activity in the U.S., behind wild turkey and deer hunting...
wildlife viewing
In late September, deer and elk begin their annual migration to wintering grounds, and often have to cross roads and...
How to fish
Two commonly caught species of salmon are coho and Chinook. Fishing regulations require anglers to correctly identify salmon species as restrictions...
A growing number of people take to the woods in winter, looking for antlers that have been shed by Oregon’s deer...
Where to clam and crab
Just a few miles south of Newport, the town of Waldport is on the shores of Alsea Bay. It is...
Where to hunt game birds
Learning where hunters have been successful in the past may help
increase your chances of being successful in the future.
How to clam and crab
The Oregon Health Authority has issued an advisory for recreationally harvested softshell and gaper clams along the Oregon coast due...
Buying a license or permit
Buy licenses/tags online and print them immediately from any printer—or choose electronic tagging to carry your documents and tag fish...
How to fish
We asked some of the fisher folk at ODFW for their favorite gift-giving ideas. Here's what they said.