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
How to fish
You can purchase an Oregon fishing license online or at an ODFW license vendor. Here are step-by-step directions for purchasing...
How to fish
More fish are probably lost because of improperly tied knots than any other single reason. Yet anglers who spend hours...
How to hunt big game
Desktop scouting, trail cameras and 5 other scouting tips
How to fish
We asked some of the fisher folk at ODFW for their favorite gift-giving ideas. Here's what they said.
Where to fish
The central area follows the Deschutes River Basin along the eastern slope of the Cascades, and includes the middle reaches...
Oregon has miles and miles of small rivers and creeks where anglers can enjoy simple techniques, a sense of solitude...
Where to fish
Salmon, steelhead and smallmouth bass offer world-class fishing here year-round. Rainbow trout are stocked in the upper Rogue and in...
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...
Where to fish
The southeast area covers the high desert country of Harney and Malheur counties and is the most arid region of...
Hunters and anglers can still visit their local ODFW license agent to purchase and print licenses, tags and other documents...
Where to fish
Wide open spaces, wild windy places, and extreme temperatures characterize Oregon’s largest, most remote fishing zone. Scarcity makes water especially...
wildlife viewing
In late September, deer and elk begin their annual migration to wintering grounds, and often have to cross roads and...
wildlife viewing
Tips for avoiding human/bear encounters
Black bears are part of the natural ecosystem but conflict can occur when they enter our space, or we enter...
A growing number of people take to the woods in winter, looking for antlers that have been shed by Oregon’s deer...
How to hunt game birds
Dove hunting seasons open earlier than many others and offer one of the first opportunities to go afield each year...
How to hunt big game
Oregon offers spring and fall bear hunting seasons. Fall bear is an entirely general season hunt, while spring season is...
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...
Public Comment Period is now closed as of 10/17/25.
ODFW is in the process of finalizing the Minam River Wildlife...
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 new free "Beaches Pass" is required to park at the beaches on weekends and holidays until Labor Day (Sept. 1, 2025), in addition to the longtime required Wildlife Area Parking Permit ($10 daily/$30 annually).
How to hunt game birds
Oregon supports diverse waterfowl populations, from sea ducks in coastal saltwater to puddle ducks in the alkali basins of southeast...
Opportunity for kids
A few waterbodies in Oregon are set aside just for younger anglers and those with disabilities—offering everything from warmwater and...
wildlife viewing
Share your wildlife sightings through the Oregon Wildlife Conservation project
Join the community scientists who have shared their wildlife observations in Oregon throughout the iNaturalist app. Record your sightings of mammals, birds...
Where to clam and crab
The areas around Bandon, on the Coquille River, have productive softshell beds. The areas near Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge...