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 north Willamette area includes the Columbia River from Bonneville downstream to St. Helens and the lower Willamette Basin north...
How to hunt big game
Resuming in 2022, successful bear hunters must appear in-person at an ODFW office to check in their bear's skull.
How to clam and crab
How-to and where-to catch crabs on Oregon’s coast
If you love Dungeness crab, you’ll love that you can harvest them yourself.
How to hunt big game
Resources to help prepare for a successful hunt in sagebrush country.
How to fish
Bass are an increasingly popular game fish even in a state noted for its native salmon, steelhead and trout. Bass...
Buying a license or permit
Steps for getting a duplicate hunter education card.
Give a years worth of outdoor adventure
What to get for family and friends who love the outdoors—the birder, hiker, aspiring angler, avid hunter or neighbor who...
Where to fish
The central area follows the Deschutes River Basin along the eastern slope of the Cascades, and includes the middle reaches...
How to fish
Fishing Oregon’s high elevation lakes is not just for dedicated anglers. It also appeals to hikers and backpackers who head...
Young animals are rarely orphaned, so leave them where you find them. Chances are good mom is nearby, just waiting...
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...
Buying a license or permit
How to qualify
The Oregon Disabilities Hunting and Fishing Permit is not a license or tag. Hunters must still obtain a hunting and/or...
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...
Where to fish
On Free Fishing Weekends, you don't need a license to fish, crab or clam anywhere in Oregon. That's no license...
Where to fish
The southeast area covers the high desert country of Harney and Malheur counties and is the most arid region of...
Where to fish
Hiking or camping plans getting in the way of fishing this weekend? Going to be busy kayaking or going to...
How to fish
The Buoy 10 fishery, where the Columbia River meets the Pacific, offers anglers a chance to catch Chinook and coho...
How to fish
A guide to the field identification of bull trout, brook trout, and their hybrids.
Where to fish
Wide open spaces, wild windy places, and extreme temperatures characterize Oregon’s largest, most remote fishing zone. Scarcity makes water especially...
Buying a license or permit
Or redeem your Sports Pac voucher
Find directions purchasing a tag online or from a license vendor, for redeeming your Sports Pac voucher, and purchasing a...
Buying a license or permit
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife owns or manages nearly 200,000 acres of land set aside for wildlife use...
How to hunt big game
If you bought a tag you must report, even if you weren't successful or didn't hunt. Hunters have until Jan. 31 and...
How to hunt big game
Whether using e-tagging or paper tags
The ODFW electronic licensing system makes it easy to tag your salmon, steelhead and halibut, as well as your 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...