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.
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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...
How to fish
Surf fishing is one of Oregon’s most underutilized fisheries. There are hundreds of places to fish along Oregon’s sandy beaches...
How to hunt big game
Where-to and how-to go big game hunting in Oregon
Whether it’s spending more time outdoors or harvesting food for the freezer, there are lots reasons to become a hunter...
How to fish
Ice fishing is becoming increasingly popular in Oregon as anglers look for new ways to enjoy fishing year-round. Here are some...
Where to fish
The southwest area follows Interstate 5 from Drain south to the Oregon-California border and includes the communities of Grants Pass...
Hunters and anglers can still visit their local ODFW license agent to purchase and print licenses, tags and other documents...
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 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.
Buying a license or permit
In 2025, the Oregon Legislature established the Ocean Endorsement through House Bill 2342 to generate dedicated funding for marine fish...
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 clam and crab
The Oregon Health Authority has issued an advisory for recreationally harvested softshell and gaper clams along the Oregon coast due...
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 big game
This step-by-step guide will show you how to purchase leftover tags from the controlled hunt drawing. Leftover tags are available online beginning...
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
Resources to help prepare for a successful hunt in sagebrush country.
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...
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...
How to fish
Two commonly caught species of salmon are coho and Chinook. Fishing regulations require anglers to correctly identify salmon species as restrictions...
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...
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...
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...
Opportunity for kids
A few waterbodies in Oregon are set aside just for younger anglers and those with disabilities—offering everything from warmwater and...
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 clam and crab
Nehalem Bay offers both beach and boat access to softshell and purple varnish clam beds.