Commission meets online Jan. 16

SALEM, Ore.—Oregon's Fish and Wildlife Commission meets online Friday, Jan. 16 to amend the formula for setting Landowner Preference tags for mule deer hunts and modify the Coquille River Fall Chinook conservation hatchery program to allow the use of hatchery origin broodstock.

See the full meeting agenda at https://myodfw.com/articles/commission-agenda-january-16-2026

To testify on an agenda item virtually, register on the agenda page at least 48 hours in advance (by Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 8 a.m.). Comments can also be submitted by using the link provided with each agenda item (see "Submit written comments on this agenda item Here").

To testify during the public forum section about topics not on the agenda, submit this form at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting.

Commission business on Friday includes:

Burns-Paiute Ceremonial Hunting tags: Update rules for the hunting program for the Burns Paiute Tribe to support opportunities for ceremonial and subsistence hunting. The proposed changes increase opportunities for mule deer and elk and make changes to allowed hunt areas including alignment with newly adopted mule deer hunt areas.

Landowner Preference Tags: The Landowner Preference (LOP) program was created by the Oregon Legislature in 1981 to allow landowners with qualifying property to obtain controlled hunt tags for their own land. Following changes in Statute, beginning in 2015 the number of total LOP tags available for buck use deer was limited using a three-tiered formula based on mule deer population size. Due to the new harvest and population management system approved under the 2024 Mule Deer Plan, changes to the formula used to limit mule deer LOP tags are required. Under the old system, WMUs rarely changed tiers because population shifts were gradual. The new system considers population size and growth rate, meaning herd ranges could move tiers more often. To maintain stability and predictability of landowner hunting options, staff are proposing a simplified two-tiered formula to manage mule deer LOP tags. Landowners would be notified of tag numbers by May 1, 2026.

Coquille River Fall Chinook Conservation Hatchery Program: In 2022, the Commission approved the implementation of a fall Chinook Conservation Hatchery Program in the Coquille basin using natural origin (NOR) broodstock to supplement naturally spawning populations of Chinook salmon. Due to insufficient returns of NOR adult fall Chinook salmon, there has not been the ability to capture, spawn, and release enough smolts to meet program objectives or inform a robust assessment of the program. The current target smolt release number is 47,000 natural origin smolts. In the first four brood years of program implementation (2022-2025), the initial broodstock collection goal has been met in only one year. To help achieve the target release number and subsequently assess the program, the Department and Coquille Indian Tribe are proposing to manage both the Coquille Fall Chinook Conservation Hatchery Program and the Coquille Fall Chinook Harvest Augmentation Hatchery Program as a single integrated stock that utilizes NOR and hatchery origin (HOR) broodstock.

The Commission may meet in Executive Session pursuant to ORS 192.660 (2)(f) to consider information or records that are exempt by law from public inspection, as well as to consult with legal counsel concerning legal rights and duties of a public body with regard to current litigation or litigation likely to be filed as authorized by ORS 192.660 (2)(h). Members of the media can attend the Executive Sessions but may not report on anything heard during that session. Media wishing to attend should contact the Director's office at (503) 947-6044.

ODFW provides reasonable accommodation upon request, including assistive listening devices, sign language interpreters, and materials in large print or audiotape. To request accommodation, please contact the Director's Office at (503) 947-6044 (voice) or (503) 947-6042 (fax) at least 48 hours prior to the meeting.

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