Volunteer with ODFW

Teach, restore, study, host, build, communicate

When you sign up to be an ODFW volunteer, you are helping to protect Oregon's fish and wildlife, manage ODFW properties and spark a passion in others to hunt, fish and appreciate the outdoors building and enhancing fish, wildlife and their habitats for current and future generations. Donating even one day a year is all it takes to be helpful. We can be as flexible as possible to find the right opportunity to fit your schedule.

Join thousands of volunteers by sharing your time and talents with ODFW.

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Volunteer opportunities at ODFW are almost endless. Donate one day or more per year, work environments are inside and outdoors. Select the one that's right for you!

Here are the current volunteer opportunities at Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

TEACH
Learn more about TEACH Volunteer Opportunities
OPPORTUNITY	DATES	DESCRIPTION	REGISTER
Hunter Education Event Support Specialist	Continuous	Support education workshops, classes and events.	SIGN ME UP

Hunter Education Junior Instructor	Continuous	Must be between ages 14-20 to apply - Under the supervision of a Certified Hunter Safety Education Instructor: assist with classroom and field day logistics.	SIGN ME UP

Hunter Education Instructor	Continuous	Train to become a certified Hunter Safety Education Instructor, lead and assist with curriculum and field day activities.	SIGN ME UP

Shooting sports Instructor	Continuous	Train to become a certified Coach, instructing participants to safely operate firearms and bows.	SIGN ME UP

Dog handler	Continuous	Mentor new and returning hunters in the field by teaching the basics of bird hunting with dogs. Learn more.	Inquire by email

Angler Education event support specialist	Continuous	Support education workshops, classes and events.	SIGN ME UP

Angler Education Instructor	Continuous	Train to become a certified Angler Education Instructor, lead and assist with the basics of sportfishing; conservation and stewardship of Oregon's aquatic resources.	SIGN ME UP

RESTORE
Learn more about RESTORE Volunteer Opportunities
OPPORTUNITY	DATES	DESCRIPTION	REGISTER
Planting Day May 26 Near Post in Crook County Oregon	May 14 – May 22, 2026	Planting day May 26, 2026 in Post, Crook County, Oregon. Volunteers will help plant native cottonwood and willow to support beaver recovery on a conservation-oriented working cattle ranch.	SIGN ME UP

Phillip Schneider Wildlife Area Standard Non-Driver Volunteer	Continuous	Phillip Schneider Wildlife Area Standard Non-Driver Volunteer Join us at Phillip Schneider Wildlife Area and play a vital role in maintaining critical habitat for deer, elk, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, upland birds, and other native species in this non-driver opportunity. Bilingual encouraged to apply.	SIGN ME UP

Phillip Schneider Wildlife Area Standard Volunteer with Driving Privileges	Continuous	Phillip Schneider Wildlife Area Standard Volunteer with Driving Privileges. Join us at Phillip Schneider Wildlife Area and play a vital role in maintaining critical habitat for deer, elk, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, upland birds, and other native species. Driving may be included. Bilingual encouraged to apply.	SIGN ME UP

Mid-Coast STEP Standard Volunteer (Youth or Adult)	Continuous	Volunteer opportunities include helping with fish monitoring, propagation, education and outreach, and restoration. Bilingual encouraged to apply.	SIGN ME UP

Mid-Coast STEP Standard Driver Volunteer	Continuous	Volunteer opportunities include helping with fish monitoring, propagation, education and outreach, and restoration. Bilingual encouraged to apply.	SIGN ME UP

Denman Wildlife Area Standard Support and Driver Volunteer	Continuous	Volunteer work is a very valuable asset on The Denman Wildlife Area. The DWA staff welcome and appreciate all volunteers who are eager to assist and who are passionate about the outdoors. Duties may include but are not limited to the removal of invasive and overgrown weeds with hand and power tools, minor infrastructure repairs of foot bridges along hiking trails, litter patrol, bird and bat box inventory checks, construction of bird and bat boxes, and landscape maintenance. Location: The Denman Wildlife Area, 1495 E Gregory Rd., Central Point, OR 97502 Bilingual encouraged to apply.	SIGN ME UP

STEP Volunteer- Gold Beach Level 3	Continuous	Duties for this Volunteer Service Description may include but not be limited to some or all of the following. Volunteers will help with Volunteer opportunities include a wide variety of work tasks to support the STEP program at Gold Beach. Volunteers may help with broodstock collection of salmon or steelhead. In addition, volunteers may sort fish to determine maturity levels, spawn fish, measure and collect other biological information, record data on data sheets. They may also assist with incubation of eggs, move fry to rearing troughs, feed fish, clean raceways/troughs, clean screens, remove fish from raceways, crowd fish with nets, fin clip. Volunteers may provide information to adults and youth from time to time. General tasks like trail clearing and minor cleaning and maintenance may be asked of these volunteers. Volunteers may be asked to drive on behalf of ODFW. To apply, please click on the link. Bilingual encouraged to apply.	SIGN ME UP

STEP volunteer - Coquille Basin	Continuous	Volunteers will help with operating a fish traps to capture returning adult hatchery salmonids. Volunteers will check the trap of presence of fish, clean the weir/trap of debris, net fish, and haul them from the trap to a transport tank. Volunteers can also help under the oversite of ODFW with spawning the adult salmonids which might entail netting fish, determining sex of the fish, collecting gametes, collecting biological data from the fish, and disposing of the fish as directed by ODFW staff.- Volunteers of all ages encouraged to register. Bilingual encouraged to apply.	SIGN ME UP

Big Creek Hatchery Standard Non-Driver Volunteer	Continuous	October – December: Volunteers assist with spawning at Big Creek Hatchery, which includes measuring fish, collecting biological samples, and recording data. Volunteers would also help with transporting Chum Salmon to nearby streams, which requires the safe handling and release of fish. Volunteers would be working outside or in a covered, open-air building in cold, often wet weather. Work is physical and includes standing, stooping, crouching, and lifting (25 lbs. max). Days can be long and depend on the number of fish that need to be processed and other working conditions. Bilingual encouraged to apply. January – June: Volunteers would assist with smolt trap operations, which includes counting and measuring fish, collecting biological samples, and recording data. Volunteers would also help with monitoring a remote site incubator, which requires water quality checks and debris removal. Volunteers would also have the opportunity to learn more about Chum Salmon life history, their importance to the ecosystem, and how PROCS uses science to manage the species. Bilingual encouraged to apply.	SIGN ME UP

STEP volunteer - Coos Basin	October - June	Volunteers will help with broodstock collection of salmon and steelhead in the Coos Basin. In addition, volunteers can sort fish to determine maturity levels, spawn fish, measure and collect other biological information, record data on data sheets. They can also assist with operating hatch boxes or other forms of incubation of eggs, move fry to rearing troughs, feed fish, clean raceways/troughs, clean screens, remove fish from raceways, crowd fish with nets, fin clip. - Volunteers of all ages encouraged to register. Bilingual encouraged to apply.	SIGN ME UP

STEP Volunteer - Eel/ Tenmile Basin	January - April	Volunteers assist ODFW with operation of an adult fish trap and acclimating hatchery winter steelhead smolts in the Tenmile Basin. Help ODFW staff with collecting data, setting up fish traps, feed hatchery steelhead smolts, and more! Bilingual encouraged to apply.	SIGN ME UP

STEP Volunteer Winter Steelhead Acclimation Site RV Host	January – April	Great opportunity to work with steelhead in Canyonville - check adult fish trap daily, with minor facilities upkeep and fish culture work. 20 hours per week. Site has electric, propane and septic provided. Bilingual encouraged to apply.	SIGN ME UP

Juniper Thinning	Continuous	This is a great opportunity for volunteers to come out to Philip Schneider Wildlife Area, Dayville, OR and help reduce the amount of junipers trees that cause harm to the Wildlife Area. Volunteers will be thinning junipers trees by the means of lopping sheers or chainsaw. Bilingual encouraged to apply.	SIGN ME UP

BCWA General Volunteer	Continuous	Volunteer/Volunteers will assist Wildlife Area staff with improving and maintaining the wildlife area. Tasks will all go towards improving wildlife habitat and maintaining public land for recreational opportunities. Location: Bridge Creek Wildlife Area Bilingual encouraged to apply.	SIGN ME UP

CBWA General Volunteer	Continuous	The Volunteer/Volunteers will assist Wildlife Area staff with seasonal tasks, whenever available for improving and maintaining public land for recreation and improvement of wildlife habitat. Location: Columbia Basin Wildlife Area. Bilingual encouraged to apply.	SIGN ME UP

Fern Ridge Wildlife Area Volunteer	Continuous	This is a weekly volunteer opportunity at the Fern Ridge Wildlife Area. The group meets every Tuesday from 8am until approximately 3pm. Staff will create a project list prior to meeting and will try to match each volunteer with a task that they are comfortable doing. This environment provides the opportunity to develop new relationships with a group of good people, while helping wildlife area staff complete a variety of worthwhile projects. Bilingual encouraged to apply.	SIGN ME UP

Regional Fishing Standard Volunteer Age 18+ North Coast District	Ongoing	Assist the North Coast district with a wide variety of projects, including fish trapping, fish surveys, stream enrichment, access site maintenance, broodstock collection, fish stocking, or other fish management tasks. Use of equipment including ATV may be needed. Bilingual encouraged to apply.	SIGN ME UP

STUDY
Learn more about study Volunteer Opportunities
OPPORTUNITY	DATES	DESCRIPTION	REGISTER
Diamond Lake Creel Survey	April 23 May 6, 9, 17, 22, 25 June 2, 8, 9, 13 July 11, 12, 21, 22, 27 August 5, 9, 19 September 4, 7, 14, 27, 30 October 23 November 29	Survey anglers at Diamond Lake. Harvest data from these surveys allows ODFW to determine the angling effort and catch rates. Bilingual encouraged to apply.	SIGN ME UP

HOST
Learn more about host Volunteer Opportunities
OPPORTUNITY	INFORMATION	DESCRIPTION	REGISTER
RV host - hatcheries	Site Information and Availability Date List.	Live & work for a month or more at one of our hatcheries, wildlife areas or offices. Bilingual encouraged to apply.	SIGN ME UP

RV host - wildlife areas/regional offices	Site Information and Availability Date List.	Live & work for a month or more at one of our hatcheries, wildlife areas or offices. Bilingual encouraged to apply.	SIGN ME UP

BUILD
Learn more about build Volunteer Opportunities
OPPORTUNITY	DATES	DESCRIPTION	REGISTER
Skilled craftspeople	Continuous	A subject matter expert in providing service in a variety of settings. Bilingual encouraged to apply.	Inquire by email

COMMUNICATE
Learn more about communicate Volunteer Opportunities
OPPORTUNITY	DATES	DESCRIPTION	REGISTER
Guest speaker/subject matter expert	Continuous	A subject matter expert, providing presentations in a variety of settings. Learn more. Bilingual encouraged to apply.	Inquire by email