Southwest Area

December 4, 2025

Currently open

Fall bear, Cougar (check current harvest numbers), Coyote, Deer and Elk (Check regulations for specific dates and units)

Announcements, resources

2025 Big Game Hunting Forecast

Big game harvest statistics - You'll find links to population, harvest and point summary reports that can help you decide what hunts to apply for next season.

Please report elk with hoof disease - If you see elk showing signs of elk hoof disease, including lame or limping elk or elk with damaged, injured, missing or deformed hooves, please report it using this online form.

Coyote and wolf ID - Coyote hunters need to take extra care to identify their target as wolves can look like coyotes, especially wolf pups in the mid-summer and fall. Test your ID skills. Please report any wolf sightings or wolf sign to ODFW using the online reporting system.

District updates

COOS COUNTY (west Tioga, west Powers, north Sixes, southwest Siuslaw)

Deer: With more frequent rainy weather in the forecast, hunters should benefit from more deer up and moving throughout the day. Bucks will begin to display rutting behavior late October to early November, becoming less wary as the season progresses.

Black bear: The general fall black bear season is open and ends Dec 31. During the Fall, bears may be active any time of the day but will typically seek out shade during the hottest part of the day. As berry crops are depleting, bears will be in search of a broader range of food sources packing on as many calories as they can before the Winter. Hunters may have luck finding fresh signs along seldom used roads and trail systems, particularly near marshy water sources with plenty of vegetation.

Cougar: Cougars are difficult to locate in Coos County. Most cougars are taken incidentally during deer and elk seasons by hunters who have also purchased a cougar tag.

The most productive way to hunt cougars is by using a predator call in areas where elk and deer are present. Keep in mind that cougars, unlike bears and coyotes, are ambush predators and will attempt to approach call boxes quietly from a downwind direction. Having a second person set up at the same calling location can greatly increase your chances of harvesting a cougar. Be sure to check the ODFW regulations regarding cougar check in before hunting.

Coyote: Numbers are strong throughout Coos County. Using predator calls to lure them in can be an effective method for harvesting coyotes. Try calling in early morning and late afternoon. Be sure to ask permission before hunting on private land.

DOUGLAS COUNTY (Dixon, S. Indigo, NW Evans Creek, Melrose, SW Siuslaw, E. Tioga and NE Powers Units)

Deer: With more frequent rainy weather in the forecast, hunters should benefit from more deer up and moving throughout the day. Bucks will begin to display rutting behavior late October to early November, becoming less wary as the season progresses.

Black bear: Black bear season continues through Dec 31. Bears can be found at higher elevations in the cascades and in some of the thicker timbered areas trying to beat some of the end of summer heat. During the Fall, bears may be active any time of the day but will typically seek out shade during the hottest part of the day. As berry crops are depleting, bears will be in search of a broader range of food sources packing on as many calories as they can before the Winter. Hunters may have luck finding fresh signs along seldom used roads and trail systems, particularly near marshy water sources with plenty of vegetation.

Cougar: Look in areas adjacent to agriculture and within areas of higher concentrations of deer. When fresh tracks are found, set up and call with either mouth or electronic predator calls. Cougars are abundant throughout with indicators pointing to stable or increasing numbers. Hunting cougar is a challenge because these animals are very secretive, but harvest success is greatest adjacent to private land with high deer populations using a predator call.

Coyote: Numbers are strong throughout Douglas County. Using predator calls to lure them in can be an effective method for harvesting coyotes. Try calling in early morning and late afternoon. Be sure to ask permission before hunting on private land.

JACKSON, JOSEPHINE, CURRY COUNTIES (Applegate, Chetco, Evans Creek, Rogue, portions of Dixon, and Sixes)

Habitat conditions:

Always watch local weather reports and prepare for possible weather changing conditions over the extension of your hunt. Always pack a warmer set of clothing for the temperature changes in the mornings and evenings and an extra pair of socks for your tired feet.

General Antlerless Elk Damage: This tag is designed to address chronic elk damage in specific portions of the state. The tag is valid for one antlerless elk and will your only elk opportunity if purchased. There is no tag sale deadline, which means it can be purchased at any time during the season which runs from Aug. 1 to March 31 of the following year in our area. These tags are almost exclusively on private property. Please do not purchase the tag unless you have a place with permission to hunt within the hunt zone.

Deer: Late season archery deer opened Nov. 15 and continues until Dec. 7 in the Rogue and Evans Creek units. By this time deer should be in their winter range habitat so look for south facing slopes with oaks and buckbrush at lower elevations to have your best chance at finding deer. Historically deer are in their peak rut in this area during the Thanksgiving week.

128M Applegate Muzzleloader opens on Nov. 15 and goes through Dec. 7 in the Applegate Unit. This is a very popular hunt, often with over a 50% success rate. If you have this tag keep in mind that deer will be on their winter range and entering the rut.

Fall Bear: Season continues through December 31. Berries and acorns have been plentiful this fall creating large sources of food for our bears. Locating a cool area near water surrounded by blackberries, chokecherries, acorns, and grasses would be a great strategy for bumping into a bear. This is the time of year that black bears enter what is known as hyperphagia, which generates an intense drive for food to begin storing fat reserves for the winter months. As we continue deeper into fall the acorns in our area will become even more plentiful. Areas with large stands of oak trees can be good places to target bears feeding in preparation for the long winter, as well as higher elevation areas where it tends to be cooler. Be aware of wind direction as you approach potential sites as bears have a very keen sense of smell.

Cougar: Season is open statewide year-round or until zone quotas are met (see zone quota page). Hunting cougars can be a great way to extend your season now that other seasons have come to an end. Cougar hunting is more of an opportunistic hunt as cougars are primarily nocturnal. If a person is willing to spend the time, a successful harvest during daylight hours can be accomplished.

Place game cameras in locations that are easy for you to access, but away from the busy roads or trails. Game cameras give the hunter an idea of the best time of day to sit, in a safe spot, as cougars are very quiet and stealthy, and use predator calls. Be prepared to sit for an extensive amount of time, as still as possible, to keep movements to a minimum.

If you are successful in harvesting a cougar, call the Central Point office at (541) 826-8774 to schedule an appointment to check in your harvest.

Western gray squirrel: Western gray squirrel hunting is open in that portion of the Rogue unit south of the Rogue River and South Fork Rogue River and North of Hwy 140. See page 68 of the 2025 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations for more information.

Coyotes: Coyotes are opportunistic predators who are always on the hunt for food. Scout areas with decent populations of rabbits, ground squirrels, and other small game animals.

Coyotes are found in nearly all habitat ranges, including rural areas and farmed fields. Areas around meadows, brush piles, and ditch banks can be a great place to search as these types of habitats are home to a multitude of prey species. Remember to ask for permission to hunt on all private lands.

Predator calls are very useful when used in conjunction to a known prey base. Set up in a high vantage point, upwind of your target, when calling as coyotes have sharp eyesight and a keen sense of smell. Being above them will make it more difficult for them to detect you. Remember to identify your target.