SALEM, Ore. – People across Oregon are being urged to avoid contact with sick or dead birds as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) continues to impact wild and domestic bird populations across the state. There is currently no effective treatment for wild and domestic birds, and the virus can…

SALEM, Ore.—Oregon's Fish Screens Task Force and Fish Passage Task Force will meet jointly Friday, Dec. 5 from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. online. The meeting will be open to the public. Members of the public who are interested in the meeting are encouraged to attend in person or participate virtually. The…

Veterans invited to grand reopening event set for Nov. 15 MONMOUTH, Ore.—ODFW Hunter Education Coordinator Jered Goodwin used to see a group of disabled Veterans regularly visiting the shotgun shooting range at E.E. Wilson Wildlife Area, a former military base turned wildlife area and popular…

NEWPORT, Ore – Mussel harvesting is now open coastwide from the Washington border to the California border the Oregon Department of Agriculture and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced today. Marine biotoxin levels tested below the alert level. People should always call the Shellfish…

SALEM, Ore. – The winning artwork has been selected for the 2026 Oregon Waterfowl, Upland Game Bird, and Habitat Conservation Stamp Art Contests. In the Waterfowl Stamp category, first place went to Richard Clifton of Milford, Del., for his artwork featuring a blue-winged teal. For the Upland Game…

NEWPORT, Ore – Mussel harvesting is now open from Cascade Head to the California border the Oregon Department of Agriculture and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced today. Marine biotoxin levels in this area tested below the alert level. People should always call the Shellfish Safety…

A black bear tried its best to get into a Neskowin homeowner's bear resistant trash can. The homeowner then built a small shed to enclose the trash can. The persistent bear left its prints and claw marks on the shed but did not succeed in breaking into it. This resident understands the need to be…

SALEM, Ore. - Oregon's Fish Passage Task Force will meet Thursday, October 16 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Red Lion, 1313 N Bayshore Dr, Coos Bay. The meeting will be open to the public. Members of the public who are interested in the meeting are encouraged to attend in person or participate…

NEWPORT, Ore. – New research from Oregon's south coast highlights the positive economic impact of science and tourism within Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve. The study quantifies the number of jobs supported and income generated by these activities, providing important data for the local Port Orford…

SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Conservation and Recreation Advisory Committee will meet on Tuesday, October 7, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The committee will be discussing future grant offerings and strategic communications planning. For more information including an agenda visit: https://www.dfw.state.or…

SALEM, Ore. – ODFW invites the public to view artwork entered in the annual stamp art contest on Tuesday, Nov. 4 from 12:30-5:00 p.m. at ODFW Headquarters in Salem. The event is free and open to the public. Located at 4034 Fairview Industrial Dr SE, Salem, ODFW Headquarters will host the display of…

SALEM, Ore.–The Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet virtually on Friday, Oct. 10 from 8:30 a.m.-noon for a training related to cultural resources, tribal sovereignty, and tribal treaty rights. The meeting will be livestreamed from the Commission page and via ODFW's YouTube channel. Invited…

ASTORIA, Ore. – Clatsop beaches reopen for razor clam harvesting Oct. 1 following the annual conservation closure that began July 15. Before harvesting razor clams or any shellfish, always call the Shellfish Safety Hotline at 1-800-448-2474 or visit the ODA Recreational Shellfish Biotoxin Webpage…

CLACKAMAS, Ore. – Angling will be closed on the lowest reach of Eagle Creek in the Clackamas basin from Sept. 27 through Oct. 31 to give coho salmon a safe resting area amid ongoing low water flows. The closure is from SE Dowty Road downstream to the Clackamas River confluence. Similar to last year…

SALEM, Ore.—As 2025 deer and elk hunting seasons begin, ODFW is ramping up its Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) surveillance statewide. Hunters are encouraged to take advantage of streamlined testing options and reminded that CWD check stations are mandatory to stop at when transporting harvested deer…

SALEM, Ore.—ODFW is seeking qualified applicants to fill one sport fishing position and one commercial salmon industry position on the Restoration and Enhancement (R&E) Program Board. Interested individuals must apply by Oct. 6, 2025, use this form on the R&E Board page. The ideal sport fishing…

ROSEBURG, Ore. – Learn how to hunt waterfowl or sharpen your skills in one of three waterfowl hunting workshops in Southern Oregon offered by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. ODFW hunter education specialists are teaching the workshops: Oct. 3: Klamath Falls, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m., Klamath…

SALEM, Ore.— The fungus that causes white-nose syndrome in bats has been detected in Clatsop County. White-nose syndrome is an infection in bats caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans that disrupts hibernation, causing dehydration and starvation.   Samples analyzed by U.S. Geological…

Cara Rupp with her 5 lb. 11 oz. Black rockfish near Beverly Beach State Park. Photo provided by Dennis J Rupp. NEWPORT, Ore. – The General Marine Species daily bag limit is reduced to three fish beginning Sept. 18 to lower the risk of an early season closure. The one-fish sub-bag limit for cabezon…

CENTRAL POINT, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is giving away free wildlife forage seed to landowners in Central Point, Grants Pass, and Gold Beach on Wed., Oct. 1. Landowners are eligible for two 15-pound bags of seed to cover at least one acre of habitat for wildlife. Seed bags…

SALEM, Ore. — ODFW's Fish Restoration and Enhancement Board will meet in person on Tuesday, Sept. 30 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., in Redmond at The Lodge at Eagle Crest. The meeting will occur in person and via Teams, and members of the public may attend the meeting in person or virtually. The agenda…

ONTARIO, Ore.–The Fish and Wildlife Commission voted 5-1 to open a hatchery Chinook salmon season in the Coquille River, the first Chinook season since 2021, during their meeting today in Ontario. The Coquille River will be open for fall salmon fishing from Sept. 13-Oct. 15 from the Hwy 101 bridge…

SALEM, Ore.— If you are considering registering for a youth pheasant hunt, it is not too late. More slots have opened for many youth pheasant hunts being held statewide this month after duplicate registrations were removed from the system. "We've heard some parents have been unable to sign up their…

CENTRAL POINT, Ore. – The seventh annual Rogue River Pikeminnow Roundup is set for Sept. 26 - Sept. 28, offering anglers the chance to win prizes while helping protect native fish. Participants can win fishing gear, apparel, gift cards, and more by catching non-native Umpqua pikeminnow in the Rogue…

SALEM, Ore. – ODFW staff will host a webinar on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 6 p.m., about the Minam River Wildlife Area (MRWA) draft management plan. The public can join the webinar on Microsoft Teams: Microsoft Teams Need help? Join the meeting now Meeting ID: 284 045 516 288 4 Passcode: ru9nA33y Dial…

SALEM, Ore.–The Fish and Wildlife Commission meets Sept. 11 and 12 in Ontario for a field tour on Thursday and a regular meeting on Friday. See agenda here. The meeting will also be livestreamed from the Commission page. To testify on an agenda item virtually, register on the agenda page at least 48…

OTIS, Ore.—ODFW's recent legislatively adopted budget did not include funding to continue the operation of Salmon River Hatchery, one of more than 30 hatcheries that ODFW maintains in the State. The cost of operating and maintaining the hatchery exceeded available revenue, but funding is just one of…

SALEM, Ore. – Oregon may soon have a new wildlife area in Union County called the Qapqápa Wildlife Area (pronounced cop-COP-a). The property would be owned by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) and co-managed with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR)…

SALEM, Ore.— Hunters are the first line of defense against Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). By getting their animals tested, hunters can help wildlife managers detect the disease early and slow its spread in the state's deer and elk herds. OHA and ODFW are again teaming up to encourage hunters who…

ODFW Marine Resources Program's Alex Copeland monitors scientific fish finders on board the research vessel. ODFW photo. NEWPORT, Ore. – Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's Marine Fisheries Research team is conducting a nearly 10-week at-sea survey to better understand the population status of…

CORVALLIS, Ore . — The Oregon Hatchery Research Center Board will meet virtually via Zoom on Wednesday, Sept. 3 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. In addition to the regularly scheduled items, the agenda includes a review of a proposal for use of the remaining OHRC Research Fund. The meeting is open to…

Pendleton, Ore. – The access road at Bridge Creek Wildlife Area in Umatilla County is closed to vehicles for road and bridge maintenance until further notice. The wildlife area will stay open to the public for walk-in access. Visitors may enter beyond the closed gate on foot but are reminded to park…

NEWPORT, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is holding two public meetings to discuss the commercial black and blue rockfish and nearshore fisheries. The meetings will be held in person with virtual or phone-in options Sept. 9 in Port Orford and Sept. 11 in Tillamook. ODFW commercial…

CENTRAL POINT, Ore. – The Rogue-Siskiyou National Forest is temporarily closing the Huckleberry Mountain area in the High Cascades Ranger District Aug. 22-31 for Tribal ceremonial purposes. Rogue Unit general archery hunters should be aware of the closure over the archery opening weekend, Aug. 30-31…

ROSEBURG, Ore. – The salmon bag limit in the Coos Basin increases today, Aug. 19 from two to three fish in aggregate, one of which must be a hatchery salmon. Anglers can harvest wild Chinook, hatchery Chinook, and hatchery coho. Wild coho cannot be retained until Sept. 13, when only one wild coho…

NEWPORT, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife recommends people avoid harvesting and consuming softshell and bay clams from Alsea Bay estuary after the Oregon Health Authority issued a recreational use advisory for Eckman Lake in Lincoln County. The OHA issued a July 31 advisory due to…

ROSEBURG, Ore. – Fishing for fall Chinook salmon (hatchery and wild) closes at 12:01 a.m., Aug. 19 on the Umpqua, Smith, and North Fork Smith rivers because the quota of 500 wild fall Chinook has been reached. With forecasted low returns of wild fall Chinook salmon in the Umpqua, Smith and North…

NEWPORT, Ore. – Ocean sport salmon fishing closes at 12:01 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 19 in the Columbia River Subarea (Leadbetter Pt., WA to Cape Falcon, OR) and possession of salmon on board a vessel is prohibited. Fishing is allowed on Monday and is closed Tuesday. Projected harvest of marked (fin…

NEWPORT, Ore. – The General Marine Species bag limit returns to a four-fish bag limit beginning Monday, Aug. 18. The one-fish sub-bag limit for cabezon and the one-fish sub-bag limit for canary rockfish remain in place, and retention of quillback rockfish and yelloweye rockfish is prohibited. Great…

SALEM, Ore.—The Commission approved a revised State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) today, a plan that serves as a roadmap for protecting Oregon's at-risk species and their habitats. The Plan incorporates the latest available information on species and presents recommended conservation actions to inform…

NEWPORT, Ore – Pacific halibut angling opens Aug. 17, Sundays through Friday through Sept. 30 or until quota is reached in the Columbia River subarea (Leadbetter Pt., WA to Cape Falcon, OR) all-depth fishery. The daily bag limit is one Pacific halibut. The Columbia River subarea received a 5,000…

SALEM, Ore.—Oregon's Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet Friday, Aug. 15 in Salem at ODFW Headquarters, 4034 Fairview Industrial Drive SE. The meeting will be livestreamed from the Commission page. See the agenda here. (Note that Commission materials have moved to myodfw.com while ODFW's older…

SALEM, Ore. – ODFW is seeking two new members to join the Private Forest Accord (PFA) Advisory Committee. The two available positions include one member to represent the timber industry and one member to represent nongovernmental organizations promoting freshwater aquatic habitat conservation…

SALEM, Ore. – The Private Forest Accord Advisory Committee will not hold its regularly scheduled public meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 12. The next meeting will take place in September. The meeting schedule is available on ODFW's website. The Private Forest Accord Mitigation Fund was established in the…

CLACKAMAS, Ore.— Anglers with the two-rod validation will be able to use two rods in areas of the upper Willamette River open to coho retention through the end of the year, under a temporary rule adopted by ODFW. Effective Aug. 1 through Dec. 31 for anglers with the validation, two rods can be used…

Events in Coquille, Central Point, Monmouth, Eugene, Irrigon, John Day, Klamath Falls, La Grande, Madras, Portland, Tygh Valley SALEM, Ore.—Youth hunters (age 17 and under) who will have completed hunter education by the time of the event can sign up now for ODFW's free pheasant hunts happening…

LA GRANDE, Ore. – Effective Aug. 1 through Sep. 30, minimum and maximum size limits as well as the daily and possession bag limits for rainbow trout and bass are suspended for Thief Valley Reservoir (Southeast Zone) located in Union County. Harvest will be allowed by hand, dip net, or angling. A…

ODFW Director Debbie Colbert (at podium) and Coquille Tribe Chairwoman Brenda Meade (to the right in black jacket) on July 31, 2025 in Bandon, Ore. to announce a major step forward in their combined management effort on salmon recovery in the Coquille River. The first fall Chinook fishery since 2021…

CLACKAMAS, Ore.— Fishery managers from Oregon and Washington extended hatchery steelhead retention for recreational anglers on the mainstem Columbia River downstream of The Dalles Dam using joint state action yesterday. Steelhead retention was initially planned to be closed in this area beginning…

SALEM, Ore.—ODFW will be proposing several changes to next year's Sport Fishing Regulations. The Commission will adopt 2026 regulations at their Sept. 12 meeting in Ontario. Major staff proposals for changes include: Allowing spearfishing for bass and walleye in more rivers and streams: Spearfishing…

SALEM, Ore.—Head to a participating Jamba location for a new limited edition Wildlife Conservation tumbler that benefits wildlife. The colorful tumbler features five species: Sierra Nevada red fox, Northern red-legged frog, Western snowy plover, Northwestern pond turtle and Pygmy rabbit. All are…

SALEM, Ore – Mussel harvesting is now closed from Cape Blanco to the California border due to levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning above the safety threshold, the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced today. On the mid-coast, marine biotoxin…

SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Conservation and Recreation Advisory Committee will meet on Monday, July 28, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesday, July 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The Conservation and Recreation Advisory Committee will meet in Sisters on July 28th for a tour of area projects. On Tuesday…

SALEM, Ore. – Bowhunters can warm up for the archery season at a free 3D shoot in La Pine on Saturday, Aug. 2 at Three Rivers Archers Park located at the intersection of Coach Rd. and Memorial Lane. This unique course offers hunting scenarios and learning opportunities to help you prepare for the…

SALEM, Ore. — The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeking a new member to represent the South Willamette District on the Salmon and Trout Advisory Committee (STAC). Interested individuals are encouraged to apply by 5:00 p. m. on Aug. 4. ODFW is seeking interest from Oregonians who can…

NEWPORT, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is hosting a public meeting on July 29 from 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. to get input on the 2026 recreational Pacific halibut season. The meeting is being held in the conference room of the ODFW office, 2040 SE Marine Science Dr. in Newport with a…

SALEM, Ore. – ODFW's Oregon Conservation and Recreation Fund (OCRF) is now accepting letters of interest for its summer 2025 Wildlife Crossing Infrastructure Grant Opportunity, supporting capital construction projects that reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and restore critical movement and…

SALEM, Ore. – ODFW completed a final draft of the 2025 State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP), now available online for public review. A virtual public meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 16 at 6 p.m., where ODFW staff will present highlights from the plan and answer questions. The public can view…

CENTRAL POINT, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is hosting a family-friendly 3D archery event Aug. 2-3 at the Military Slough tract on Denman Wildlife Area. For just $10 (cash only, pay at entrance), archers can take shots at 40 3D animal targets on a two-mile course along…

CENTRAL POINT, Ore. – Learn how to spot and identify animal tracks, splash around in a stream to check out aquatic bugs, and play "survival of the fish-est." Join the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Jackson County Parks, and Rogue River Watershed Council for Wildlife Wisdom every Saturday…

SALEM, Ore. – The Private Forest Accord Mitigation Advisory Committee will hold its regularly occurring meeting, virtually on Tuesday, July 15, 2025. For a full agenda and virtual login information about the meeting, please visit: https://www.dfw.state.or.us/habitat/PFA/meetings.html The public is…

SALEM, Ore. – ODFW staff will host a webinar on July 17 at 2 p.m., to introduce the public to the updated ODFW sage-grouse management plan. The Oregon Greater Sage-grouse Conservation Assessment and Strategy was last updated in 2011. The public is invited to learn about proposed changes to the plan…

CLACKAMAS, Ore.— Fishery managers from Oregon and Washington added recreational fishing days for adult hatchery Chinook and sockeye to the on-going hatchery steelhead and hatchery jack Chinook fishery in the mainstem Columbia River downstream of the Highway 395 Bridge at Pasco, WA during a joint…

SALEM, Ore. – The Fish and Wildlife Commission meets Friday, July 11 at 10 a.m., at The Dalles Civic Auditorium (323 East 4th St., The Dalles). See the agenda here. The meeting will also be livestreamed from the Commission page. At Friday's meeting, the Commission will be asked to consider whether…

ASTORIA, Ore – The annual conservation closure of razor clamming on Clatsop beaches begins 12:01 a.m. July 15. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife encourages clammers to take advantage of the low tide series that begins July 8. However, ODFW reminds clammers that although the low tide series…

SALEM, Ore.—ODFW will host a series of online public meetings in July with district wildlife biologists presenting proposed changes to next year's big game regulations and getting feedback. Each meeting will include a presentation on 2026 proposed regulations, a Q&A and opportunity for public…

July 2, 2025 THE DALLES, Ore.—With another poor forecast for Columbia Basin summer steelhead runs this year, protective regulations are again in effect on some tributaries (Deschutes, John Day, Eagle Creek). The daily adult salmon and steelhead bag limit may not include more than one hatchery…

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The shotgun range at E.E. Wilson Wildlife Area near Corvallis will be closed for renovation from July 14 through the end of October. Renovations on the range will include expanding the shooting bays and implementing ADA complaint access to the site. ODFW expects work to be complete…

SALEM, Ore. – The Private Forest Accord Mitigation Advisory Committee will hold its regularly occurring meeting, virtually on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. For a full agenda and virtual login information about the meeting, please visit: https://www.dfw.state.or.us/habitat/PFA/meetings.html The public is…