Recreation Report
South Central Area
Recreation Report
SOUTH CENTRAL BIG GAME HUNTING
August 27, 2026
Currently open
Bear, cougar (check current harvest numbers), coyote, youth antlerless elk, Gerber area pronghorn
Season openings beginning in August
Archery *Check Big Game regulations for hunt details and purchase your tag before hunting.
Announcements and resources
Big game statistics - You'll find links to population, harvest and maps that can help you decide where to hunt this season.
Check the Leftover Tag List for an opportunity to hunt this year.
Get ahead of the game--Register for Hunter Safety Education before the hunt.
It's not too late to purchase Point Savers for each series, available now until November 30, 2026.
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.
Hunting in drought and wildfire season - actions you can take to protect wildlife and yourself.
For the most current fire closures and restrictions--KNOW BEFORE YOU GO.
District updates
Habitat conditions:
Watch local weather reports and prepare for possible weather changing conditions over the extension of your hunt. Areas are showing warmer and drier than normal conditions with active wildfires in the area, please be mindful when recreating outdoors. ATV and vehicles need to have a long handled shovel and a 2.5# fire extinguisher, or 1 gallon of water while in the field.
KLAMATH COUNTY
Archery Deer: Archery deer begins August 29. Some new boundary changes for mule deer only will take place this season, primarily for the KB02 (formerly Klamath Falls), and DG04 (formerly Silver Lake). Sprague WMU was dissolved into these 2 new deer hunt areas. Conditions are currently hot and dry with Extreme fire danger across the district. Most areas are still open to hunting except for the Wright Springs fire in the KB02 hunt area. All archery deer hunting requires a controlled archery deer tag for the hunt area you are hunting in. Expect deer activity to increase during the cooler morning and evening timeframes.
Archery Elk: Archery Elk begins August 29. Hunters must have a general archery season tag to hunt anywhere in Klamath County. Extreme fire danger conditions are currently across the Klamath district. The Wright Springs fire vicinity is closed to public access. There is a youth antlerless elk hunt that coincides with archery season for Keno, Sprague, and Interstate WMU. There are elk throughout the district with Keno and Interstate having higher concentrations. Expect rutting behavior to begin mid-late September as the season progresses.
Pronghorn: Currently Gerber youth is ongoing, with the Gerber Muzzleloader starting on Sept. 5. Hunters should identify water sources in the landscape to increase likelihood of encountering a pronghorn. Be sure to secure permission for hunting on private lands.
Black bear: Fall bear season is currently open. Bear populations are increasing in Klamath County. Many berries and fruits were not produced this year. Bears will be looking for alternative food sources and may be found in areas they typically do not frequent. Looking for a patch of berries that produced a good crop would be a great place to harvest a bear. Hunters should focus on water in the early season.
Cougar: Cougar season is open year-round, and populations are healthy and distributed throughout the district in any area with a big game prey base. Most harvests occur while hunters are pursuing deer and elk.
Predator calling or locating a fresh cougar kill can increase chances of success. Oregon does offer an additional cougar tag valid all year throughout the state.
Coyote: Populations are currently low but distributed throughout the county. Currently young pups are very mobile and often more susceptible to predator calls. Public lands adjacent to cattle operations may increase opportunities in February and March when calving often takes place. Be sure to secure permission for any private land.
LAKE COUNTY
Black bear: Fall bear opened Aug. 1. While Lake County has a lower population of bears than other forested parts of the state, the population is on the rise and provides ample opportunity for hunters. Look for ripe berries and wild plums along old logging roadbeds. Predator calls can work as well, just be prepared to be patient as bears can take longer than other predators to move into a call.
Cougar: Cougar populations are healthy throughout the district. Predator calls can be an effective cougar hunting method though bobcats and bears may respond to predator calls, and separate licensing and season limitations exist for these species. Hunters should be prepared for predators other than cougar to respond.
Coyote populations are generally low, but some hunting is available throughout the district. Be aware that bobcats and cougars may respond to predator calls, and separate licensing and season limitations exist for these species.