West Area

Sept. 11, 2024‌‌‌‌‌‌‌

If there’s not a photo, it didn’t happen

Submit your hunting photo  to ODFW and we might use it here or elsewhere on MyODFW.com.

Currently open‌

Eurasian collared dove, ruffed and blue grouse, quail (mountain and CA), mourning dove, fall turkey.

Upcoming seasons

Band-tailed pigeon (Sept. 15), Sept. Canada goose (Sept. 19).

Announcements, resources

2024-25 game bird hunting forecast

A district-by-district look at how this year's upland bird and waterfowl seasons are shaping up.

Sign up for a youth pheasant hunt

Youth Pheasant Hunts give young hunters a chance to hunt in a controlled setting with a focus safety and success. Here are five reasons they're so popular:

• No adult competition. Youth hunts happen before the official pheasant season begins.
• Emphasis on safety. A review of safety procedures, controlled access and a defined hunting area characterize many of the hunts.
• Increased chance of success. ODFW releases pen-raised pheasants for each hunt, because early success can help build lifetime hunters.
• Available statewide. There are hunt locations from Ontario to the Willamette Valley to the Rogue.
• They're free!

Learn more about where to hunt and how to register.

Western Oregon Fee Pheasant Hunts

These hunts offer new hunters a chance to hone their skills in a hunt that's close to home and offers a good chance of bagging some birds. Sound good? Get more details here.

Hunt by Reservation Program

ODFW's Hunt by Reservation Program connects bird hunters with private landowners. By making a reservation online, hunters receive a permit to hunt select private lands on dates that landowners select ahead of time.

Buy your 2024-25 bird stamp(s) and validations

Don't forget to buy your HIP, upland bird and waterfowl validations – as well as federal duck stamps – before your first hunt. Buy them now and cross this off your fall hunting list.

Turn in wings and tails

Grouse and mountain quail hunters, please turn in your bird's wings and tails – our biologist use them to help assess bird populations and set seasons. Use this map to find blue collection barrels where you hunt.

Target mourning dove and band-tailed pigeon this season

These small, fast-moving targets offer a chance to hone your shooting skills. They can be a tasty treat, too. Learn more about hunting mourning dove and band-tailed pigeons.

Hunting and fire danger

Early season hunts often take place during the peak of the wildfire season. Experienced hunters know to check for fire closures before their hunt. Make sure to carry water or fire extinguisher, as well as a shovel and axe/polaski while traveling in this remote desert country. Bookmark this page – it has links to the most current fire closures and restrictions.

District updates

‌ALL DISTRICTS

Eurasian collared doves: These birds have no protections in Oregon, so there are no closed seasons and no limits to their harvest. Target Eurasian collared doves around agricultural areas where food sources are abundant.

Be sure of your identification before you hunt these birds which are larger and lighter than mourning doves with a distinctive band around the back of the neck. Identify this species and its habitat.

NORTH AND MID-COAST DISTRICTS

Habitat conditions: Conditions along the mid coast have been mostly dry, but rain is expected throughout the end of this week (Sept. 8) and the next. Industrial fire levels are currently all below level 3 in Western Oregon and are expected to stay low with the forecasted rain. The coast range will often have wet foggy mornings followed by hot sunny afternoons so be prepared for multiple weather conditions.

Due to fire concerns, most commercial industry timber companies have either closed their lands to access or are limited to walk in access only in the Coast Range. Check the Oregon Forest Industries Council website for timber company contact information. An exception to this is the North Alsea-Stott Mountain Travel Management Area(West TMA, East TMA). Weyerhaeuser land enrolled in the TMA is open to public access until IFPL 4. Be sure to abide by all TMA rules and "No Motor Vehicle" restrictions on specified roads.

Forest grouse: Season on the north coast opened Sept. 1 and include sooty (blue) and ruffed grouse. While both species are associated with conifer forests, sooty grouse occupy the higher elevations of the coast range, especially ridge tops, while ruffed grouse are most commonly seen at mid to lower elevations of forest habitats, including riparian areas. Due to the wet early portion of the nesting season, we anticipate that hunting will likely be only average this year for these birds, with fewer juveniles available.

Mountain quail: Season runs concurrently with the forest grouse season on the north coast, and hunting is likely to be average. The early nesting season was wet, making for poor reproduction but mountain quail readily re-nest and can pull off broods during the late summer. These birds are most commonly found in brushy clear-cuts, especially those with a south-facing aspect.

WILLAMETTE DISTRICT

Mourning dove: With the hot weather, most dove activity has been observed immediately near sunrise and sunset. If hunters have access to agriculture land or are hunting wildlife areas they should target the open edges of millet and corn fields. Learn more about hunting mourning dove.

Grouse: While both ruffed and sooty grouse are associated with conifer forests, sooty grouse occupy the higher elevations of the coast range, especially ridge tops, while ruffed grouse are most commonly seen at mid to lower elevations of forest habitats, including riparian areas.

Quail: Quail are commonly seen along dirt roads with thickly vegetated edges.

Fern Ridge Wildlife Area

All units at FRWA and Fern Ridge Lake are open to public use daily.

Reminder that only non-toxic shot is allowed on the wildlife area. Hunters must carry with them and complete a daily hunting permit. Permits are free and available at most wildlife area access points.

The fee pheasant hunt, permit required, began Sept. 11 and will continue through Oct. 8. Pheasants are released 6 days per week in the West Coyote, East Coyote, and Fisher Butte units.

Fern Ridge Wildlife Area Headquarters: (541) 935-2591.

SOUTHWEST AREA GAME BIRD HUNTING

COOS COUNTY

Coquille Valley Wildlife Area (CVWA)

Coquille Valley Wildlife Area (CVWA) in Coos County is open to public access. Permits for access are required and are available, free of charge, at the kiosk located in the parking lot along North Bank Road. You must access to CVWA through this point. Please fill out the upper half ("A" half) of the permit and deposit it in the slot located on the post of the kiosk. Sign and carry the lower half ("B" half) with you while you enjoy CVWA. At the end of your visit please fill out the B half and deposited it in the same slot.

CVWA, both Winter Lake and Beaver Slough Tracts, are open to seven-day-a-week access from Feb. 1 through Aug. 31. From Sept. 1 through Jan. 31 Winter Lake Tract is open to public access Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays while Beaver Slough Tract remains open seven days a week.

Mourning dove: Mourning dove populations on the Oregon coast are generally thinly scattered across the region. They are usually attracted to openings in the forest or the edges of agricultural fields.

Doves like feeding in locations where they can get to the ground without going through vegetation. So, look for locations with bare dirt, sand or accumulated wood to find dove concentrations.

Don't expect to find large numbers of mourning doves anywhere in the Oregon Coast Range, it is very rare to do so. Learn more about hunting mourning dove.

Band-tailed pigeon: Band-tailed pigeon populations along the Oregon coast have been steadily increasing in recent years according to surveys coordinated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Oregon has a relatively short season with small bag limits but hunting them is something to look forward to. This year the season runs from Sunday, Sept. 15 through Sept. 23 and the bag limit is 2 per day.

Band-tailed pigeon hunting is best near the bird's feeding areas or along travel routes they are using to get to those feeding areas. Feed for these birds during the fall season is usually Cascara or other natural fruits.

Finding patches of trees with fruits fruits is key as birds will be attracted to them. Low passes in mountains or hills near the fruit resource will be part of the travel route these birds will be using. Pass shooting can be good there.

Grouse: Grouse numbers appear to be low this year. While the mild spring and summer weather was conducive to good brood survival the adult population appears to be quite low. It will take several of mild springs and summers for the overall abundance of grouse to improve. Hunters who want to hunt grouse should look for them on closed forest roads with clover and other forbs growing on them.

Quail: Quail populations in the southern Coast Range had a productive spring and summer for brood production. Hunters should find relatively large covey sizes as a result of good chick survival.

Those interested in hunting quail should look for mountain quail in young clearcuts, they especially like areas with rocky outcroppings. California quail will be most numerous around agriculture fields.

Fall turkey: Turkey populations in Coos County have been increasing over the past several years as has their distribution. This summer saw conditions that were good for brood survival. Surveys indicated larger brood sizes than have been seen in some recent years. This will contribute to the continued growth of turkey flocks in Coos County. While the highest abundance of turkeys is concentrated around the Coquille Valley, turkeys can now be found in many other parts of the county.

Generally, turkeys get through winter by congregating in or near agricultural lands in Coos County. Therefore, they are most likely to be found within a short distance from ag lands, even in the summer or fall. However, with increasing populations they can be found in forest openings such as clearcuts and meadows adjacent to ag lands. It is worth a hunter's time to scout these kinds of places for sign of turkeys during the fall season.

DOUGLAS COUNTY

Habitat conditions: Things remain hot and dry in Douglas County. We continue to get new fires starting and are still in extreme fire danger. Hunters need to be checking ODF, BLM and USFS websites for up-to-date information on access.

Mourning dove: The season is open from Sept. 1 to Sept. 30 and reopens Nov. 15 to Dec. 14. Learn more about hunting mourning dove.

There is not a lot of publicly accessible dove hunting in Douglas County. Those interested in doves should be concentrating on getting permission on private property.

Grouse: Ruffed and blue grouse seasons open Sept. 1.

Our surveys this summer indicate that forest grouse production was below average throughout the county. The same surveys showed that Mountain Quail production was average to above average in the coast range and lower elevations in the cascades. With the continued drought conditions hunters should focus on areas with nearby water or older timber stands.

Fall turkey: The western fall turkey season runs from Sept. 1 to Jan. 31, 2024.

Turkey production for Douglas County seemed to average. Hens with poults were encountered in new areas in the cascades, likely meaning expansion into some previously unoccupied habitats.

JACKSON, JOSEPHINE, CURRY COUNTIES

Mourning Dove: Started Sept. 1 statewide with a daily bag limit of 15 birds. Doves are small fast flying birds so it is best to get some practice with clay pigeons in before the season starts. Learn more about hunting mourning dove.

Grouse: Season opened Sept. 1 statewide. The daily bag limit is three birds of each species (blue and ruffed). Driving less used dirt roads in the late evening can be an effective method in finding grouse to harvest. During our spring and summer inventory routes we documented good numbers of both ruffed and sooty grouse. Hunting should be productive this fall and winter.

Quail: Season opened Sept. 1 in western Oregon. The daily bag limit is 10 quail (in aggregate with both Mountain and California quail). Driving old dirt roads in the late afternoon and evening is usually a good way to locate groups.

Our summer brood routes indicated good numbers of quail in Jackson and Josephine county. For more information refer to the Oregon Game Bird Regulations.

Fall turkey: season opened Sept. 1 in western Oregon with a season bag limit of 2 wild turkeys of either sex. Turkey numbers are extremely high in southern Oregon which should make for a good fall hunting season. Successful hunters can purchase an additional fall turkey tag for a second opportunity.