Recreation Report
West Area
Recreation Report
Western Oregon
Dec 4, 2025
Currently open
Duck & coot, Wilson's snipe, crow, brant, Canada, white-fronted & white goose
Upland – Ruffed & blue grouse, chukar and Hungarian partridge, rooster pheasant, quail (mountain & CA), fall turkey (WMU's 14-30), mourning dove
Permits required for: band-tailed pigeons and sea ducks. For more information on permits.
Announcements, resources
A district-by-district look at how this year's migratory and upland bird seasons are shaping up.
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 2025-26 bird stamp(s) and validations - Don't forget to buy your HIP, upland bird and waterfowl validations – as well as federal duck stamp – before your first hunt.
Turn in wings and tails - Grouse and mountain quail hunters, please turn in your bird's wings and tails – our biologists collect them to help assess bird populations and set seasons. Use this map to find blue collection barrels where you hunt.
Hunting and fire danger - Bookmark this page – for the most current fire closures and restrictions.
District updates
ALL DISTRICTS
Eurasian collared doves: These birds have no protection 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: Wet, cold conditions continue along the North Coast and are expected to persist in the coming weeks. As rain continues to saturate the ground, fields and pastures will begin to flood, providing favorable stopover sites for migrating waterfowl. Expect wet foggy mornings followed by sunny afternoons and be prepared for multiple weather conditions.
Mourning dove: Season now open until Dec. 14. Learn more about hunting mourning dove.
Forest grouse: Season now open until Jan. 31, 2026, including 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 early wet 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: Season now open until Dec. 14. Learn more about hunting mourning dove.
Grouse: While both ruffed and sooty grouse are associated with conifer forests, sooty grouse occupies 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.
Habitat conditions: Rainfall totals were 58% of normal for the month of November resulting in drier than normal conditions. Royal Amazon and Fisher Butte units are open daily until 1:00pm. The W. Coyote, E. Coyote, and S. Coyote units remain closed unless you are participating in the reservation waterfowl hunt, occurring every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday through the end of the season. The remaining units are open all day, 7 days per week.
Waterfowl harvest last week was 0.4 birds/hunter in the non-reservation areas, and 0.8 birds/hunter in the Coyote Units (reservation area). More birds are expected as rains create waterfowl habitat, and storms force birds to migrate south.
Reminder that goose hunting is not allowed in the wildlife area, only non-toxic shot is allowed, and hunters must carry with them and complete a daily hunting permit. Permits are free and available at most wildlife area access points. Please be sure to display your wildlife area parking pass.
Fern Ridge Wildlife Area Headquarters: (541) 935-2591.
SOUTHWEST AREA GAME BIRD HUNTING
Coos County
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 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 deposit it in the same slot.
From now until Jan. 31 Winter Lake Tract is open to public access on Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays while Beaver Slough Tract remains open seven days a week. Please note that only non-toxic shot is allowed in the wildlife area.
Habitat conditions: It has been an unusually dry fall in Coos County. Fire season restricted have been lifted, but rainfall amounts are still below normal. With regular small amounts of rain, fall green up is in full swing. Last updated 11/25/25
Mourning dove: Season now open until Dec. 14. Learn more about hunting mourning dove.
Grouse: Grouse numbers continue to be below the long-term average. Despite this, we have received anecdotal reports from elk hunters seeing more ruffed grouse this fall than they normally do. Hunters should focus on closed forest roads with diverse groundcover, particularly near creeks/rivers. Sooty grouse are much less common in Coos county and can be found in low numbers in higher elevation forestlands.
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. Focus on the upper elevations of the coast range, generally 1500' or higher. California quail will be most numerous around agriculture fields or some lower elevation clearcuts.
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. While the highest abundance of turkeys is concentrated around the Coquille Valley, turkeys can now be found in many other parts of the county. Much of the turkey population stays on private lands year-round, so getting permissions will be very helpful for fall turkey hunting.
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 signs of turkeys during the fall season.
Waterfowl: With rainfall amounts below average, many places that traditionally hold waterfowl are still dry. Hunters will need to scout to find water that holds birds. Lakes, bays, and rivers are still holding birds until they can move to seasonal wetlands and flooded agricultural lands.
Goose: This time of year, hunters should focus on finding geese in large bays. Geese in this area can also be found in agricultural fields, where hunters should seek access permission. Finding food sources and resting locations prior to hunting will be key to success.
Douglas County
Habitat conditions: We have started to receive some fall rain and can expect fall green up soon. Last updated 10/15/2025.
Mourning dove: Season now open until 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 concentrate on getting permission on private property.
Grouse: 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: 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
Habitat conditions: Josephine and Curry counties fire restrictions have lifted as of Oct 14. With recent precipitation on both the valley floor and the mountain slopes, it might be advisable to carry chains or traction devices while out and about. The back roads can be fairly muddy after a small amount of rain. Be sure to have your vehicle equipped with cold weather gear, water and other supplies. Find current fire danger levels here.
Always watch local weather reports and prepare for possible weather changing conditions over the extension of your hunt. Last updated 11/29/25.
Mourning Dove: Season now open until Dec. 14. Doves are small fast flying birds, so it is best to get some practice with clay pigeons before the season starts. Learn more about hunting mourning dove.
Grouse: 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.
Quail: The daily bag limit is 10 quail (in aggregate with both Mountain and California quail). Driving on old dirt roads in the late afternoon and evening is usually a good way to locate groups.
Fall turkey: 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. Do not forget to report your harvest(s) by April 15, 2026.
NEW turkey hunting opportunity: now through February 28, 2026, hunters may obtain a beardless turkey permit. Each permit will allow the harvest of three hen wild turkeys or turkeys without a visible beard. Please refer to page 24 of the Game Bird regulations for areas that are open for this permit, as it is a private land only hunt with separate regulations from the standard fall turkey hunt.
Canada and White fronted goose: The second half of the season reopened Nov. 4 and runs through Jan. 25, 2026. The daily bag limit for Canada geese is 4 birds per day while the daily bag limit for White fronted geese is 10 birds per day. The Denman Wildlife Area offers some goose hunting opportunity as the weather begins to change, and the grain fields begin to flood. See page 17 of the Game Bird regulations for more information.
Ducks: The second half of the season reopened Oct. 30 and runs through Jan. 25, 2026. The daily bag limit of ducks (including mergansers) is seven. Within the daily bag limit, hunters may not have more than: three pintails, two hen mallards, two redheads, two canvasbacks, two scaup (during open season), and one harlequin duck. See page 16 of the Game Bird regulation for more information.