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Eastern Oregon mule deer are managed by Deer Hunt Areas, while all other big game, including Western Oregon deer hunts are managed by wildlife management units. Plan ahead by checking the boundaries of where you want to hunt. Hunters in Oregon can access millions of acres of public land open to hunting ( national forests, BLM land, state forests, wildlife areas) plus many private lands open through Oregon’s Access and Habitat program. See www.oregonhuntingmap.com to find a place to hunt.

Features: The most distinguishing feature of white-tailed deer is the tail. Whitetails have long, wide tails that can easily be seen, especially when they are startled and raise their tails. White-tailed deer antlers differ from mule and black-tailed deer in that there is one main beam with points coming off. Mule and black-tailed deer have antlers that fork on the main beam. Habitat: White-tailed deer share the same habitat as eastern Oregon’s mule deer. Deer both graze and browse. Forbs and browse (stems and leaves of woody plants) are favored forage during the growing season. Grasses are consumed during some…

Features: Oregon is home to an estimated 25,000-30,000 black bears, which is North America’s most common bear species. They are the only type of bear found in Oregon. Despite their name, black bears are often brown in color. Habitat: Black bears are found statewide, with concentrations in the Coast and Cascade ranges and the Blue Mountains. Techniques: Oregon offers a controlled spring season (apply by Feb. 10) and a general fall season. Glassing open areas where bears are feeding on grass and shrubs works early spring season. Later in the season, some hunters turn to predator calls. Most fall bears…

Features: Columbian black-tailed deer are smaller and darker than mule deer. As the name suggests, black-tailed deer have a wide, triangular tail with a dark brown or black top and a white underside. Habitat: Blacktails are a subspecies of mule deer found in western Oregon from the Coast Range east to the Cascade Mountains. They are edge-adapted species using the region’s dense forest cover to hide during the day and are then more open in early successional forest to feed at dawn and dusk. Places with a mix of forest age classes offer the best habitat for black-tailed deer. Techniques…

Features: Mule deer are larger and lighter in color than black-tails. Mule deer have a thinner “ropelike” tail that is white with a black tip. Their antlers are forked, as opposed to having a main beam. And as their name implies, they have large ears, like a mule, that stand at an angle. Habitat: Mule deer occupy a wide range of habitat types; some live in desert shrub-steppe, some in woodlands, and some in conifer forests. In general, however, mule deer occupy the more open, rugged areas. Although mule deer commonly are considered “browsers," they consume a wide variety of…

Features: Oregon’s rarest deer has a brown tail that is longer than a blacktail’s wide tail. Its antlers will branch off from a single main beam, unlike mule deer and blacktail antlers that branch twice. Habitat: The Columbian whitetail is a subspecies unique to Oregon and southwest Washington and found in just a few locations—along the lower Columbia River in Oregon and Washington, and in the Umpqua Basin near Roseburg (where it is expanding its range). Techniques: Just a few controlled hunts for this subspecies exist in the Umpqua Basin region and tags are limited; see the regulations for details.

Features: California bighorn sheep are one of two subspecies of wild sheep in Oregon. They are usually smaller, with a less blocky build and smaller horns than Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. Bighorn sheep were extirpated from the state in the 1800s. Current populations are the result of a reintroduction effort by ODFW and sportsman groups. Habitat: California bighorn sheep are the most abundant subspecies in Oregon with an estimated 3,700 found among 32 herds in central and southeast Oregon. They prefer rugged, open habitats with a good view of their surroundings. Techniques: Bighorn sheep are one of the rarest game…

Features: Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep are the largest-bodied bighorn in North America and one of two subspecies of wild sheep in Oregon. Bighorn sheep were extirpated from the state in the 1800s so current populations are the result of a reintroduction effort by ODFW and sportsman groups. Habitat: Oregon’s estimated 800 Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep are found in the northeast corner of the state, in canyons of the Snake River and its tributaries and in alpine areas of the Wallowa Mountains. Techniques: Bighorn sheep are one of the rarest game species hunted in Oregon today, with about 100 tags available…

Features: The pronghorn is deer-sized (up to 150 lbs) with relatively long and thin legs and feet, only two digits on each foot (no "dew claws"), a relatively small tail, and unique horns. Bright white sides, underside and rear end help hunters spot them in the field. Habitat: Pronghorn are found in the High Desert sagebrush of eastern Oregon and the Columbia Plateau. Techniques: Most pronghorn hunts happen in August, before other big game seasons, so be ready for the High Desert’s warm summer temperatures. All pronghorn hunting is limited entry (apply by May 15) and it can take several…

Features: The mountain goat is stockily built with black scimitar-shaped horns, large black hooves and prominent dewclaws, and an entirely white, woolly coat. Habitat: Rocky Mountain goats are found in steep and rugged habitat in eastern Oregon, including the Wallowa, Elkhorn and Strawberry mountains, and the central Cascades near Mt Jefferson. Techniques: Rocky Mountain goat tags are “once-in-a-lifetime” and less than 25 are available each year. Be prepared to hunt their steep, rugged habitat if you are lucky enough to draw a tag.

Features: Oregon is home to more than 6,000 cougars, or mountain lions. Cougars are the largest members of the cat family found in the state and tend to be solitary, except for females raising young. Males in particular are very territorial. Habitat: Cougars are throughout Oregon, with concentrations in the Cascade Range and Blue Mountains. Lately, more cougars are being seen in northwest Oregon including the suburbs of Portland. Techniques: Hunting is open statewide under a general season all year, or until zone quotas are met. Most cougars in Oregon are taken while hunters are out pursuing other species like…

Features: Roosevelt elk are one of two subspecies of elk found in Oregon, with an estimated population of 59,000 in the state. “Rosies” are darker in color than other elk subspecies and the largest in terms of body size, with bulls generally weighing 700-1,100 pounds. Habitat: Roosevelt elk occupy most of western Oregon, with concentrations in the Cascade and Coast ranges. All elk west of Hwy 97 are considered to be Roosevelt elk, though there is some overlap of Oregon’s two subspecies in the Cascades. Techniques: Roosevelt elk make their home in the thick and lush forests of western Oregon…

Features: Rocky Mountain elk are one of two subspecies of elk found in Oregon, with a population estimate of more than 74,000 in the state. They are lighter in color and slightly smaller in size than Roosevelt elk, but their antlers are the largest of all elk and can weigh up to 40 pounds. Habitat: Rocky Mountain elk inhabit most of eastern Oregon with concentrations in the Blue Mountains and south-central Oregon. Techniques: Rocky Mountain elk live in much more open country that Roosevelts so try glassing, still hunting, spot and stalk and calling. Rifle, archery and muzzleloader seasons are…

Features: This clam has a long, narrow, thin shell with a smooth brown coating. Habitat: Razor clams are found in stable, sandy, surf-swept beaches of the open coast and some coastal bays. Razor clams have the ability of digging up to a foot per minute and have been found more than four feet deep in the sand. The 18 mile stretch of Clatsop beaches account for 90% of Oregon’s razor clam harvest. The razor clam population in this area is much denser than any other area in the state. Other areas that also have razor clams include Indian Beach (Cannon…

Features: Identified by its prominent radiating ridges. Habitat: Cockles are "hard shelled" clams. Their protective, stout shells and short siphons mean that they do not have to bury as deeply as other common bay clams. Good cockle beds will often have cockles right on top of the sand on a good tide. They prefer sandy areas with high salinity, but can be found at many types of tideflats. Technique: The best clamming is during low/minus tides. Because these clams are so near the surface, you rake, rather than dig, for them. A four prong gardening rake is perfect for raking…