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Article

Start hunting game birds

Whether it’s spending more time outdoors or harvesting food to fill the freezer, there are many reasons to become a hunter. Here’s how to take the first steps into the field.

August 18, 2025

Site Sections

Oregon offers some of the best upland game bird hunting in the West. The state’s diverse habitats support nine species of upland game birds— pheasants, chukar, Hungarian partridge, valley (California) quail, mountain quail, ruffed grouse, blue grouse, sage-grouse and wild turkey. There are upland hunting opportunities in every corner of the state, and one upland bird season or another is open continuously from September 1 through January 31. Throw in a six-week spring turkey season and you can hunt upland game birds in Oregon for more than half of the year! Also, since many of the species share similar habitat…

August 18, 2025

Article

Start hunting big game

Whether it’s spending more time outdoors or harvesting food for the freezer, there are lots reasons to become a hunter. Here’s how to get from thinking about it to doing it.

Recreation Report

Game Bird Hunting Report - West Area

Western Oregon March 5, 2026 Currently open  Now until March 10: High Desert & Blue Mtn Zone - White Fronted & White Goose   Upcoming Season  Spring turkey  Announcements, resources   Buy your 2026-27 bird stamp(s) and validations -  Available for purchase now: upland and waterfowl validations, federal duck stamp and complete the HIP survey. New season begins July 1.   Plan next season's hunts with prior year  game bird harvest summaries .  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.  …

September 21, 2017

Recreation Report

Game Bird Hunting Report - East Area

EASTERN OREGON March 5, 2026 Currently open Now until March 10: High Desert & Blue Mtn Zone - White Fronted & White Goose  Upcoming Season  Spring turkey  Announcements, resources   Plan next season's hunts with prior year  game bird harvest summaries.  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 2026-27 bird stamp and validations - Available for purchase now: upland and waterfowl validations, federal duck stamp and complete the HIP survey. New season begins July 1.   Permits…

September 05, 2017

Article

How to snipe hunt in Oregon

Snipe fly fast and erratically. They aren’t hard to kill, just hard to hit. Here are a few tips to improve your odds.

photo of Wilson's snipe using long bill to feed in mud

Site Sections

Big Game Hunting

Article

2025-26 Game Bird Hunting Forecast

September 22, 2025

Article

Game bird hunting statistics from ODFW wildlife areas

Learning where hunters have been successful in the past may help increase your chances of being successful in the future.

December 4, 2025

Article

How to hunt waterfowl

Oregon supports diverse waterfowl populations, from sea ducks in coastal saltwater to puddle ducks in the alkali basins of southeast Oregon. You might think you need lots of gear (decoys, boats, a trained dog) to hunt ducks and geese, but you don’t. All of these things are nice but not necessary. All you really need is a hunting license/tag, shotgun, shells and some basic identification skills.

A hunter dressed in camo and a black dog walk down a snowy road

Article

Youth Upland Bird Hunts

Youth game bird hunt opportunities give young hunters a chance to hunt in a controlled setting with a focus on safety and success.

August 5, 2025

Article

2025-26 game bird shooting hours

Legal shooting hours for Game Birds and Northwest Permit Goose for the 2025-26 hunting seasons.

August 13, 2025

Article

How to hunt mourning dove

Dove hunting seasons open earlier than many others and offer one of the first opportunities to go afield each year. The action can be fast, offering lots of opportunities to shoot and the chance to sharpen your skills for the opening of other bird seasons later in the fall.

Species and Subspecies

Birds

If this is a new activity for you, our friends at the Audubon Society have tips on how to start birding and how to connect with other birders. This is a great resource that also includes tips on choosing binoculars, reviews and recommendations on the best birding apps and field guides, and an easy seven-point guide on how to identify birds. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has an extensive website that includes the world's largest archive of wildlife sounds and videos, bird cams, eBird citizen science opportunities, scientific publications, bird guides, bird nesting box plans and more. Protecting migratory birds…

Article

Small game hunting in Oregon

Small game species provide a variety of hunting experiences throughout the state and are an excellent way to introduce new hunters to hunting. Only the appropriate hunting license is necessary to hunt small game (no tags or permits). There are three major categories of small game in Oregon: western gray squirrel, unprotected mammals and furbearers.

Article

How to hunt rabbit

Rabbit hunting is the third most popular type of hunting activity in the U.S., behind wild turkey and deer hunting. Few people take advantage of it in Oregon, but they should—rabbits and hares are abundant and there is no closed season or bag limit. Plus, they taste good!

Article

Premium big game hunts

ODFW’s Premium Hunts give any hunter a chance to draw an additional deer, elk or pronghorn tag with a months-long season.

Article

Upland birds harvest information

Historic harvest statistics can guide you to areas with good habitat that support healthy bird populations.

March 27, 2024

Recreation Report

Big Game Hunting Report - Northeast Area

NE BIG GAME HUNTING February 19, 2026  Currently open Cougar ( check current harvest numbers), Coyote Announcements, resources Reminder to report your late season 2025 big game tags by April 15: Report your hunt 2026 spring bear seed numbers: 6051029. Spring bear forecast is available now , take a look at your hunt areas to prepare before April 1. Submit your applications for 2026 controlled hunts by May 15. Big game harvest statistics - You'll find links to population, harvest and point summary reports that can help you decide what hunts to apply for this season. Please report elk with…

September 21, 2017