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Article
Stop for boat inspections — it's quick, free, and protects Oregon waters. All vehicles towing or carrying watercraft or paddlecraft into Oregon must stop at any watercraft inspection station that is open to inspect for aquatic invasive species.
Article
Desktop scouting, trail cameras and 5 other scouting tips
Educational Moment
Turkeys don’t like to fly at night, so the best time to get set up for your hunt is either right before dark the day before your hunt. Or before daylight the day of your hunt. Once you ’ve located a tom, either seeing it or by hearing it gobble, it’s time to make a plan. The goal is to get close enough to call in a tom, without letting him know you’re there. Be in place before daylight If you’ve been out the night before and used a locator call to find a tom on his roost, get to
May 19, 2020
Landing page
The Columbia Basin Wildlife Areas are a composition of four Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife managed wildlife areas located along the Columbia River in the Columbia Basin. The four wildlife areas (Power City, Irrigon, Coyote Springs, and Willow Creek) are within the Columbia Plateau ecoregion. Management agreements for these areas were initially established between 1971 and 1977 between the department and Federal agencies which own the lands. The Columbia Basin Wildlife Areas, which total approximately 1,885 acres, provides an important landbase for the conservation and recreation of fish and wildlife within a highly privatized and altered landscape and play
February 21, 2018
Educational Moment
Whether you’re out the night before preparing for your morning hunt, or studying the habits of a flock throughout the year, scouting ahead of your hunt will help you find more birds during your hunt. Use optics to spot birds With binoculars or a spotting scope you’ll be able to spot and study birds from a distance without spooking them. Don't be in a hurry when watching turkeys through binoculars or a spotting scope. The birds won’t know you’re there, so take time to study the hens and toms in the flock. See if there’s a big tom you want
May 19, 2020
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Lower Deschutes Wildlife Area was established in 1983, with the initial donation of land by the Oregon Wildlife Foundation (OWF) of 2,758 acres. In 1986 OWHF donated an additional 5,158 acres of land to the department. The Lower Deschutes Wildlife Area was initially established to provide permanent public angler access. However, especially with the 1986 acquisition, the wildlife area has grown to provide enhanced wildlife and fish habitat (i.e. through removal of livestock, riparian vegetation improvements, etc.) and more wildlife-oriented recreational activities such as hunting, boating, hiking and biking. In 2015, ODFW partnered with the Trust for Public Land to
February 09, 2018
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Regulating harvest, health, and enhancement of wildlife populations Living with wildlife Oregon's permitted wildlife control operators are an individual, business owner, or the business owner's designee charging a fee to control furbearers, unprotected mammals (excluding moles) and western gray squirrels causing damage, creating a public nuisance or posing a public health or safety concern in incorporated city limits and associated urban development areas. They are permitted by ODFW and governed by a set of rules.
December 02, 2025
Article
Resources to help prepare for a successful hunt in sagebrush country.
Article
Most of the wildlife in Oregon evolved with wildfire. And even though fires are intensifying, they are nothing new to Oregon’s wild animals. There are also no documented cases of fires that have wiped out entire populations or species.
August 29, 2025
Article
Cougars currently occupy most of the available cougar habitat in the state and are expanding into lower quality habitats that include human habitation. At the same time, urban areas are expanding into cougar habitat due to population growth and development. Follow these tips to stay safe in cougar country.
Species and Subspecies
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 more open 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: Scouting (for scat
Species and Subspecies
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
Article
Spring bear is the first big game hunting season of the year – just one reason it’s popular with a dedicated group of hunters.
Species and Subspecies
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
Landing page
Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area provides winter range for mule deer populations and year-round habitat for a variety of wildlife including mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. Elk, deer, and bighorn sheep viewing is often good during winter and early spring. Bird watching is excellent all year. Native habitats include sagebrush shrubland, riparian, ponderosa pine forest, western juniper woodland and mixed conifer which support a diversity of fish and wildlife. The riparian areas along the mainstem John Day River, South Fork John Day River and Murderers Creek provide excellent habitat for many birds. Upland areas provide important habitat for passerines and
February 21, 2018
Species and Subspecies
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.
