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Article

Hunting Sauvie Island’s North Unit

A beginner's guide to waterfowl hunting on Sauvie Island - hunting in the North Unit. Part 4 of a 5 part series.
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Article

ODFW's water program protects native fish habitat

Salmon, trout, and steelhead need abundant clean, cold water to thrive, and ODFW works year-round in streams across the state to make sure we have the data needed to protect and enhance habitat for these iconic fish.
October 1, 2025
Coldwater project logger deploy
Zones or Areas

Columbia Zone

The Columbia River is renowned for its salmon and steelhead runs. In a year of good returns, over 1 million Chinook, coho and sockeye salmon, and summer steelhead travel up the river to spawn in its tributaries. Less known are the river’s excellent smallmouth bass and walleye fisheries. While most anglers fish this large river from a boat, there is plenty of good bank access at various parks, boat launches and beaches.

Article

Pronghorn hunting in Oregon

Pronghorn antelope are the fastest ungulates in North America and can reach speeds of up to 40 miles an hour. Oregon has about 25,000 pronghorn antelope, which are native to the Columbia Plateau and the High Desert shrublands of eastern Oregon.
January 8, 2026
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Species and Subspecies

Wild turkey

Wild turkeys are not native to Oregon but were first successfully introduced in 1961. Since then more than 10,000 turkeys have been transplanted to locations all over Oregon and continue to thrive in most game units through the state. Turkey hunting is a popular activity in Oregon and has grown more than ten-fold since a statewide spring season opened in 1987. Oregon’s six-week spring turkey season is among the most liberal in the United States. Hunters have an opportunity to take up to three gobblers during the spring season and up to two birds during the fall, one of which…

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Recreation Report

Fishing Report - Snake Zone

SNAKE FISHING January 15, 2026 Best bets for weekend fishing Steelhead and trout can be caught downstream of Hells Canyon Dam. Trout fishing will be best throughout the winter in the Hells Canyon Reservoirs Announcements:Updates by section BROWNLEE RESERVOIR: Crappie, bass, perch, catfish, carp Trout fishing will be best throughout the winter months especially in the Powder River arm where rainbows will be moving in before heading up Eagle Creek. Other cool water fish like perch can be caught throughout the winter. Fishing for bass and catfish will probably be very slow until the reservoir starts to warm up in…

September 05, 2017
Article

Watch for wildlife on Oregon’s roads and highways

In late September, deer and elk begin their annual migration to wintering grounds, and often have to cross roads and highways to get there. Here are 7 tips to help avoid a collision.
image of two bicyclists stopping to allow a herd of elk to cross the road
Article

Catch-and-release: Tips to reduce fish mortality

In some Oregon state waters catch-and-release fishing is required in order to protect valuable fish resources. One way anglers can help maintain and restore native fish populations is to learn how to catch and release wild fish properly.
close up photo of a rainbow trout ready to be released
Educational Moment

Safety gear

While turkey hunting is one of the safest forms of hunting, there are some safety tips hunters should follow. Be visible when you need to be The biggest risk in turkey hunting is being in the woods with other turkey hunters. Remember, everyone will be wearing camouflage and sounding like a turkey as they try to call in birds (including you). Therefore, you’ll want to make sure you and your location are visible while you’re walking to the blind or setting up, while you’re set up behind a tree and while you’re carrying your bird out of the field. A…
May 19, 2020
image of bow hunter safely carrying bow and arrows
Educational Moment

Patterning fall turkeys

In the spring, hunters try to take advantage of a tom’s predicted behavior during breeding season to bag a bird. In the fall, hunters fill their turkey tags by studying food sources and the daily routine of birds. Turkeys follow food sources As fall progresses, food sources for turkeys change. In late summer and early fall, turkeys largely feed on high-protein insects. Grasshoppers are a primary food source throughout Oregon this time of year. Silk worms, caterpillars, spiders and other bugs make up a good part of a turkey ’s fall diet. As fall leads to winter, earthworms and a…
May 19, 2020
image of tom turkey in a snow field
Educational Moment

Hunting fall turkeys

Spring turkey hunting is about appealing to a tom’s urge to mate. Fall hunting, on the other hand, is about keying in on a flock’s daily routine. Look for a lone bird As fall turkey flocks become established, there’s a pecking order in each group. It’s not uncommon for a lone bird – usually a jake or young tom – to be wandering by himself looking for a flock to join. If you spot a lone bird, waste no time trying to get in front of him to set up and call. Don’t intimidate the lone bird with aggressive calling…
May 19, 2020
image of a hen turkey in an autumn field of grasses
Species and Subspecies

Gray whale

The most common whale off the Oregon coast is the gray whale. In addition to the approximately 200 resident gray whales that live nearly year-round off Oregon, a winter and spring migration brings about 18,000 more past our coast. Gray whales are baleen whales (mysticetes). They grow to 50 feet in length and will weigh up to 80,000 pounds; adult females are larger than males, which is common in all baleen whales. They do not have a dorsal fin on their back but instead have a series of knuckles. These whales are mottled gray and are covered with barnacles and…

Gray whale
Recreation Report

Fishing Report - Columbia Zone

Columbia Fishing January 15, 2026 Current and upcoming fishing opportunities: Columbia River regulation updates for the 2026 sturgeon fishery are posted. Please see the fishing regulation update page for details. Announcements For the latest regulations, including in-season changes See the fishing regulations update page. Forecasts for 2026 Columbia River Spring Chinook, Summer Chinook and Sockeye are available here: Changes to 2026 sturgeon retention fisheries above Bonneville: Fishery managers are taking a new approach to the sturgeon retention fisheries in the Bonneville and The Dalles pools by delaying the openers in 2026. This is in an effort to increase the likelihood…

September 05, 2017
Educational Moment

Navigating the regulations

Turkey hunters should be aware of all state hunting regulations, but pay special attention to these things – all of which are listed in the table of contents of the Oregon Game Bird Hunting Regulations: Licensing and tags Shooting hours Legal hunting methods Turkey hunting opportunities The Game Bird Regulations are available both online and in print, both are organized in the same way. Licensing and tags In Oregon, all hunters older than 12 years need a hunting license. Kids 12-17 years old can buy a special, value-priced youth license that also includes fishing and shellfishing. In addition to a…
May 19, 2020
Tagged antler
Educational Moment

Using a mouth call

Mouth calls, also known as diaphragm calls, can seem intimidating but they have some advantages over other kinds of calls. Mouth calls are popular with Oregon turkey hunters because: They're easier to keep dry during wet, spring seasons than are box or slate calls. Since the the call is in your mouth, you can call in a turkey without moving and possible spooking the bird. With practice, they can produce very realistic turkey sounds. Parts of a mouth call There are four parts to a mouth call. Starting at the outside of the call there’s: The tape. The tape stops…
May 19, 2020
image of a hunter pulling a mouth call from his vest pocket
Article

Hunting Sauvie Island’s East Side Unit

A beginner's guide to waterfowl hunting on Sauvie Island - Hunting in the Eastside Unit. Part 2 of a 5 part series.
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Article

Report your hunt

If you bought a tag you must report, even if you weren't successful or didn't hunt. Report your hunt online or at an ODFW license vendor. Hunters have until January 31 (or April 15 if purchased a late tag) each year to report their previous year's hunts.
December 8, 2025
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Educational Moment

Firearm safety

Hunting involves a deadly weapon that can kill more than just your target. Hunting and handling your gun safely MUST be a top priority. Start with the fundamentals Start by learning these four gun safety fundamentals and you’ll be well on you way to a lifetime of safe hunting. Assume all guns are always loaded. The primary benefit of handling all guns as if they were loaded, is that it will help you develop safe gun handling habits. Never let the muzzle of the gun (the shooting end) point at something you’re not willing to shoot. Often referred to as…
May 19, 2020
image of four shooters demonstrating good muzzle control
Article

Gifts for anglers

We asked some of the fisher folk at ODFW for their favorite gift-giving ideas. Here's what they said.
an image of two wading anglers holding nice rainbow trout from the Fall River
Educational Moment

Clothing considerations

As with all types of hunting, it’s important to choose the right kind of clothing for turkey hunting. Early in the spring turkey season, conditions can be very cold and wet compared to later in the season. At the same time, higher elevations may be colder than the valley floors. The fall turkey hunting season also offers a wide-range of weather conditions, in a variety of places. The weather in October can be very different than conditions in late December. This means proper clothing is important no matter what time of year or where in the state you’re hunting. Layer…
May 19, 2020
photo of two turkey hunters wearing lots of camo