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Upper and Lower Bennett Dams are located southeast of the town of Stayton on the North Santiam River. Upper Bennett Dam is on the south side of Stayton Island and Lower Bennett Dam is on the north side.
Oregon requires all hunters under the age of 18 to complete a hunter safety education course before hunting in the state. Upon completing the course (and a Field Day for youth), participants will receive a Hunter Safety certification number and card. Adults are also encouraged to take the online course, as it may be required for out of state hunts. Note: Youth under the age of 9 may struggle with the course material and may not have the physical strength needed to safely handle a firearm during a Field Day, particularly during muzzle control, loading, and unloading drills.
The information provided here is intended to help you get an idea of your odds of drawing a reservation in the Eastside and Oak Island hunt areas. First off, the number of permits available in each hunt unit does change throughout the season. See the NUMBER OF RESERVATIONS AVAILABLE FOR EASTSIDE AND OAK ISLAND UNITS link to view the number of permits that are available for each unit and hunt period.
Dec. 18, 2024 Always check for closures at the ODA Shellfish Safety page before harvesting shellfish, which includes clams, crabs and mussels. If there’s not a photo, it didn’t happen Submit your fishing photo to ODFW and we might use it here or elsewhere on MyODFW.com. Announcements Recreation Report holiday break Due to the upcoming holidays, we'll be taking a break from the Recreation Report the weeks of Dec. 23 and 30. The Rec Report will resume publication the week of Jan. 6, 2025. Prohibited line markings in effect Recreational crabbers are not required to mark their line but are
Dec. 18, 2024 If there’s not a photo, it didn’t happen Submit your fishing photo to ODFW and we might use it here or elsewhere on MyODFW.com. Current and upcoming fishing opportunities The 2025 sturgeon retention dates have been set for above Bonneville. See the news release for details: States set 2025 sturgeon retention seasons Announcements For the latest regulations, including in-season changes See the fishing regulations update page. Recreation Report holiday break Due to the upcoming holidays, we'll be taking a break from the Recreation Report the weeks of Dec. 23 and 30. The Rec Report will resume publication
Protecting and enhancing Oregon’s fish and wildlife, and the habitats they use, for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations is at the heart of what we do.
Located near the Elkhorn Mountain Range, Elkhorn Wildlife Area is best known for Rocky Mountain elk and mule deer herds that use the area during the winter. To keep deer and elk from feeding on agriculture lands when they come down from snow-covered higher elevations, ODFW operates 10 feeding sites on the area to feed 1,400 elk and 800 deer during the winter months.
Oregon's recreational fisheries for Pacific halibut and bottomfish are constrained by bycatch of yelloweye rockfish, an overfished species. Many of the regulations on these fisheries exist to keep bycatch of yelloweye rockfish within sustainable limits, in order to help the stock recover (for example, depth restrictions in the bottomfish fishery, and no lingcod or rockfish during all-depth halibut days). ODFW encourages anglers to reduce impacts by using descending devices to release yelloweye rockfish, and better yet, to avoid areas where they might be caught.
When it comes to turkey hunting from a ground blind, popup blinds are ideal. Popup blinds set up in minutes and are easy to move around. You also can construct a blind from natural materials, but it’s time consuming and you can’t take the blind with you to your next hunting location. The best blind for you One-person popup blinds are small and portable, but there’s not much room to move. Unless a bird approaches and stops directly in front of you, you may not get a shot. The best blind for most turkey hunters is a larger, two-person, 360º
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
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
Whether you ’re turkey hunting with a bow or shotgun, you’ll need to know when to take the shot. If you’re using a shotgun, the best shot will be at the head, preferably when it’s outstretched away from the bird’s body. Bowhunters will want to know something about turkey anatomy so they’ll recognize when they have a clear kill shot to a vital organ. Make sure it’s safe to shoot In addition to having a good shot at a bird, you’ll want to make sure there are no other hunters, livestock or other turkeys nearby that you could hit by