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Follow this page for background on steelhead management, to provide feedback and learn about decisions when they happen for the Columbia, Deschutes, John Day, Umatilla, Walla Walla and Grand Ronde rivers. Sign up for email/text updates Video UPDATE AUG. 11, 2025: An in-season run update for the minimum expected A-Index steelhead abundance at Bonneville Dam now forecasts 137,700 adult fish ( see Aug. 12 fact sheet), a large improvement over the original poor forecast of 55,600 A-Index fish but still below average. It is too early to provide an in-season assessment of the B-Index return.

Join the community scientists who have shared their wildlife observations in Oregon throughout the iNaturalist app. Record your sightings of mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles from around the state and contribute valuable data to wildlife conservation.

The Winchester Dam was built in November 1890 and is in the National Register of Historical Places. Constructed from large timber cribs, the dam was originally built 4-feet high and in 1907 the dam was raised to sixteen feet. Winchester Dam provided water and electricity for the town of Roseburg until 1923. In December 1945 a more permanent fish ladder and the first fish counting station on Winchester Dam was built. Two counters working the daylight hours, counted fish that swim over a white board located about four feet below the counter. The ladder was closed when counting was no…

He is an Oregon icon – Herman, the sturgeon, the state's most famous fish. At 10 ft. long and nearly 500 lbs., Herman is not only one of Oregon's most distinctive aquatic characters- some even consider him the unofficial state fish.

Bighorn sheep and Rocky Mountain goat the rarest game mammals in Oregon today, with less than 100 bighorn sheep tags and 20 Rocky Mtn goat tags offered in 2015. The tags are “once-in-a-lifetime” so hunters who draw them can’t draw them again.

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Just a few miles south of Newport, the town of Waldport is on the shores of Alsea Bay. It is one of Oregon’s estuaries that does not have jetties at the ocean entrance. Strong outgoing tides and ocean swell can make boating near the mouth of the bay more dangerous. Use caution and be prepared if you crab in this area.

ODFW wants to make sure our uniformed service members are given the opportunity to participate in the outdoor recreation Oregon has to offer.

Fishing isn’t hard, but it can be confusing to know how to begin. Here’s a step-by-step approach to get from thinking about it to doing it.

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.

As much of Oregon continues to experience years of on-going drought, hunters, anglers and wildlife viewers can expect the continued warm, dry conditions to impact their activities. This page includes tips to help you continue to enjoy the outdoors during drought conditions.

Let us share your photos with other anglers, hunters and wildlife appreciators. When you submit your photos to ODFW, they could appear on our website or social media channels, or be used in a brochure or exhibit.

Young animals are rarely orphaned, so leave them where you find them. Chances are good mom is nearby, just waiting for you to leave before she returns to her baby. Leaving young wildlife where they are is the right thing to do, picking it up and taking it home is illegal. Living with wildlife

Oregon requires all hunters under the age of 18 to complete a hunter safety education course before hunting in the state. Upon course completion, students will receive a temporary Hunter Safety certification card to be carried while hunting in Oregon until a permanent card is received in the mail to replace it. Hunters over 18 are encouraged to take the online education 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…