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The development of the WWA began in 1953 with the acquisition of five parcels of land consisting of 4,400 acres. The Department continued to purchase additional lands, acquiring 1,670 acres in 1954 and another 760 acres in 1955. From 1961 to the present the department has purchased or received another 4,219 acres. The wildlife area currently consists of 12,419 acres owned by the department. In addition, the department, through agreements with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), manage 1,329 acres within or adjacent to the wildlife area. The WWA was established in response to continuing complaints from landowners concerned with
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Features: Identified by its prominent radiating ridges. Habitat: Cockles are "hard shelled" clams. Their protective, stout shells and short siphons mean that they do not have to bury as deeply as other common bay clams. Good cockle beds will often have cockles right on top of the sand on a good tide. They prefer sandy areas with high salinity, but can be found at many types of tideflats. Technique: The best clamming is during low/minus tides. Because these clams are so near the surface, you rake, rather than dig, for them. A four prong gardening rake is perfect for raking
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Establishment of the Bridge Creek Wildlife Area initially started in 1961 when a parcel of land was purchased from the Frank Hilbert estate. After the initial purchase, several private holdings were acquired to consolidate the land under department ownership. The last parcel was purchased from the Colvin Cattle Company in 1975. The primary purpose of the wildlife area is to maintain and protect a key historic winter range for Rocky Mountain elk ( Cervus elaphus nelsoni).
May 8, 2024 If there’s not a photo, it didn’t happen Submit your viewing photo to ODFW and we might use it here or elsewhere on MyODFW.com. The Oregon coast is a great place to come and view a variety of wildlife. Enjoy the great diversity of life: from giant whales and barking sea lions, to majestic bald eagles and diving pelicans, to showy Harlequin ducks and flocking shorebirds, to the tiny anemones and crabs inhabiting tidepools. There is always something new to discover. Visit our wildlife viewing map for locations to visit and view wildlife along the Oregon coast
Build a wood duck house to encourage nesting. Walk a stream counting steelhead redds. Teach families to fish. Just some of the things ODFW volunteers do to help protect and enhance Oregon's natural resources. Current volunteer opportunities
![a group of turtle surveying volunteers poses with turtles](/sites/default/files/styles/380x228/public/2023-09/turtle%20team.jpg?h=5b6eb14c&itok=gLh8TWvN)
Features: Butter clams have oval and oblong shaped shells with heavy, thick valves and hinge. Their shells have fine concentric rings. When the shell is open a little, you can see the pale ruffled mantle reminiscent of a tuxedo. Like the gaper clam, they have their two siphons fused together into one "neck." Average adult size is 3-4 inches but can range up to 5 inches. Butter clams can live more than 20 years. Habitat: Butter clams can be found in a wide variety of substrates but prefer sand and gravel/cobble beaches. They live approximately 6-12 inches deep and can
![butter-clam.jpg Thumbnail](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/butter-clam.jpg?itok=0-GDyVd7)
Features: Gaper clams have large "neck" housing the two siphons that protrude above the substrate surface when feeding. Protective leathery plates are found just below the siphon tips and feel rough to the touch. Gapers are unable to retract their neck entirely into the shell, producing a "gape" in the shell. It is common for algae to grow on their necks and gaper pea crabs to dwell inside the shell with the gaper clam. Habitat: Gapers can be found in high salinity sandy and/or muddy areas in most of Oregon's larger estuaries. Tillamook, Netarts, Yaquina, and Coos are favorite bays
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