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Article

Who needs a Columbia River Basin Endorsement

All anglers fishing for salmon, steelhead or sturgeon (catch-and-release and retention) on all rivers and tributaries in the Columbia River Basin need to have a Columbia River Basin Endorsement (CRBE).
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Educational Moment

Shotgun shooting tips

Turkey hunters using a shotgun face a very small target – the head and neck of a turkey. Combine that with today’s specialized turkey loads shooting very tight patterns, and making a clean kill shot might depend on a steady shooting rest. Turkeys are nervous-looking birds that seem to never stop moving. Because of their monocular vision and eyes set on the side of their skull, turkeys are often moving and bobbing their heads to try to decipher what they’re seeing. Consider a shooting rest If you’ve got your gun in a ready position, and are waiting for a turkey

May 19, 2020
image of a turkey hunter with his gun resting on his knee
Educational Moment

Bow vs. shotgun

There are fundamental differences between turkey hunting with a bow and a shotgun, including effective range, shot placement and set up. Effective shooting distance Your effective shooting distance (how far you can be from a turkey and likely kill it with a single shot) will vary with the level of your shooting skills and the type of equipment you’re using. A good rule of thumb for shotgun shooters is 40 yards. Anything further than that and there’s a good chance you might not hit the head and neck with enough pellets to kill the bird. Any closer than 20 yards

May 19, 2020
Turkey hunting with a bow
Article

10 tips for beginning birders

Binoculars? Check. Field guide? Check. Now what? Learn the basics for bird watching.
Yellow-rumped warbler
Article

Take care out there: A guide to respectful recreation

Each year over 9 million Oregonians and visitors head to hills – and the desert, and the beach – to enjoy the outdoor beauty Oregon offers. But with that many people actively appreciating the hills (and the desert and the beach) it’s becoming even more important that we learn to enjoy our fragile ecosystems today while also protecting them for tomorrow’s visitors.
February 14, 2020
image of three bird watchers looking in a tree through binoculars
Landing page

Volunteer with ODFW

Build bird houses for ODFW. Teach families to fish. Walk a stream or hike in a forest looking for animals or sign of animals to support various studies. Teach others to hunt or about hunter safety. Assist Marine Reserves with onshore or offshore studies. These are just some of the things ODFW volunteers do to help protect and enhance Oregon's natural resources. Current volunteer opportunities

August 21, 2023
a group of turtle surveying volunteers poses with turtles
Article

ODFW offices that sell licenses

Some of ODFW's smaller field offices are not staffed to sell licenses to the public. However, staff at our larger offices will be happy to help you buy your licenses, tags and other documents. Here is a list of those offices.
Article

10 steps to becoming an angler

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.
October 26, 2020
image of angler holding up a small smallmouth bass on the John Day R

Oct. 1 wildlife forage seed giveaway in Central Point, Grants Pass, Gold Beach

CENTRAL POINT, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is giving away free wildlife forage seed to landowners in Central Point, Grants Pass, and Gold Beach on Wed., Oct. 1. Landowners are eligible for two 15-pound bags of seed to cover at least one acre of habitat for wildlife. Seed bags…

September 16, 2025
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Article

Ways to get your animal tested for CWD

Learn more about CWD
November 20, 2025
Species and Subspecies

Pheasants, Grouse, Quail and Turkey

Pheasants, grouse, quail and turkey are all upland game birds that are chicken-like and ground-dwelling. Wild turkeys are the largest upland game bird in Oregon.

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Landing page

North Nehalem Hatchery Visitors' Guide

The North Nehalem Fish Hatchery was originally constructed in 1966. The hatchery replaced the Foley Creek Hatchery which was constructed in 1926. The facility is used for adult collection, spawning, egg incubation and rearing of fall Chinook, coho, winter steelhead and rainbow trout.

November 01, 2017
Landing page

Round Butte Hatchery Visitors' Guide

Round Butte Hatchery was constructed in 1972 to mitigate for the fishery losses caused by Pelton/Round Butte (PRB) Hydroelectric Complex. Round Butte and its satellite, Pelton Ladder, are used for adult collection, egg incubation and rearing of spring Chinook, summer steelhead, and sockeye salmon.

November 15, 2017
Article

Take the family fishing

We make it easy to take your family fishing – with free fishing events, recommended family-friendly fishing locations, and how-tos on everything from buying your gear to cooking your catch.
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Landing page

Wizard Falls Hatchery Visitors' Guide

Wizard Falls Hatchery was constructed in 1947. Many improvements have been made to the facility since original construction. The hatchery has a rainbow trout broodstock which supply rainbow trout to the Deschutes sub-basin and southeast Oregon. The hatchery is used for incubation and rearing of kokanee salmon and rainbow trout to provide for recreational fishing program objectives, and the incubation and rearing of spring Chinook and summer steelhead as part of a reintroduction program in the upper Deschutes Basin. Brook trout and cutthroat trout fingerlings are reared for the air stocking program on odd years. Kokanee salmon are spawned remotely.

November 15, 2017
Article

Maps

GeoPDF Maps The Access and Habitat and Travel Management Area maps are now GeoPDFs. Browse available maps in Avenza and download them directly to the app or download them from this page and upload to the app. With it, you can follow your location, mark way points check boundaries and more while offline.
November 25, 2025
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