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Chukars are ground-loving birds that quickly run uphill or burst from cover with rapid wing-beats and a characteristic whitoo call if alarmed. Introduced by managers wishing to increase hunting opportunities in arid western North America, the chukar is a very successful exotic species that occupies habitats where few other gamebirds exist. It is the most harvested upland bird in Oregon. It is a common permanent resident of eastern Oregon. Populations are distributed in steppe habitats along the breaks of the Columbia, John Day, Snake, Owyhee, Deschutes, Malheur, Burnt and Grand Ronde rivers and lesser watercourses or reservoirs. Hear the call…
PENDLETON, Ore. ‐ The Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted a limited fall Chinook fishing and retention season on the mainstem Umpqua, Smith, and North Fork Smith rivers after receiving many public comments and hearing testimony from a Douglas County Commissioner, business owners and local anglers concerned about a proposed closure…
A black bear tried its best to get into a Neskowin homeowner's bear resistant trash can. The homeowner then built a small shed to enclose the trash can. The persistent bear left its prints and claw marks on the shed but did not succeed in breaking into it. This resident…
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.
Year Round
Statewide
Oregon has a variety of raptors, from the diminutive Sharp-shinned hawk to our nation's symbol, the Bald eagle. Some of these birds of prey are migratory, while many live here year-round and can be seen hunting along rivers, roadside posts and fields.
This is your one-stop platform for learning how to hunt and fish in Oregon. Register here to participate in one or more of the many statewide workshops offered to adults. Enjoy the great outdoors even more by building your confidence and expanding your knowledge! Look no further: hunter safety courses and field days Choose between a conventional in-person course or complete one of the online education courses plus an in-person field day. Sign up for a location, date and time that works best with your schedule. Hunter safety education events are offered year-round and taught by certified volunteer instructors statewide…
ASTORIA, Ore – The annual conservation closure of razor clamming on Clatsop beaches begins 12:01 a.m. July 15. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife encourages clammers to take advantage of the low tide series that begins July 8. However, ODFW reminds clammers that although the low tide series goes…
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – ODFW is urging waterfowl hunters and other visitors to use extreme caution after laboratory results revealed exceptionally high levels of microcystin in a water sample collected from the Barnes Unit of the Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge. The sample was taken from an area currently open…
Oak Springs Hatchery was constructed in several phases beginning in 1922 with the last major construction in 1996. The facility is currently used for egg production, incubation and rearing of rainbow trout, incubation and rearing of summer and winter steelhead, and maintains one resident rainbow trout and one resident cutthroat broodstock.
Oregon's owls are mostly nocturnal, hunting for insects, fish, frogs, birds, mice and other small mammals in the night. Their hoots, screeches and calls can be heard after dark or early in the morning. Owls don't build nests, but instead use tree cavities, nests created by other species, naturally occurring structures or human-made nest platforms. The Western burrowing owl nests underground in abandoned dens dug by squirrels, prairie dogs and badgers. Learn more about Oregon's owls.
A quiet, modest, unobtrusive little bird that must be sought to be seen in its shady retreats, this little-studied species can easily be overlooked. It is typically associated with oaks and mixed woodlands, where it hops along the foliage hunting for insects. In winter it forages with flocks of chickadees, kinglets, and nuthatches. This is Oregon's only resident vireo. Although it is sometimes referred to as non-migratory, some seasonal movement has been observed. Similar in appearance and behavior to the more common and widespread Ruby-crowned kinglet. Hear the song of the Hutton's vireo Photo by Greg Gilson
This majestically crested bird is often heard before being seen due to its conspicuous harsh rattling call. Kingfishers are most frequently associated with lake and pond shorelines and islands, as well as coastal dunes with ponds and widely scattered shrubs and trees. They hunt from a vantage point above water such as an overhead branch, telephone wires along shore lines or pilings of piers. This is a common permanent resident throughout most of the state except in the north Lake and east Deschutes counties where open water is generally absent Hear the call of the belted kingfisher Photo from ODFW
