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You don’t need a lot of gear to hunt turkey – that’s one reason for its growing popularity. However, the more you hunt – in different seasons and in different parts of the state – the more you’ll discover there are some things that can make you a more comfortable and successful hunter. Here are some essential pieces of gear beginning turkey hunters will want to consider: A face mask or camouflage face paint. Turkeys have keen eyesight so you’ll want to cover your entire face and neck with something camouflage that’s comfortable to wear. Bowhunters often prefer camo face…

ENTERPRISE, Ore. – ODFW, in coordination with co-managers, will reopen harvest of wild (adipose-intact) fall Chinook salmon in the Snake River effective Saturday, Oct. 4. The reopening follows a temporary closure implemented in September to ensure fisheries remained within agreed harvest limits. During the closure, managers continued to monitor run…

SALEM, Ore. – Oregon's deer and elk give birth from May through July each year. It's natural for mother animals to leave their young alone for extended periods of time while they go off to feed. If you come across a fawn or calf by itself, don't assume it's orphaned…

Chris Kern, Region Manager Fisher research in southern Oregon Fisher are a Species of Greatest Conservaion Need in Oregon's State Wildlife Action Plan, and ODFW is actively conducting research to understand fisher occupancy and distribution east of I-5, as well as that of their competitors and predators. Wildlife Research staff maintained 30 baited camera traps in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument and Southern Cascades. The cameras were deployed in mid-September on U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands in areas with proposed habitat management efforts. The goal is to evaluate how these land alterations influence changes in mesocarnivore occupancy…

It’s hard to enjoy a day of hunting if your feet are cramped, wet or cold. Many turkey hunters in Oregon have at least two different pairs of boots to meet the variety of conditions they might encounter while hunting. Rubber boot for cold, wet conditions Rubber knee boots are a good choice when conditions are cold and wet, and/or when you’ll be sitting for hours in a ground blind. Many boots are insulated to help keep your feet warm. If you’re looking at uninsulated boots, buy them ½ to one size larger than you normally wear. This will give…

Turkey behavior changes over a hunting season. So it helps to think a bit like a turkey when planning your strategy for finding turkeys and setting up your hunt. Spring turkey behavior By the time hunting season opens on April 15, most of the hen turkeys have already bred. Though they may not be sitting on their nests quite yet. This keeps tom turkeys close to the hens during the first few weeks of the season, making it difficult for hunters to lure toms away from hens and into shooting range. If tom numbers are low, they are less likely…

LA GRANDE, Ore. – Effective Aug. 1 through Sep. 30, minimum and maximum size limits as well as the daily and possession bag limits for rainbow trout and bass are suspended for Thief Valley Reservoir (Southeast Zone) located in Union County. Harvest will be allowed by hand, dip net, or…

Enterprise, Ore. – Beginning Friday, Sept. 19 through Friday, Oct. 31, harvest of wild adult Chinook salmon (non-adipose clipped, ≥ 24 inches) will be closed in the Snake River from the Oregon/Washington border upstream to Hells Canyon Dam. During this period, anglers may continue to harvest adipose-clipped (hatchery) fall Chinook…

While turkey hunting is one of the safest forms of hunting, there are some safety tips hunters should follow. Be visible when you need to be The biggest risk in turkey hunting is being in the woods with other turkey hunters. Remember, everyone will be wearing camouflage and sounding like a turkey as they try to call in birds (including you). Therefore, you’ll want to make sure you and your location are visible while you’re walking to the blind or setting up, while you’re set up behind a tree and while you’re carrying your bird out of the field. A…

SALEM, Ore.—Oregon's Fish and Wildlife Commission meets online Friday, Jan. 16 to amend the formula for setting Landowner Preference tags for mule deer hunts and modify the Coquille River Fall Chinook conservation hatchery program to allow the use of hatchery origin broodstock. See the full meeting agenda at https://myodfw.com/articles/commission-agenda-january-16-2026 The…