![image of two tom turkeys talking trash](/sites/default/files/styles/380x228/public/2020-09/Sounds-turkeys-make-NWTF.jpg?itok=YBB5JryG)
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The text for this turkey hunting course was originally written by Scott Haugen and edited by Jessica Sall. Videos were produced by Scott Haugen. Special thanks to the National Wild Turkey Federation for sharing many of the photos used in this course. Additional photos were from Scott Haugen and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
![image of two tom turkeys talking trash](/sites/default/files/styles/380x228/public/2020-09/Sounds-turkeys-make-NWTF.jpg?itok=YBB5JryG)
Oregon’s beaches, bays and ocean waters have more kinds of fishing than anywhere in the state. From chasing surfperch in the… well, surf, to hooking cabezon from a rocky jetty, to going deep after rockfish and halibut, to the line-screaming runs of an albacore tuna, this zone offers a species and fishing technique for every angler. Subscribe for updates
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Hunting for frogs and salamanders is a great way to introduce kids to the wonders of Oregon's wildlife and the great outdoors. Learn more about their various habitat needs and you'll increase your chances of seeing one of these unique species. Remember to practice "leave no trace" to preserve their habitat. Listen to a chorus of treefrogs, and check out our fun facts on Oregon's frogs.
Mouth calls, also known as diaphragm calls, can seem intimidating but they have some advantages over other kinds of calls. Mouth calls are popular with Oregon turkey hunters because: They're easier to keep dry during wet, spring seasons than are box or slate calls. Since the the call is in your mouth, you can call in a turkey without moving and possible spooking the bird. With practice, they can produce very realistic turkey sounds. Parts of a mouth call There are four parts to a mouth call. Starting at the outside of the call there’s: The tape. The tape stops
![image of a hunter pulling a mouth call from his vest pocket](/sites/default/files/styles/380x228/public/2020-09/Using-mouth-call-NWTF.jpg?itok=H9VoBiic)
![Photo of a colorful bluegill with a popper lure in its mouth](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2020-07/bluegill%20with%20popper.jpg?itok=4Y4sQCZL)
Terns are generally associated with marine environments and salt marshes, but the Forster's tern inhabits freshwater areas. During the breeding season this graceful bird is eastern Oregon's resident small white tern. Typical of terns, the Forster's employs a dramatic hunting method of plunge-diving into shallow waters to capture small fish, the bird sometimes submerging completely. This is an uncommon but highly visible colonial breeder east of the Cascades. Hear the call of the Forster's tern Photo by Dave Budeau, ODFW
![480_forsters_tern_budeau.jpg Foster's tern](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/480_forsters_tern_budeau.jpg?itok=ctHsLad-)
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.
![8657_great_horned_owl.jpg Thumbnail](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/8657_great_horned_owl.jpg?itok=x_fUZsCq)
The long-legged myotis lives in forests and comes out early in the evening to hunt. It is a fast flier and will chase insects for a long distance. One baby is born in the summer, and the species hibernates in winter. In general, the long-legged myotis is a species associated with montane coniferous forests, but it also occurs in some desert and riparian habitats. The long-legged myotis is an Oregon Conservation Strategy Species in these ecoregions: Blue Mountains, Coast Range, East and West Cascades, Klamath Mountains, and Northern Basin and Range. Photo by ©Michael Durham
![875_long-legged_myotis_bat_durham.jpg Long-legged myotis](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/875_long-legged_myotis_bat_durham_cx_0.jpg?itok=-cDMTPev)
W hen it comes to calling turkeys in the spring , we ’re being a bit unnatural. In the turkey woods, toms gather on strutting grounds and try to call hens to them. Hunters are doing just the opposite: making hen sounds to bring toms to them. For this reason, it pays to develop confident turkey calling skills. Here ’s a look at the turkey sounds hunters will want to be able to make. Refer to the instructions for each kind of call to see how to mimic these sounds. The yelp is a basic turkey call and the easiest
![image of a hunter outside of a turkey ground blind](/sites/default/files/styles/380x228/public/2020-09/hunting-from-blind.jpg?itok=tZ95S4Jl)
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
![1895_huttons_vireo_gilson.jpg Hutton's Vireo](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/IMG_1895_huttons_vireo_cx.jpg?itok=f9zStxsj)
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
![Banded kingfisher](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/kingfisher_1_cx.jpg?itok=YYHNk8-E)
This is a large and power falcon. The majority of Gyrfalcons seen in Oregon are immatures or adults of the "gray" type, but there are several reports of "white" birds. The Gyrfalcon is a regular winter visitant to Oregon. The majority of sightings come from coastal and Willamette Valley lowlands near waterfowl concentrations. Individuals have been seen chasing and feeding on geese, ducks and gulls. Gyrfalcons forage by flying low over the ground and flushing prey, then often giving spectacular tail chases. If a bird refuses to flush the hunt is usually unsuccessful. East of the Cascades it occurs around
![655_gyr_falcon_duck_welle_odfw.jpg Gryfalcon](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/655_gyr_falcon_duck_welle_odfw_cx.jpg?itok=dWQH1Mui)
High overhead at the top of the rimrock in Oregon's desert country, the White-throated swift swoops, soars, and darts about erratically, hunting and catching insects. At great speed, it disappears into a crevice on a cliff without appearing to slow down. Its long, strong claws enable it to crawl deep inside these crevices to roosting and nesting areas, which often cannot be seen from the entrance. This bird is a locally common to abundant breeder, primarily on eastern Oregon cliffs. It is an occasional spring and sporadic fall migrant in western Oregon along the coast, in the Willamette Valley, and
![white-throated_swift_julio_mulero_flickr.jpg White-throated swift](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/white-throated_swift_julio_mulero_flickr_cx.jpg?itok=jdI7F9fn)
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
![Chuckar](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/0317_chukar_budeau.jpg?itok=UgEMKnAx)
Characteristic of open country and cold weather, the Rough-legged hawk can be found soaring over exposed terrain or perched on utility poles across much of the state in winter. The rough appearance of its legs comes from the feathers covering their length, an adaptation that provides extra warmth in frigid weather. In flight, dark wrist patches and belly help identify this large buteo, though like other hawks it is subject to much variation in plumage. From a distance it frequently appears to have a frosty upper half. It often hovers over fields while hunting, a behavior that is rare among
![3489_rough_llegged_hawk_bronson.jpg Rough-legged hawk](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/3489_rough_llegged_hawk_bronson.jpg?itok=cmmf_TP1)
One of the most startling sounds in the black of night is the loud, harsh call of the Barn owl as it flies over field or marsh in search of small rodents. They are white to tan beneath with fine spotting ranging from almost none to fairly extensive. The face has a well-defined facial disc that acts as a parabolic dish collecting the faint sounds of its prey, allowing it to hunt successfully in total darkness. Male and female Barn owls are similar in appearance though the female is somewhat larger. The Barn owl is a fairly common permanent resident
![2286_barn_owl_munsel_odfw_0.jpg Barn owl](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/2286_barn_owl_munsel_odfw_cx.jpg?itok=cuW4pK7m)
![an image of two wading anglers holding nice rainbow trout from the Fall River](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2020-12/2660_fall_river_rainbows.jpg?itok=M6RhFu9M)
While there is a general, statewide season for cougars, there are quotas set by zone. Once a quota in a certain zone is met, that zone will close for cougar hunting. Below are the most recent numbers on cougar harvest by zone.
Almost strictly nocturnal, the Western screech-owl hunts discreetly at night and roosts during the day in dense woodlands, its perfectly streaked plumage allows it to pass as tree bark. These habits make it difficult to see, and it is more common than many are aware. It is a small owl with yellow eyes and feathered ear tufts. It exhibits geographic variation in plumage color and pattern: both gray morphs and brown morphs occur in the Pacific Northwest. Sexes are alike. The Western screech-owl is a fairly common year-round resident in lower-elevation woodlands throughout Oregon. It is usually found below 3,000
![4091_western_screech_owl_munsel_0.jpg Western screech owl](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/4091_western_screech_owl_munsel_cx.jpg?itok=sCY6J073)