![Girls with fish](/sites/default/files/styles/380x228/public/2018-08/447_girls_with_fish_swingle_odfw.jpg?h=4cd0db94&itok=AX61mTLM)
Search myodfw.com
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)
![Girls with fish](/sites/default/files/styles/380x228/public/2018-08/447_girls_with_fish_swingle_odfw.jpg?h=4cd0db94&itok=AX61mTLM)
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
![Turkey hunting with a bow](/sites/default/files/styles/380x228/public/2020-06/Turkey_Hunting_with_a_Bow.jpg?itok=hUigzEkm)
Features: These fish are light silvery-white, dark on top, and have up to 8 dark, broken stripes running along the sides of their bodies. They are typically less than 10 lbs but can grow to 22 lbs. They have two dorsal fins, the front one with eight or nine spines and the rear one with one spine and 13 or 14 soft rays. Habitat: Hybrid bass were originally stocked in Tenmile Lakes on the south coast and in Ana Reservoir in Lake County. They have since been introduced into Thompson Reservoir, also in Lake County. The only established population is
![hybrid_striped_bass_justin_miles_odfw.jpg Thumbnail](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/hybrid_striped_bass_justin_miles_odfw.jpg?itok=MTOTuew7)
The Wolverine is the largest terrestrial mustelid in Oregon that, to some degree, resembles a small bear. It is powerfully built with a broad, dog-like head; short round ears; small eyes; a slightly humped back; relatively short legs and a bushy, somewhat drooping tale. The pelage consists of a dense, wooly, crimped under fur overlain by course, stiff and somewhat shaggy guard hairs. Fur on the tail is about twice as long as on the body. The base color is blackish brown with a pale brown stripe extending along the sides from the head or shoulders to the base of
![0478_wolverine.jpg Wolverine](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-06/0478_wolverine_cx.jpg?itok=ZVA1mnWW)
The mountain goat is a stockily built bovid with black scimitar-shaped horns, large black hooves and prominent dew claws, and an entirely white, wooly pelage. Sometimes the pelage contains scattered brown hairs on the dorsum and rump. A long beard, pointed ears, and a squarish muzzle are also characteristic. Males are larger, and have longer, larger-diameter, and more evenly curved horns that females. Mountain goats are denizens of high altitudes, remote, and barren montane regions where they are capable of moving through exceedingly rugged and precipitous terrain with speed and agility. Nevertheless, mountain goats are known to fall occasionally, whereupon
![1637_mt_goat_matthews_odfw_0.jpg Mountain goat](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/1637_mt_goat_matthews_odfw_cx.jpg?itok=9dOPqRd7)
Features: Bluegills are distinguished from other panfish by the black ear flap and black spot at the rear base of the dorsal fin. Five to eight greenish, vertical bars are faintly visible on their sides. The body is olive-green in color, bluish above and silvery below. Breeding males develop a bright orange to red flush on the throat area. Adults in most waters measure 5- to 8-inches, but the state record bluegill exceeded 12-inches. Habitat: Bluegills prosper in clear, clean ponds, lakes and backwaters of slow streams with abundant vegetation. They feed on both plant and animal life, but primarily
![bluegill_blake_facey_flickr.jpg Thumbnail](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/bluegill_blake_facey_flickr.jpg?itok=F-njh9rU)
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)
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)
Denman Wildlife Area 1495 E. Gregory Rd, Central Point 97502
![S3DA Archery Thumbnail](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2018-07/3%20River%20Archers.jpg?itok=riIuTjPj)
Salamanders are a group of tailed amphibians with long bodies and short limbs. They often prefer habitats with damp conditions, which allows them to “breathe” better through their skin. Wet and rainy days (typically late fall through spring in Oregon) are the best time to look for salamanders, as the additional moisture from fog and rain allow for increased surface activity. To find salamanders, look in cracks or search under bark, rocks or logs. If you move any debris during your search, remember to put it back where you found it when you’re done—salamanders are sensitive to disturbance and many
![1564_rough-skinned_newt_furnari_odfw.jpg Thumbnail](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/1564_rough-skinned_newt_furnari_odfw.jpg?itok=dbgUw_2H)
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)
This tiny owl has a reputation as an aggressive predator on everything from mice and voles to birds and mammals over twice its size. Coloration is highly variable with brown and gray morphs. In Oregon, color varies from dark brown in coastal mountains to gray in eastern Oregon, with an intermediate pale grayish-brown form in the Cascade mountains. About the length of a White-crowned sparrow, it has striking yellow eyes, dark vertical streaks on the breast and abdomen, and dark "eyespots" on the back of the head. It is primarily diurnal and can often be approached quite closely when it
![89_pygmy_owl_odfw_0.jpg Pygmy owl](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/2023-05/89_pygmy_owl_odfw_cx.jpg?itok=O9z4BdNg)
Crabbing and clamming are year-round activities on the Oregon coast. Clam diggers will want to watch for low tides, when more beach is exposed for digging. Crabbers will have the best luck during slack tide when crabs are walking about foraging. Visit e-regulations
Features: Green sunfish have more of a bass-shaped body and a larger mouth than the other sunfishes, other than the warmouth. Also, unlike other sunfish except the warmouth, the pectoral fin is rounded, rather than pointed. Green sunfish are olive green on the back and sides with a yellowish-copper or brassy hue on the lower sides of the belly. Dusky, vertical bars are often present. Turquoise mottling, often in the form of bars, radiates backward from the snout and eye. They have a dark spot at the base of the rear lobe of the dorsal fin. Habitat: Green sunfish are
![green_sunfish_kelly_strychalski_flickr.jpg Thumbnail](/sites/default/files/styles/232x139/public/green_sunfish_kelly_strychalski_flickr.jpg?itok=W64tMBX-)
Features: The Pacific sanddab is left-eyed, meaning both eyes are on the left side of the body. The eyed-side is dull light brown, mottled with brown or black, and sometimes yellow or orange. The blind-side is off-white to tan. They have an oval shaped body with large scales. They can grow to be 16-inches long and up to 2 pounds, though most weigh less than 1/3 pound. Habitat: As you probably guessed, sanddabs like to hang out on sandy bottoms. They are most abundant at depths of 20-50 fathoms, and are common in shallow coastal waters from British Columbia to