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NE WILDLIFE VIEWING   September 17, 2026   Recreating in drought and wildfire season - actions you can take to protect wildlife .   For the most current fire closures and restrictions-- KNOW BEFORE YOU GO . Baker County   Bighorn sheep can be seen in the Burnt River Canyon west of Durkee or along the Snake River Road south of Richland. The best viewing is in the early morning and late in the evening.   Take the Snake River Road between Richland and Huntington to see bald and golden eagles along the Snake River.   There are deer throughout the valley. Early in the morning…

CENTRAL WILDLIFE VIEWING   September 17, 2026   Recreating in drought and wildfire season - actions you can take to protect wildlife .   For the most current fire restrictions-- KNOW BEFORE YOU GO . Crook County   All public land fire closures within Crook County have been lifted which broadens wildlife viewing access. Remember to use caution when traveling through and recreating in burned areas. Waterfowl should be visible along the crooked river and on most lakes/reservoirs. Herons, osprey, and kingfishers are frequently seen along the crooked river while searching for prey. Raptors, including bald eagles, redtail hawks, and kestrels can be seen…

WESTERN OREGON September 17, 2026 Current season:  Mourning dove, band-tailed pigeon *, ruffed and blue grouse, quail, turkey (Select WMU's), September Canada goose NW permit zone (ends Sept. 20) * Permits required for band-tailed pigeons and sea ducks.  For more information on permits. Announcements, resources  2026-27 Game Bird Regulations online and available at ODFW licensed agents and vendors. Buy your 2026-27 bird stamp(s) and validations - upland, waterfowl, or non-resident bird validations, federal duck stamp and don't skip the HIP survey. Time to redeem your sports-pac vouchers.    Western Oregon fee pheasant hunts offered at Wildlife Area locations for additional hunting opportunity – Find…

NW BIG GAME HUNTING September 17, 2026 Currently open Archery deer and elk, bear, cougar ( check current harvest numbers), coyote, youth only controlled series hunts, general season antlerless elk damage, premium, auction and raffle hunts and western gray squirrel. *Check Big Game regulations for hunt details and purchase your license and required tag before hunting. Announcements and resources Gear up for this year's Big Game Hunting Forecast and get ahead of the game! Big game statistics - You'll find links to population, harvest and maps that can help you decide where to hunt this season. Check the Leftover Tag…

SE Fishing September 17, 2026 Best bets for weekend fishing Fourmile, Lake of the Woods and Miller Lake will all be stocked with 12–14-inch rainbow trout this week. Catch and Release for Redband Rainbow Trout with no bait is required through Oct. 31 on all of Upper Klamath Lake including but not limited to Pelican Bay, Crystal Creek, Recreation Creek, Harriman Creek, Odessa Creek, Short Creek, Fourmile Creek, Thomason Creek, Fourmile Canal, Barkley Springs Channel below highway 97 and mouth of Williamson River. Yellow perch angling should be excellent in the Williamson River, Crystal Creek, Pelican Bay and Fourmile Canal…

NE BIG GAME HUNTING September 17, 2026 Currently open Controlled archery deer and elk, bear, cougar ( check current harvest numbers), coyote, youth only controlled series hunts, general season antlerless elk damage, premium, auction and raffle hunts and western gray squirrel. *Check Big Game regulations for hunt details and purchase your license and required species tag before hunting. Announcements and resources Gear up for this year's Big Game Hunting Forecast and get ahead of the game! Big game statistics - You'll find links to population, harvest and maps that can help you decide where to hunt this season. Check the…

Crabbing and Clamming September 17, 2026 Announcements Always check for closures at the ODA Shellfish Safety page before harvesting shellfish, which includes clams, crabs and mussels. Advisory ODFW has issued a bay clam harvest advisory for Alsea Bay estuary. Read the news release for more information. Reminder: Annual conservation closure for razor clams north of Tillamook Head (Clatsop Beaches) began July 15 and runs through September 30. The season will reopen October 1 unless there is a closure for toxin levels. Report commercial derelict crab pots If you are out on the ocean or in the Columbia River from now…

SE BIG GAME HUNTING September 17, 2026 Currently open Bear, cougar ( check current harvest numbers), coyote, youth only controlled series hunts, premium, auction and raffle hunts, and bighorn sheep Announcements and resources Gear up for this year's Big Game Hunting Forecast and get ahead of the game! Big game statistics - You'll find links to population, harvest and maps that can help you decide where to hunt this season. Check the Leftover Tag List for an opportunity to hunt this year. Youth can register for the Mentored Youth Hunter Program free of charge online, find more youth hunting opportunities…

SW BIG GAME HUNTING September 17, 2026 Currently open Archery deer and elk, bear, cougar ( check current harvest numbers), coyote, youth only controlled series hunts, general season antlerless elk damage, premium, auction and raffle hunts and western gray squirrel. *Check Big Game regulations for hunt details and purchase your license and required tag before hunting. Announcements and resources Gear up for this year's Big Game Hunting Forecast and get ahead of the game! Big game statistics - You'll find links to population, harvest and maps that can help you decide where to hunt this season. Check the Leftover Tag…

CENTRAL BIG GAME HUNTING September 17, 2026 Currently open Controlled archery deer and elk, bear, cougar ( check current harvest numbers), coyote, controlled youth cow hunts, premium, auction and raffle hunts and western gray squirrel. *Check Big Game regulations for hunt details and purchase your license and required species tag before hunting. Announcements and resources Gear up for this year's Big Game Hunting Forecast and get ahead of the game! Big game statistics - You'll find links to population, harvest and maps that can help you decide where to hunt this season. Check the Leftover Tag List for an opportunity…

SOUTH CENTRAL BIG GAME HUNTING September 17, 2026 Currently open Controlled archery deer and elk, bear, cougar ( check current harvest numbers), coyote, controlled youth antlerless elk, western gray squirrel *Check Big Game regulations for hunt details and purchase your license and required species tag before hunting. Announcements and resources Gear up for this year's Big Game Hunting Forecast and get ahead of the game! Big game statistics - You'll find links to population, harvest and maps that can help you decide where to hunt this season. Check the Leftover Tag List for an opportunity to hunt this year. Youth…

COLUMBIA BIG GAME HUNTING September 17, 2026 Currently open Archery deer and elk, bear, cougar ( check current harvest numbers), coyote, youth only controlled series hunts, general season antlerless elk damage, premium, auction and raffle hunts and western gray squirrel. *Check Big Game regulations for hunt details and purchase your license and required species tag before hunting. Announcements and resources Gear up for this year's Big Game Hunting Forecast and get ahead of the game! Big game statistics - You'll find links to population, harvest and maps that can help you decide where to hunt this season. Check the Leftover…

Willamette Fishing September 17, 2026 Best bets for weekend fishing: Last week's rain gave several valley waterways a cooling refresh to kickstart fall fishing. Two-rod validation has been extended through Dec. 31 upstream of Willamette Falls. Try warmwater fishing for smallmouth bass and yellow perch near underwater structures and drop-offs in Foster Reservoir. Fishing for walleye and smallmouth bass on the Willamette River between Salem and Corvallis can be very fun and exciting. Trout stocking Drought conditions are impacting Oregon waterways. The Trout Stocking Schedule is subject to change. Check the field notes below or contact the local ODFW office…

SW Fishing September 17, 2026 Best bets for weekend fishing: Cooler weather has improved trout fishing conditions at most lakes and reservoirs. Some of the more popular spots to fish for red-tailed surfperch are along beaches like Horsefall Beach and Whiskey Run. Anglers have the best success fishing with sand shrimp weighted gear on the bottom although power grubs can also work. Try warmwater fishing for bass at Ben Irving, Howard Prairie and Hyatt Reservoirs. Fish Lake may show promise with freshly stocked trophy trout. Hemlock and Lake of the Woods are accessible, and people are catching good numbers of…

Central Fishing September 17, 2026 Best bets for weekend fishing: Anglers report good fishing for recently stocked trout in North and South Twin Lakes. Anglers can still fish for trout throughout the lower Deschutes. Using a large stonefly nymph or a double nymph setup with an indicator typically does well during the summer months. Water clarity and overall conditions at Kingsley Reservoir are great for fishing, should still be good opportunity for trout this summer. The Upper Deschutes River above Benham Falls will close to angling on Oct. 1. Only a few weeks remain to fish the headwater reach for…

NW Fishing September 17, 2026 Best bets for weekend fishing: Nehalem Bay has fall Chinook in the bay and tidewater. Fishing slowed a little over the past week for Chinook but there are still multiple fish being caught daily. The Bag limit is one wild adult Chinook per day and five for the season (July 1 to Nov 30) as part of the overall daily bag limit. A few hatchery coho have been caught in the bay as well. Wild coho fisheries is open in Nehalem, Tillamook, and Nestucca Bays, the season runs until Oct 28 (Open Wednesdays, Saturdays, and…

NE Fishing September 17, 2026 Best bets for weekend fishing: Morgan Lake has reopened with bass and trout. Fishing for trout will be best near shore especially on the South end of the lake near the inlet of the Wallowa River. Kokanee have started spawning in the Wallowa River above the lake. They can readily be seen throughout Wallowa Lake State Park and make for some great fall wildlife viewing. Try Willow Creek Reservoir for trout, bass, and crappie. Penland Lake is producing limits of rainbow trout. Try warmwater fishing for bass in the lower Grand Ronde. Trout stocking Stocking…

SNAKE FISHING September 17, 2026 Best bets for weekend fishing Bass and trout can be caught downstream of Hells Canyon Dam. Fall Chinook salmon reopened on Aug. 18 on Snake River downstream of Hells Canyon Dam, harvest limits have been adjusted due to low return numbers. See the regulation updates page for more information. Announcements: Fishing in drought and wildfire season - actions you can take to protect wildlife and yourself. For the most current fire closures and restrictions-- KNOW BEFORE YOU GO .   If your favorite fishing spot is no longer listed It's probably because that river, lake or…