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Protecting and enhancing Oregon’s fish and wildlife, and the habitats they use, for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations is at the heart of what we do.

Successful bear hunters must appear in-person at an ODFW office to check in their bear's skull.

This vast area covers the Columbia Basin through the Blue, Wallowa and Elkhorn mountains to Hells Canyon. Some of Oregon's most prized big game hunts are managed in this area.

Cascade Hatchery was authorized under the Mitchell Act and began operating in 1959 as part of the Columbia River Fisheries Development Program – a program to enhance declining fish runs in the Columbia River Basin. The facility is used for egg incubation and rearing of coho.

Wipers, a cross between striped and white bass, reach prodigious proportions in the productive waters of Ana Reservoir. Their size (up to 19 pounds) and hard-fighting nature make them a popular destination fishery with many anglers.

This vast area covers the Columbia Basin through the Blue, Wallowa and Elkhorn mountains to the Snake River.

Oxbow Hatchery was originally constructed in 1913 to provide additional rearing facilities for Bonneville Hatchery. It was relocated to this present site in 1937 following the construction of Bonneville Dam. Oxbow operated as a state-funded hatchery until 1952 when it was remodeled and expanded as part of the Columbia River Fisheries Development Program (Mitchell Act) – a program to enhance declining fish runs in the Columbia River Basin. The hatchery is presently used for interim egg incubation and early rearing of coho and spring Chinook salmon. No adult fish are collected or spawned at Oxbow and there are no fish…

Sandy Hatchery began operation in 1951 as a state-funded facility. In 1959, the hatchery became part of the Columbia River Fisheries Development Program (Mitchell Act) – a program to enhance declining fish runs in the Columbia River Basin. The facility is currently used for the adult collection of spring Chinook, winter and summer steelhead, and coho salmon. Coho and winter steelhead eggs are taken, hatched, ponded and reared to release on station.

Whether it’s spending more time outdoors or harvesting food to fill the freezer, there are many reasons to become a hunter. Here’s how to take the first steps into the field.

The north coast area includes the Lower Columbia River downstream of St. Helens to the Pacific Ocean, and the Oregon Coast from Astoria south to Yachats. The Columbia, and particularly its backwaters and sloughs, provide excellent fisheries for bass, crappie, and catfish.

The southwest area follows Interstate 5 from Drain south to the Oregon-California border and includes the communities of Grants Pass, Medford and Ashland. In this area, anglers can fish the famed lower Umpqua River, which offers one of the finest smallmouth bass fisheries in the country. Outstanding warmwater fishing for bass and panfish can also be found in the area's many lakes and reservoirs including Cooper Creek, Galesville and Emigrant Reservoirs, and Selmac Lake. Smaller ponds near Sutherlin, Grants Pass and Medford including those at ODFW's Denman Wildlife Area are also good bets, particularly for families or young anglers.

Hunter's Resources Hunter's Technique Hunter's Bounty Hunter's Plan Oregon hunter's bucket list: Over 34 million acres of public land open to hunters. Diverse habitats from coastal rain forests to eastern deserts, with a couple of mountain ranges in between offer several opportunities to hunt deer and elk.

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