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Federal wildlife refuges available for bird hunting in the Columbia Basin. Part 3 of a 4 part series of articles.
Private lands accounts for just over half of Oregon’s land base and include farms, range lands, wetlands, forests and stream corridors. To improve landowner-hunter relations and engage landowners in the conservation of fish and wildlife, the Oregon Legislature created the Access & Habitat (A&H) Program in 1993. The law established a funding mechanism to provide grants to private landowners, timber and agriculture corporations, sportsmen groups, natural resource agencies, and others for projects designed to increase public hunting access to private lands and/or improve wildlife habitat.
The Oregon Disabilities Hunting and Fishing Permit is not a license or tag. Hunters must still obtain a hunting and/or fishing license and purchase appropriate tags.
State Wildlife Areas available for bird hunting in the Columbia Basin. Part 2 of a 4 part series of articles.
ODFW has been reviewing big game hunting to simplify regulations, provide fair and consistent opportunity and ensure biological objectives are met. Here's how you can be a part of the review process. Sign up for email or text updates
As much of Oregon continues to experience years of on-going drought, hunters, anglers and wildlife viewers can expect the continued warm, dry conditions to impact their activities. This page includes tips to help you continue to enjoy the outdoors during drought conditions.
Turkeys don’t like to fly at night, so the best time to get set up for your hunt is either right before dark the day before your hunt. Or before daylight the day of your hunt. Once you’ve located a tom, either seeing it or by hearing it gobble, it’s time to make a plan. The goal is to get close enough to call in a tom, without letting him know you’re there. Be in place before daylight If you’ve been out the night before and used a locator call to find a tom on his roost, get to your
From the eastern flanks of Crater Lake National Park through ponderosa pine forests to the nationally-renowned Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, there is something for every bird hunter in south central Oregon.
Features: Similar to the greater scaup in appearance and habits, but smaller and lacking the white on the primaries. In the field, however, the black-and-white drakes and brown hens are very similar to greater scaups. Habitat: In general, the lesser scaup is more likely to be found in interior or freshwater habitats while the greater scaup is more a coastal bird. Techniques: Scaup are rafting birds attracted to large spreads of scaup decoys. Popular hunting destinations include coastal estuaries and lakes, where most hunters hunt from a boat. However, in the marshes of eastern Oregon, there can be good hunting
Features: Female pheasants are brown on top and paler underneath. They have black spots on their sides and black bars throughout their tails. The males are much more conspicuous with bright red on their head, a white band around their necks, and an iridescent copper color on their sides and backs. Their tails are long and pointed with barring. Habitat: The ringneck is a farmland species, heavily dependent on cereal grains and other seeds. They also like taller vegetation for cover. Technique: Because pheasants are tied so closely to agriculture, the majority of hunting opportunity occurs on private lands. State
From the rugged Coast Range to the Cascade Mountains, this vast area offers good general season hunting opportunities.
This vast area covers the Columbia Basin through the Blue, Wallowa and Elkhorn mountains to the Snake River.
Hunting opportunities abound in the densely forested southwest corner of Oregon. From the beautiful, ragged coastline through the Siskiyou Mountains to Crater Lake National Park, there is something for every game bird hunter.
Features: In breeding plumage, green-winged drakes have a cinnamon-colored head with a green eye-stripe, gray back, flanks, and a bright patch of iridescent green on the rear of the wing (speculum). Hens are brown with a green speculum. Habitat: Green-winged teal are primarily winter migrants in Oregon. They are puddle (dabbling) ducks that prefer shallow areas like ponds and marshes, where they feed on or near the surface of the water by tipping up. Techniques: Teal are early migrants that begin arriving in Oregon in August but will continue to arrive into November. There are good early season hunts in
Features: Canada geese come in many sizes and colorations. All have the same general long, black neck and white chinstrap. Their breast color can range from light gray to a dark brown. Habitats: Canada geese have become abundant in many city parks and agricultural fields where forage grasses are available. They can be found floating in bays, estuaries, rivers, reservoirs and lakes as well. Techniques: Canada geese can be hunted like other waterfowl. From jump shooting to calling birds into a decoy spread, Canada goose hunting can be productive. Note: If you want to hunt geese in Northwest Oregon, a
Features: Columbian black-tailed deer are smaller and darker than mule deer. As the name suggests, black-tailed deer have a wide, triangular tail with a dark brown or black top and a white underside. Habitat: Blacktails are a subspecies of mule deer found in western Oregon from the Coast Range east to the Cascade Mountains. They are edge-adapted species using the region’s dense forest cover to hide during the day and more open early successional forest to feed at dawn and dusk. Places with a mix of forest age classes offer the best habitat for black-tailed deer. Techniques: Scouting (for scat
Features: The pronghorn is deer-sized (up to 150 lbs) with relatively long and thin legs and feet, only two digits on each foot (no "dew claws"), a relatively small tail, and unique horns. Bright white sides, underside and rear end help hunters spot them in the field. Habitat: Pronghorn are found in the High Desert sagebrush of eastern Oregon and the Columbia Plateau. Techniques: Most pronghorn hunts happen in August, before other big game seasons, so be ready for the High Desert’s warm summer temperatures. All pronghorn hunting is limited entry (apply by May 15) and it can take several
Features: Both male and female mountain quail have a tall, straight, head plume that is black. They also have a chestnut brown throat patch that is bordered by a white stripe. Their head and shoulders are a gray color that fades into olive-brown on their backs. Their sides are brown with several black and white stripes making them a beautiful bird. Habitat: Mountain quail are native birds found on both sides of the Cascades. They thrive in the natural brushlands of southwestern Oregon and are also found in northwestern Oregon when suitable habitat is created by logging, fire or other
The transition from forested foothills of Mt. Hood to the beginnings of the Columbia Basin offers bird hunters an array of wing shooting opportunities.
Features: The distinctive white band across the base of their bill gives this goose its name. It is medium in size with a gray and brown body. Adults have dark brown and black spots on their chests and breasts give this goose the "specklebelly" nickname, while the young of the year birds are a nondescript gray with yellow legs and bills. Habitats: The white-fronted goose grazes on a mixture of grasses and grains. It can often be found in agricultural lands. Techniques: Hunting white-fronted geese is not for the faint-hearted. Scouting is necessary. And since they're mostly found in agricultural