oregon-hunters-association-154188

OHA Steps Up for Oregon Elk

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 20:01:09 GMT

October 5th, 2026 | Oregon Hunters Association | OHA News |

Management practices must target management objectives

Currently, only 59% (20) of wildlife management units (WMUs) are above the population management objective (MO) for Rocky Mountain elk. Meanwhile, on the west side of the state, just 17% (3) of WMUs for Roosevelt elk are meeting their population management goals.

In WMUs where elk populations are at or above their population MO, OHA strongly supports abundant antlerless elk hunting opportunities. This is adaptive management: when a resource exceeds established objectives, increased hunting opportunities should follow.

Unfortunately, Rocky Mountain elk populations are below MO in 41% (14) of WMUs, while Roosevelt elk populations are below MO in 83% (15) of WMUs across Oregon.

Many factors influence elk population trends, including forage quality and quantity, predation, development, disturbance (such as road density), and, to a lesser extent, disease. OHA is working to address all of these limiting factors. However, antlerless elk harvest can also have a significant impact on elk population size.

Debates about the effects of these various factors on elk populations are warranted and should be part of the management discussion. However, hunters should not overlook the fact that increasing antlerless elk harvest is the primary way to reduce elk population size.

While supporting robust antlerless elk hunting opportunities in WMUs at or above population MO, OHA is also advocating for a thorough review of antlerless elk tag allocations, including general-season antlerless elk damage tags, in areas where elk populations are not meeting management objectives.

Rocky Mountain elk bull ratios are currently below MO in at least 17 WMUs, while Roosevelt elk bull ratios are below MO in at least eight WMUs. OHA supports efforts to address low bull ratios in the Coast Range and is encouraging the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) to address low bull ratios statewide.

Above all, OHA is emphasizing the need to revise Oregon’s Elk Management Plan, which was published 23 years ago.

OHA Supports Cougar Removal to Benefit Bighorn Sheep

Sun, 27 Sep 2026 04:21:17 GMT

September 27th, 2026 | Oregon Hunters Association | OHA News |

The Oregon Hunters Association (OHA) is supporting an effort to remove cougars in the Trout Creek Mountains to improve the success of future bighorn sheep translocations. The effort is intended to help establish and strengthen the existing herd as wildlife managers work to address its declining population and genetic diversity.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) plans to translocate bighorn sheep in the near future to supplement the existing herd and enhance its genetic diversity. Successfully establishing these animals in their new surroundings will be an important part of that effort.

Cougar predation has negatively affected bighorn sheep translocation efforts in Oregon, highlighting the challenges associated with introducing animals to a new landscape. Previous translocations have demonstrated how predation can affect the number of sheep that remain in an area following their release.

In the early 2000s, three of the 17 bighorn sheep released during a translocation along the Minam River were killed by cougars within one week. In a separate translocation in the Steens Mountains, five of the 10 collared ewes were killed by cougars.

In both instances, the remaining sheep scattered and left the area, further complicating the efforts to establish the animals in their intended locations.

“The science is clear,” said OHA Conservation Director Tyler Dungannon. “If you want to successfully translocate bighorn sheep, in most cases, you need to first reduce predator densities and remove individuals that will prey upon the naïve ungulates that are new to the landscape.”

OHA believes this effort will improve the likelihood of success for future bighorn sheep translocations in the Trout Creek Mountains. By addressing predation concerns ahead of the planned releases, the effort aims to support the existing herd and help improve its population size and genetic diversity over time.

Although the primary objective is to benefit bighorn sheep, the effort may also have benefits for other wildlife in the region. The Trout Creek mule deer herd occupies a range currently listed as “very high management concern” in the Oregon Mule Deer Management Plan. While not the primary focus of the cougar removal effort, potential benefits to this mule deer herd provide an additional conservation consideration.

OHA Protects SW Cascade Meadow With Fence Project

Sat, 26 Sep 2026 15:27:57 GMT

September 26th, 2026 | Oregon Hunters Association | OHA News |

OHA worked with USFS and ODFW this summer to protect 480 acres across three areas in the Cascade Mountains: Willow Prairie, Short Creek Prairie and Whiskey Springs. The project included 6.5 miles of wildlife-friendly fencing. Volunteers also removed nearly as much old, dilapidated fencing.

Meadow systems across the western Cascades are at risk of loss, degradation and fragmentation due to conifer encroachment, heavy use by domestic livestock, wildfire suppression and other factors. Willow Prairie and Whiskey Springs are high-risk groundwater infiltration areas that provide spring water for the Big Butte Springs Municipal Watershed, which supplies drinking water to approximately 140,000 people in the region.

Wet meadow and spring systems provide critical habitat for a variety of species, including deer, elk, neotropical and migratory birds, owls, amphibians, reptiles, pollinators and small mammals.

Fencing associated with the project should help prevent illegal off-road driving, which has damaged these mesic systems in the recent past. Fence strand spacing followed wildlife-friendly fencing standards, with 16 inches from the ground to the first smooth wire, 6 inches to the first barbed wire, 8 inches to the next barbed wire, and the top smooth wires installed 42 inches above the ground to reduce ungulate entanglements.

OHA tallied more than 1,000 volunteer hours with help from eight OHA chapters.

“This project was a tremendous effort by a number of OHA chapters,” said OHA Conservation Director Tyler Dungannon. “More than 100 volunteers shed blood and sweat for the protection of these critical meadows, and bringing so many chapters together exponentiated our impact.”

OHA obtained a $50,000 grant from the Oregon Conservation and Recreation Fund to complete the project.

Measure 114 Delayed?

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 06:27:50 GMT

Friday, September 25th, 2026

 The Oregon Supreme Court held oral arguments on Measure 114 way back in November 2025. It has been nearly a full year of complete silence.

A prominent conservative commentator remarked on the air that the Court is intentionally sitting on its opinion until after the upcoming election. Looking at the timeline, it is hard to reach any other conclusion.

Measure 114, approved by voters in 2022, would establish a permit-to-purchase requirement for firearms and restrict magazines over a certain capacity. The measure has faced ongoing legal challenges and has not yet been fully implemented.

There is no legitimate judicial reason to stall a decision affecting the constitutional rights of law-abiding Oregonians for this long. And if this delay is meant to avoid a pre-election backlash, that is simply unacceptable. Judges are supposed to be independent arbiters of the law, not political strategists timing decisions around ballot boxes.

Oregon voters deserve a judicial system that operates with transparency, not a deceptive or politically driven process aimed at delaying decisions that many will disagree with. Sportsmen and women across Oregon remain hopeful this is not the case, but all indications suggest otherwise.

Click Here to learn more.

Oregon 2026 Game Bird Preview

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 19:32:16 GMT

Bird’s Eye View

The outlook for Oregon bird hunting this fall may depend on where you stand.

By Jim Yuskavitch

The fortunes of both upland birds and waterfowl are foretold by the weather. Just the right amount of rain at the right time will determine the population size, along with hunting prospects for the year.

For upland birds, too little in early spring can suppress the growth of vegetation and insect hatches that serve as food for adults and chicks alike, while too much rain after broods have hatched risks lethal cold for the young birds.

For waterfowl, it’s all about nesting habitat, and as a rule of thumb, the wetter the better.

With a mild winter throughout the state, winter mortality was very low for adult birds, and they saw good carryover into the spring. But it was spring conditions that made all the difference. In some areas, especially west of the Cascades, spring rains came at just the right time and at the right intensity, while in parts of eastern Oregon the opposite was true. A very dry year is being predicted for the east side that may hit waterfowl numbers especially hard.

Here’s what a selection of ODFW biologists across the state had to say about gamebirds in their district and hunting prospects for the fall.

Forest Grouse

On the north coast, a mild winter along with good spring rains that brought a healthy green-up, followed by a sunny, drier summer, added up to a jackpot for upland birds in that part of the state. “This year, we’ve had the highest number of grouse counts per stop on our grouse surveys in recent years,” reported Tillamook ODFW Assistant District Wildlife Biologist Austin Reeder. “It was that good weather we had.” Reeder also notes that the berry crop came off really well this year, offering birds an abundant additional food source.

In southwest Oregon, Roseburg-based District Wildlife Biologist Nick Leonetti reports that the combination of a mild winter and well-timed spring rains that brought good plant growth and insect numbers has been a boon for local forest grouse. He’s expecting a good year for both sooty and ruffed grouse.

In the John Day region, a mild winter that facilitated high overwinter survival along with favorable spring conditions certainly helped grouse populations. But District Wildlife Biologist Ryan Torland did mention that their grouse wing turn-ins were down last year, which might indicate fewer birds. Nevertheless, said Torland, “Good winter survival and spring conditions this year could produce an upswing in numbers.”

“Our grouse numbers have been down a little over the past few years, especially sooty grouse,” said Heppner-based District Wildlife Biologist Steve Cherry. Ruffed grouse are doing OK, even though their numbers are a little below average. He did report that he’s noticed large broods this summer while driving in the forest.

Pheasant

Once a standout state for pheasants, especially in the Willamette Valley, human development and changing agricultural practices have reduced Oregon hunting opportunities considerably over the decades.

The best western Oregon pheasant hunting now is through participation in ODFW’s Fee Pheasant Hunts offered at Fern Ridge, Sauvie Island, Denman and E.E. Wilson wildlife areas in September and October.

However, there are still wild pheasants to hunt in the Heppner, Pendleton and Ontario areas, along with scattered populations on and around Malheur National Wildlife Refuge.

Pheasant nests were likely washed out during last year’s flooding that caused a significant drop in populations on the Malheur NWR. For this year, said Hines-based District Wildlife Biologist Lee Foster, “It was a mild winter, so I’m not expecting winter kill. But we had a very dry spring that affected brood numbers and survival.”

Quail

If you are looking to hunt mountain quail this year, the northern Coast Range may be where you want to head. “It seems like we can’t drive down a forest road this year without flushing a covey of mountain quail,” said Reeder. The drier east slopes tend to have more birds than the wetter west side.

While there are healthy populations of valley quail in southwest Oregon, they are found mostly on private agricultural lands in the Rogue Valley, where permission to hunt can be difficult to obtain. (See public options on Page 10.) Most hunters go after mountain quail in the Cascades.

Local biologist Nick Leonetti expects good mountain quail hunting this fall.

John Day-based Ryan Torland reports seeing valley quail broods a month earlier than typical, suggesting a successful breeding year and lots of time for re-nesting. He predicts good numbers of valley quail available for the fall.

Valley quail are doing better in the Heppner area, but Steve Cherry suggests that hunting success improves as you move toward Condon, where there is more of the brushy habitat the birds like.

In southeast Oregon, valley quail were up 30 percent last year above their 10-year average. But because of the dry spring the High Desert experienced this year, biologist Lee Foster expects stable numbers but not much in the way of increased populations.

Chukar

Although chukar numbers in the Heppner area are a little below average, they are still doing well, according to Steve Cherry. He notes that numbers and hunting opportunities are best along the John Day River. Overall, Cherry predicts that chukar hunting, as well as hunting for other upland bird species, will be at least average this year, based on the number and size of broods he observed.

As with valley quail in the High Desert, chukar numbers are also 30 percent above their 10-year average, benefiting from the mild winter. Also tracking with quail, biologist Lee Foster predicts stable numbers of chukar but not much in the way of a population increase for this year.

In the John Day area, Ryan Torland added, “Chukar are doing fine. I’d say they are about average for what we have been seeing here for the past four or five years.”

Some of the best chukar hunting areas in Oregon include the canyons of the Lower Deschutes, John Day, Snake, Malheur, and Owyhee rivers, along with the rugged terrain of Steens Mountain, Hart Mountain and the Trout Creek Mountains.

Sage Grouse

In the High Desert Region of Harney County, sage grouse numbers have dropped after a number of years of increasing populations. Wildfires have played a significant role in the current sage grouse population status, with varying impacts. For example, sage grouse numbers in the Trout Creek Mountains have fully recovered from the nearly 470,000-acre Holloway Fire in 2012, while birds in the Juniper Unit are still struggling from wildfire-caused habitat damage – and the reason that unit is still closed to sage grouse hunting. “In some cases,” said Lee Foster, “it may take the birds 10 to 15 years to recover from wildfire, and some may not recover at all.”

Wild Turkey

In southwest Oregon, Nick Leonetti reports that wild turkeys are doing well, although he has been seeing smaller broods this year than he normally encounters. Still, wild turkey hunting in his district will be productive for the 2026 season.

Wild turkeys are also doing very well in the Heppner area, with continuing good populations.

Biologist Steve Cherry notes that he is not getting as many damage complaints as he has in the past, although that may be because, he speculated, “People are getting used to living with wild turkeys and don’t call as much.”

“Wild turkeys are doing fine,” reported Ryan Torland in the John Day area, and production for this nesting season has been good.

Mourning Dove & Band-tailed Pigeon

Mourning dove and band-tailed pigeon numbers tend to be stable from year to year lately. For mourning doves, hunters need to get out in the field during September before a cold front drives them south. Good places to find band-tailed pigeons include elderberry bushes, water sources and mineral springs.

Ducks & Geese

This year ODFW conducted its aerial resident breeding duck surveys in late April and early May. Mallard numbers were found to be stable, similar to the past five years. Gadwalls were abundant, although a collective count of all species including wigeons, northern shovelers and green-winged teal shows a decline in overall duck numbers.

However, that’s not cause for alarm, according to Brandon Reishus, ODFW migratory game bird coordinator. During the course of the survey, there were still migratory birds around, and they didn’t see a lot of birds in flight, which drives the survey numbers. Most of the birds they saw were sitting in the water, so this year’s count may actually reflect reality more accurately.

Information on habitat conditions in Canadian prairie provinces was not yet available, but there were reports of heavy spring rains and flooding in southern Alberta. This is potentially good news.

“That significant rainfall definitely will help the ducks spread into additional nesting areas and encourage re-nesting,” said Reishus.

Alaska’s waterfowl habitat is generally stable and the “Last Frontier” state sends lots of migrants to Oregon each fall. That is expected to hold true this year as well.

“One bright spot,” said Reishus, “is Canada geese numbers have been climbing back to previous levels.” Oregon’s Canada geese took a severe hit to its population in 2023 – some of the lowest numbers recorded. This was due largely to extensive drought in 2020 through 2022, combined with initial heavy mortality from avian influenza. “Now,” said Reishus, “goose numbers are back to their long-term average”

As has been the case for the past few years, no reports on snow goose production on Russia’s Wrangell Island have been received, due to ongoing political tensions. It’s unclear when, if ever, those reports might restart.

Oregon Hunters Defeat IP28

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 19:36:29 GMT

OHA now shifts focus to proactive long-term protections.

The Oregon Secretary of State’s office officially confirmed last Friday that Initiative Petition 28 (IP28) fell short of the required signatures and will not appear on the November ballot. The state’s final review verified 104,262 valid signatures, missing the 117,173 threshold needed to qualify by a wide margin. IP28 proponents may try to challenge the decision in court, but because they fell short by more than 13,000 signatures, it’s extremely unlikely a court will intervene.

Like its predecessors IP13 and IP3, this egregious petition sought to criminalize hunting, fishing, trapping, livestock production, and common farming practices. Animal extremists continue to fund these attempts because their ideology demands that hunting be stripped from the landscape – a critical reminder that these radical efforts are being driven by a combination of well-funded national organizations and anti-hunting activists right here in Oregon.

OHA successfully went on a massive media blitz starting back in February, blanketed the airwaves, print, digital news, and podcasts to expose the true dangers of this petition. By aggressively educating the public, we completely shifted the conversation on the ground. As everyday Oregonians learned the destructive reality of the measure, signature gatherers faced overwhelming pushback on the street, making it increasingly difficult – and eventually impossible – for petitioners to advance.

While IP28 is dead for 2026, we know these extremists will be back. To break this cycle, OHA is pivoting from defense to a long-term strategy to permanently protect our hunting heritage. It’s time we went on the offense, and in the coming weeks and months, you’ll see the rollout of a protective framework designed to secure our future once and for all.

OHA Launches Black-Tailed Deer & Roosevelt Elk Fund

Sun, 02 Aug 2026 19:45:14 GMT

OHA launches Black-Tailed Deer & Roosevelt Elk Fund

OHA is working to expand its impact on big game and habitat statewide. In 2024, we began our leadership role with Blue Mountains Elk Initiative and have since invested $128,000 into eight excellent projects in central and northeast Oregon. In 2025, we implemented the OHA Mule Deer Fund, and to date, we have contributed more than $110,000 across nine projects that are working to improve conditions for mule deer.

Perhaps most importantly, OHA dollars have leveraged substantial private, state, and federal funds in Oregon to support wildlife and habitat projects that have attained millions of dollars in match funding. In order to expand our impact and this funding model across the state, we have developed the new OHA Black-Tailed Deer and Roosevelt Elk Fund.

This new fund will focus on supporting western Oregon projects that improve conditions for deer and elk, such as increasing forage availability, restoring meadows, protecting and enhancing habitat, addressing predation, investing in research, reducing deer and elk vehicle collisions, supporting anti-poaching efforts and more. The OHA Black-Tailed Deer and Roosevelt Elk Fund will allocate 50,000-100,000 annually to projects selected by OHA Conservation Staff and our Deer and Elk Subcommittee. The first fund cycle will take place this winter.

OHA chapters that have contributed to this new effort so far include Umpqua (20,000),YamhillCounty(20,000), Josephine County (15,000),Pioneer(10,000), Mid-Willamette (10,000),andBend(5,000).

OHA to Weigh in on Blue Mountains Forest Plan

Sat, 01 Aug 2026 19:48:14 GMT

The U.S. Forest Service has proposed a revision to the Blue Mountains Forest Plan and offered three alternatives for consideration:

Alternative 1 (no change) proposes continuing management under the existing 1990 Forest Plans and subsequent amendments.

Alternative 2 replaces the 1990 plan with a new framework focused on restoring forest resilience through active management. It provides flexibility for vegetation treatments, prescribed fire, and timber harvest to improve forest health and restore desired forest conditions. This plan does not create fixed diameter limit for protecting large trees. It also updates riparian management, wildlife habitat direction, recreation management, grazing standards, and monitoring programs. Under Alternative 2, current designated roadless acres will be opened if the 2001 Roadless Rule rescission is upheld.

Alternative 3 similarly prioritizes active management, but incorporates additional protections, such as permanently establishing the Inventoried Roadless Areas regardless of future changes to the national Roadless Rule. It also recommends approximately 34,000 acres of new Wilderness across the Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests. This alternative limits the harvest of large trees based on a diameter at breast height (DBH) of 21 or 30 inches, depending on species, and provides additional vegetation protections in riparian areas.

“We are reviewing the draft (Environmental Impact Statement) and are working to ensure the Blue Mountains Forest Plan prioritizes our deer and elk herds, their habitat quality and security, which impacts their availability to hunters in the fall,” said Tyler Dungannon, OHA Conservation Director. “It’s important that we cut trees and open the forest canopy so light hits the forest floor, which will improve forage quality for deer and elk. It’s also imperative that open roads don’t cover the landscape. Without secure acreage on public lands, elk will leave. OHA is working to balance road access with habitat security to retain elk on public land where they are desired.”

A public comment period was opened July 2 and lasts until Sept. 30. To review a draft environmental impact statement and for information on how to comment, visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/umatilla/planning/blue-mountains-forest-plan-revision

OHA Supports NE Oregon at-risk Sage-Grouse

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 19:50:49 GMT

The Baker Priority Area of Conservation in northeastern Oregon supports one of the most vulnerable greater sage-grouse populations in the state. Recent monitoring estimates the population at approximately 475 birds.

Despite significant habitat restoration and predator management investments, the Baker population continues to decline, indicating demographic limitations – particularly recruitment and retention of breeding females – are constraining recovery.

State OHA along with OHA’s Mid-Willamette and Baker County chapters are financially supporting a new translocation project aiming to increase the number of breeding females that successfully recruit locally within 1 to 2 years post-release.

OHA is the reason that we still have sage-grouse hunting seasons today, and this is yet another example of our commitment to the species’ conservation.

2026 Oregon Big Game Preview

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 19:52:38 GMT

New mule deer hunt areas highlight changes for this fall.

By Jim Yuskavitch

A mild winter followed by a likely hot, dry summer are the bookends between which this year’s big game prospects are lodged. The mild, lean-snow winter made for easier access to forage and minimal winter mortality for both adults and offspring. But a droughty summer, especially if it’s severe and lengthy, will give big game animals a challenge to navigate. Such summer weather conditions could also affect hunter access for the upcoming season if large swaths of timberlands are closed due to wildfire danger, especially if the risk continues well into the fall where it will affect more hunts.

But overall, it looks like hunters will encounter generally healthy numbers of deer, elk and other big game, with exceptions here and there. A selection of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists from around the state offered their views on big game numbers and how things might shake out for hunters this year. Here’s what they had to say.

Deer

Black-tailed deer populations within their range west of the Cascades have been making what appears to be a steady comeback over the past five years or so. Reasons for past lower numbers included predation, habitat changes and disease. More recent surveys show a stable population along with gains in some wildlife management units.

Deer hair loss syndrome is still present in Coast Range animals, and at one time was widespread. It’s less common now, and because it doesn’t cause much mortality, it’s no longer a particular concern.

“Overall, things are looking good for black-tailed deer on the North Coast,” said Tillamook-based Assistant District Wildlife Biologist Austin Reeder. “Deer numbers are looking strong.” He did express some concern over the mild winter, which, while good for deer and elk survival, might affect the severity of the fire season. That will be the general situation all the way down the Coast Range.

The status for black-tailed deer along the west slope of the Cascade Range is equally good.

“Our deer are doing pretty well, and the numbers are going up,” reported Assistant District Wildlife Biologist Alejandra Martinez, who works out of the Springfield office. “We’re seeing lots of young bucks, but the older, bigger bucks are getting harder to find on the landscape.”

That’s setting off alarm bells because that relatively recent decline in trophy buck numbers is due largely to poachers’ increasing use of thermal imaging devices to locate animals.

Under current rules, if you are in possession of a firearm, tag and thermal device, you are breaking the law.

The situation is serious enough that industrial timberlands owners are getting involved. If someone hunting in the East Lane Travel Management Area is caught with a thermal imaging device, they and their entire party will be permanently banned from the property.

East of the Cascades, in mule deer country, the situation is different. Mule deer populations have been declining across the western U.S. for a number of years and Oregon’s mule deer haven’t been spared. There are multiple causes for this decline, but habitat degradation and loss is the primary culprit.

But that doesn’t mean all is doom and gloom for hunting prospects. Even with an ongoing population-wide decline, deer numbers can still be up in particular places. That’s the current case for northeast Oregon mule deer.

“Deer are doing pretty good,” said Enterprise-based Assistant District Wildlife Biologist Katrina Lopez. “We had a significantly high survival rate over the winter, and we are above all our goals.”

Northeast Oregon is also white-tailed deer country, and this year deer in the Wallowa Valley had some problems with Epizootic hemorrhagic disease, or EHD, a viral infection that can cause extensive hemorrhaging and is sometimes fatal.

“But we still have lots of white-tailed deer and good hunting opportunities, especially in the national forest, upper Wallowa Valley, and the Lostine and Wenaha areas,” said Lopez.

Further south in High Desert country, Hines-based District Wildlife Biologist Lee Foster reported, “We had a mild winter with good overwinter survival. Our buck ratios are at or above management objectives.”

He noted that beginning this year, ODFW is implementing new hunt areas for deer that, in addition to potentially boosting hunter success rates, will give the agency additional data for tracking and assessing mule deer numbers.

On a more negative note, Foster added, “It looks like we are going into a drought this year. The desert is going to be very dry, and water will be a valuable commodity.”

ODFW estimates the current mule deer population in Oregon at 113,084 within 77 hunt units — well below the statewide management objective of 346,200.

Elk

Although Roosevelt elk herds are not doing as well overall as their eastern Oregon counterparts, hunters can expect decent hunting opportunities along the Coast Range, driven partially by the mild winter and ongoing logging operations on private timberlands that produce early seral-stage vegetation.

Austin Reeder reported that his North Coast elk herds are fine and are at management objective in the Saddle Mountain Unit.

It’s a different story along the west slope of the Cascade Range.

“Elk are still having difficulty in the Cascades,” explained Alejandra Martinez. “The habitat isn’t as good as it used to be due to a decline in logging that opened up habitat for them.”

Unlike the Coast Range, where considerable acreage is in active commercial timberlands ownership, the majority of the Cascades is managed by the U.S. Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management where the number of timber sales has dropped considerably over the past three decades.

While wildfire on the Cascade landscape does open habitat to new growth, it doesn’t help elk as much as one might assume. Christopher Yee, wildlife biologist also based in Springfield, pointed out that while both deer and elk use areas after a fire, elk don’t respond with a big population jump the way deer do. ODFW has stopped offering cow tags in the Cascades to help stem the decline, but that is really their only tool, because it’s the federal government that manages the habitat.

“Habitat,” said Martinez, “is our biggest concern.”

As is typical, the scenario for Rocky Mountain elk in northeast Oregon is considerably better.

“Elk had really good survival over the year and roughly the same numbers as last year,” said Katrina Lopez of the Enterprise ODFW office. “We had a mild winter, and the elk stayed up in the forest a little longer.”

She did note that they are going into drought conditions and that may result in poor forage, which – along with predation – could affect elk numbers over the course of the year.

The biggest challenge to elk hunters in that part of the state may be access rather than elk numbers. Industrial timberlands owner Manulife has ended its public access agreement with ODFW’s Access and Habitat Program to 270,000 acres in northeast Oregon along with another 12,400 acres in southwest Oregon.

While not known for its elk hunting, the High Desert region does provide some opportunity, mainly in the Silvies, North Malheur and High Desert units. Lee Foster reported some good news in that, after years of struggling with low bull ratios, they are now at management objective in the North Malheur Unit.

Foster noted that, “Calf ratios were not that great this year. That’s a result of the winter kill from winter of 2024-25 that reduced cow elk numbers.” Because of that delayed effect, hunters will be seeing fewer spike bulls this year than is typical.

The current Roosevelt elk population estimate is 48,944. Management objective is 70,850. There are an estimated 67,394 Rocky Mountain elk in the state, just shy of the 73,450 objective.

Pronghorn

“We had a really good crop two years ago,” said Lee Foster. “They won’t be mature bucks this year, but they will be next year. Hopefully, hunters will recognize that.”

He did note that the hard winter of 2024-25 also took a bite out of the pronghorn population, although the impacts were most severe in the southern part of Lake County.

The current pronghorn population is estimated at 25,000.

Bighorn Sheep

Both Lopez in Enterprise and Foster in Hines reported that their bighorn herds – Rocky Mountain bighorns and California bighorns, respectively – are doing well with no recent disease issues. Lopez noted that the last pneumonia outbreak in her district was the Wenaha herd in 2024.

Nevertheless, ODFW continues to monitor bighorn herds statewide for Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, or Movi, infections. In February, working with the Hells Canyon Bighorn Sheep Recovery Initiative partners, ODFW biologists captured and GPS collared 59 Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep from the Mountain View herd and another 29 from the Wenaha Wildlife Area as part of its ongoing disease testing work.

General estimates for bighorn populations in Oregon are 900 to 1,000 Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep and 4,000 California bighorns.

Rocky Mountain Goat

Oregon’s Rocky Mountain goat population continues to do well and is largely stable. The estimated population is 1,100 to 1,300 with most in the Elkhorn and Wallowa Mountains, along with herds in the Strawberry Mountains and central Cascades around Mount Jefferson.

Lopez noted that two tags have been cut from the Snake River Herd hunt as ODFW felt they had been taking out too many nannies.

OHA funds, installs aspen protection on Elkhorn Wildlife Area

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 19:54:10 GMT

OHA, in partnership with ODFW, recently constructed a 3,500-foot buck-and-pole fence that will promote aspen regeneration and expansion, while improving habitat for wildlife on the Elkhorn Wildlife Area.

OHA’s Mule Deer Fund awarded $10,000 to this project, and ODFW leveraged OHA funds to attain an additional $30,000, which covered the cost of materials for the project.

The Union-Wallowa OHA Chapter provided volunteer labor and recruited help from local trap shooting teams (Eastern Oregon University and Union and La Grande high schools). The Union-Wallowa OHA Chapter also financially supported these trap shooting teams.

“This project was a great example of how the OHA Mule Deer Fund catalyzes excellent work that will benefit deer, elk and other wildlife,” said OHA Conservation Director Tyler Dungannon. “OHA is fortunate to have chapters that not only financially contribute to our funds and projects, but also rally boots on the ground to implement projects, which exponentially increases our impact.”

This project was one of five excellent projects that were selected for OHA Mule Deer Fund funding in 2025.

OHA Seeks Funds for Key Species

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 19:56:51 GMT

With the advancement of HB 4134, OHA prioritized a list of species of greatest conservation concern, key habitats, and major conservation issues found within the State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP). OHA presented the list to ODFW and urged the agency to direct funds allocated to the SWAP toward those priorities. The species of greatest conservation concern include:

Columbian White-tailed Deer historically ranged from Roseburg into Washington, but have declined due to habitat loss and fragmentation. Better monitoring is needed to understand population trends.

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep have been restored in limited areas of Oregon, but there are still population gaps in the historic range from which they were extirpated. OHA encourages that a portion of funds generated by HB 4134 be prioritized for a new bighorn sheep management plan, translocation efforts as needed, and improved disease monitoring.

Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse historically occupied a range encompassing more than half of the state of Oregon. A tenuous population of reintroduced birds remains in Wallowa County, but it is severely limited by habitat constraints and lack of supplemental project monitoring and implementation. To reestablish this iconic species in our state, it is key that we allocate SWAP funds toward identifying suitable habitats, habitat restoration, and restarting and monitoring translocation efforts.

Within the SWAP, OHA identified barriers to animal movement as its top conservation issue warranting wide-scale funding. Oregon ranks near the bottom of states in terms of its number of wildlife crossing structures. OHA requests additional funds be allocated from the SWAP funding to habitat connectivity and enhancement projects that help facilitate animal movement.

OHA supports all the key habitats within the SWAP and requested that ODFW allocate the majority of the $55.7 million generated by HB 4134 to habitat improvement projects.

OHA to meet with DAs, encourage prosecution of wildlife offenses

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 19:58:31 GMT

For decades, the Oregon Hunters Association has stood as the frontline defense for our state’s wildlife resources. Through our unwavering financial and promotional support of the Turn In Poachers (TIP) program, OHA members have stepped up time and again. We have put our own dollars on the line, funding cash rewards and generating the vital leads that allow Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife Troopers to track down and arrest wildlife thieves.

But our commitment to conservation cannot end when the handcuffs come out.

Enforcement of existing law is not easy, and OSP troopers do the grueling work of catching poachers, with alert citizens providing the tips; yet we also know that cases languish or get downgraded when they reach the local courthouse. Overburdened county systems often treat wildlife crimes as minor property offenses rather than the serious, intentional thefts they truly are.

With all this in mind, OHA is launching a new initiative to guarantee that violators of our existing hunting statutes and regulations face the full weight of the law – that each prosecutor treats game law violators seriously and prioritizes these cases.

“To kick off this initiative, I will travel to counties across Oregon to meet with district attorneys and prosecutors,” said Todd Adkins, executive director of OHA. “We need to find out why these cases fall through the cracks and what we can do to help fix the process.”

OHA’s message to prosecutors is simple: wildlife crime is community crime. Poaching strips economic resources from law-abiding citizens, compromises public safety, and steals legal opportunities from sportsmen across the state.

“We do not need a notebook full of complicated restrictions on the books,” Adkins continued. “We need relentless, unyielding prosecution of the criminals who are breaking our clear, existing game laws. This is our goal with the initiative.”

OHA’s strong support of the TIP program proves that the organization is willing to do the heavy lifting to clean up our woods. This new tour of our state’s DA offices is the logical next step in that commitment.

OHA presses need for wolf management

Sat, 23 May 2026 20:13:55 GMT

OHA has again asked the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission to direct ODFW staff to initiate a wolf management pilot project using controlled take along with a monitoring program within the Wallowa District of the Northeast Region.

“Wolves have prospered in Oregon, and this past year’s 13% minimum population growth is a strong indicator,” said Jim Akenson, OHA State Board member. “It is time to normalize the species and consider other wildlife and social values that wolves are negatively influencing, such as ranching and elk hunting.”

The Wallowa County Wolf Work Group – in which OHA participates – had an opportunity to address the Commission at its April meeting in Lincoln City to inform them on the current impacts of wolves and the need for a pilot project involving controlled hunting of wolves in a specific area.

“We had hoped for the Commission to direct ODFW staff to pursue that,” Akenson said. “We may not have accomplished that objective, but feedback indicates that our message on management need was both clear and urgent. OHA’s request connects to the criteria for applied controlled take in the Oregon Wolf Conservation and Management Plan and meets the conditions of chronic livestock depredation and elk populations not meeting management objectives.”

All six wildlife management units in the Wallowa District are below elk management objectives, according to 2026 ODFW data. Elk populations in the Wallowa District range from a low of 31% of management objective in the Wenaha Unit to 91% in the Chesnimnus Unit. The three units where livestock depredation is current and persistent are Minam, Chesnimnus, and Sled Springs, which are at 55%, 91%, and 58% of management objective, respectively.

Another key indicator of elk population health is cow-calf ratios, which currently occur at 17 calves per 100 cows for the Minam, Chesnimnus, and Sled Springs units, respectively. These are not adequate ratios, and they are well below a targeted minimum of 30 per 100 desirable to support a healthy elk population.

OHA will continue working to ensure we better understand the impacts of wolf predation on ungulates and that intensive management of wolves occurs for the benefit of deer, elk and moose in Oregon.

OHA member bags Habitat Raffle rifle

Sat, 23 May 2026 20:12:14 GMT

Jerry Walker of OHA’s Mid-Willamette Chapter is the lucky winner of a Howa 1500 heavy barrel chassis 6.5 CR Flat Dark Earth cerakote and camo stock with a 4-16×50 Nikko Stirling Silver scope, all donated by Legacy Sports International for OHA’s

annual Habitat Raffle.

The annual Habitat Raffle funds wildlife habitat enhancement in Oregon.

OHA congratulates Jerry and thanks all who participated to support OHA’s mission of protecting Oregon’s wildlife, habitat and hunting heritage.

SW meadow project set for June 26-28

Thu, 21 May 2026 20:15:29 GMT

OHA is leading a southwest Cascades meadow protection and enhancement project June 26-28 near Butte Falls in the Rogue Unit. The project involves installation of wildlife-friendly fencing and removal of dilapidated fencing.

Dry camping will be available at Beaver Dam and Daley Creek campgrounds south of Short Creek Prairie, where the project will take place.

For more information, contact OHA Conservation Director Tyler Dungannon td@oregonhunters.org

OHA, ODFW give away forage seed

Wed, 13 May 2026 20:16:55 GMT

OHA and ODFW gave away more than 500 bags of free seed to Oregon landowners at E.E. Wilson Wildlife Area on May 9. Each bag will cover at least two acres of wildlife habitat.

The seed was provided at no cost, thanks to contributions from OHA and Turf Merchants, Inc. The mix is a cool season blend of species that attract game birds, mammals and other wildlife. It contains grains, grasses, legumes, and brassica that provide critical food sources for animals during fall, winter, and early spring in places where native forage is lacking or has deteriorated.

This mixture is designed to be used on a wide range of revegetation sites, pre-formulated based on seeds per square foot, species establishment and final mixture diversity upon maturation. It is ideal for project sites not requiring continual maintenance.

The seed will be planted on state wildlife areas, as well as private land in more than half of Oregon’s counties.

Enhancing wildlife habitat on private land where wildlife winter plays a critical role in sustaining Oregon’s native species. Private landowners can enhance habitat with seed mixes that regulations might prohibit on nearby federal lands. Through efforts like this, OHA is working to improve habitat for wildlife.

OHA draws winners of TNC Zumwalt Prairie hunts

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 20:18:27 GMT

The winners of OHA’s raffle for dream deer and elk Hunts on The Nature Conservancy’s Zumwalt Prairie, drawn on April 22 at the OHA office, are:

Elk Hunt: Donald Monroe, Klamath Falls

Deer Hunt: Jon Blocker, Bend

OHA thanks all who bought tickets to support Blue Mountains habitat work and OHA’s mission, as well as TNC for their commitment to conservation.

We have a bear hunt winner!

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 20:23:20 GMT

Zachary Pliska of Portland is the winner of OHA’s Maine Guided Bear Hunt Raffle with Sunkhaze Outfitters! OHA’s mission of Protecting Oregon’s Wildlife, Habitat & Hunting Heritage is the other winner. We thank everyone who purchased tickets, as well as raffle sponsor ExpoSure Shows (exposureshows.com), who also sponsored a drawing for a Maine bear hunt as a show special for visitors at this winter’s shows in Eugene, Roseburg, Medford and Klamath Falls. That drawing was won by Jacob Dunnavant, who entered at the Medford show. Congratulations to both winners, and good luck on your hunts this fall!

OHA Mule Deer Fund supports habitat projects

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 20:25:31 GMT

Projects net nearly $3 million in matching funds

The Oregon HuntersAssociation (OHA) is funding projects aimed at reversing mule deer declines across eastern Oregon. In just two years, the OHA Mule Deer Fund has received a total of 21 landscape-scale project proposal applications with a total request of $613,115 from OHA.
OHA granted $110,115 (18 percent of funds requested) across 10 projects with more than $2,900,000 in match funding since the inception of the OHA Mule Deer Fund in 2025.
Recently in 2026, OHA funded five projects:
• Lower Deschutes Range Enhancement Project will treat 5,800 acres of annual grass and invasive weeds, and plant 52,000 shrubs (bitterbrush, sagebrush, and other riparian species beneficial to mule deer) on the ODFW Lower Deschutes Wildlife Area.
• Metolius Winter Range Bitterbrush Planting will plant 20,000 bitterbrush plants across approximately 500 acres in Jefferson County in addition to the 20,000 bitterbrush plants that the OHA Mule Deer Fund planted in 2025.
• Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area Forage Enhancement will apply herbicide across 2,000 acres of invasive annual grasses and aerially seed 2,663 acres on the wildlife area in the John Day Watershed.
• USFS Knox Meadow Enhancement will remove 20 acres of conifer from aspen stands, retrofit 1.5 miles of fencing to wildlife-friendly specifications, remove conifer encroaching on the sizeable meadow, plant 65 acres of mule deer forage, and install new water sources.
• Highway 20 Deer-Vehicle Reduction & Signage will purchase and utilize three trailer-mounted portable solar-powered message signs, which will be placed in hot-spots for mule deer-vehicle collisions on Hwy 20 in the Juntura and Sagehen herd ranges. These signs also will be used during buck deer and Rocky Mountain bull elk seasons to notify hunters of the new mandatory CWD check station in Riley.
“Mule deer are an iconic wildlife species that hunters and non-hunters admire, and OHA is committed to reversing the mule deer declines caused by many factors,” said OHA Conservation Director Tyler Dungannon. “Projects such as these are steps in right direction.”
OHA chapters that have financially contributed to the OHA Mule Deer Fund include Umpqua, Redmond, Pioneer, Bend, Klamath, Capitol, Josephine County, Mid-Willamette, Lincoln County, Ochoco, and Hoodview.
OHA (oregonhunters.org) is the state’s largest Oregon-based pro-hunting organization, with 12,000 members and 26 chapters statewide. Its mission is “protecting Oregon’s wildlife, habitat and heritage.”

Photo by Jim Ward

OHA Helps Veterans Earn Their Wings

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 20:30:26 GMT

OHA, ODFW & David Sill host duck hunt on Veteran’s Waterfowl Day

By Tyler Dungannon, OHA Conservation Director

TD@oregonhunters.org

Oregon Hunters Association, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and OHA Citizen Landowner of the Year David Sill hosted a waterfowl hunt for eight veterans and active military personnel on Jan. 31 at Sill’s waterfowl hunting property on the Tualatin River following an ODFW Duck Hunting Workshop at the Gervais Rod and Gun Club.

Oregon’s general duck season ended Jan. 25, but each year ODFW sanctions a special postseason hunting day for veterans only.

Four parties of two or three hunters each (veterans and active duty personnel paired with an experienced mentor) took to the marsh.

The veterans were free to bring their own dogs or rely on the experienced dogs provided by the mentor. Shotguns, ammo, waders and decoys were provided as needed.

Volunteers from OHA’s Tualatin Valley Chapter had coffee brewing at 4 a.m. and served breakfast to veterans and organizers, and the property farm and hunt manager Steve Schumacher went the extra mile in preparation for the event.

“This was our first OHA event of this type, and we hope to build on this in the future,” said Kelly Forney, OHA state board member and event organizer.

OHA and ODFW partnered to offer this opportunity for the veterans to hunt on the Sill property. Weather conditions were less than ideal (dense fog and no wind), but all hunters had shot opportunities and saw birds. Green-winged teal, mallards and pintails were in the mixed bags of the hunters.

OHA’s Field Director Bryan Cook was in the field for this last hunt of the season. “This was a great opportunity for us to help show appreciation for our veterans, and we thank our partners ODFW and David Sill for helping us make it happen. The setting was amazing, and the fun and camaraderie couldn’t have been better.”

“Everyone got some shooting and everyone had a good time,” reported Sill.

“OHA and ODFW made it easy, we just had to show up and hunt,” said Matt Martel, a Navy veteran. “Thanks to Mr. Sill for letting this happen.”

Chris Benson, an Air Force veteran, added, “I was honored to be invited to hunt this property. What a slice of heaven this property is. There were birds everywhere, even when we couldn’t see them. Thank you for a wonderful day of camaraderie, sharing stories, learning and self reflection. A guy couldn’t ask for more.”

Marine veteran Doug Stefan said, “I hope all veterans get to experience what OHA is doing.” —Gary Lewis

Oregon Big Game Changes for 2026

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 20:32:42 GMT

The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission signed off on the 2026 big game hunting seasons and regulations proposed by ODFW staff at its Sept. 12 meeting in Ontario. Those proposed regulations contained the usual mix of changes, which for next year include tag number adjustments, new fair chase rules and a controlled hunt tag application fee increase. But the big one, to put it mildly, is a change in mule deer hunt boundaries based on years of field research that will fundamentally change eastern Oregon mule deer hunt areas and substantially improve the accuracy in collecting deer herd data for management and conservation purposes.

Here’s a look at the major changes for 2026.

Mule Deer

Replacing wildlife management units with deer hunt areas for determining hunt boundaries is the major news for next year’s mule deer seasons and beyond, and marks a fundamental change in how ODFW manages mule deer populations and hunting harvest.

Over the past several years, ODFW conducted extensive mule deer research that included capturing and collaring more than 1,400 deer to track their seasonal movements. In the process, biologists identified 22 distinct herd ranges for mule deer in eastern Oregon. Identifying those ranges, defined as areas that deer herds use over the course of a year, allowed for developing significantly improved population models that integrate key variables, such as buck and doe ratios comprising each herd, along with more accurate abundance and harvest data. An important factor is that to more accurately evaluate mule deer herds, it is critical to study each herd within its year-round range, rather than within the somewhat arbitrary boundaries of wildlife management units.

This shift to providing hunts based on management unit boundaries to deer hunt areas that take into account seasonal herd movements will allow ODFW to better monitor deer herd size, competition and health, and place hunters in areas where greater numbers of deer are more likely to be present during hunting seasons.

Some deer hunt areas will encompass a deer herd’s entire range, while others have been split into smaller hunt areas based on such factors as where they move across the landscape, different types of habitat and land uses within their ranges, fire history of those areas and other variables that impact the herds. The result is that quite a few herd ranges have been divided into multiple hunt areas.

Mule Deer Tags and Hunts

This new paradigm required ODFW biologists to essentially delete most previous hunts and replace them with new hunts to account for the new herd movement-based hunt boundaries. The final results for 2026 eastern Oregon mule deer hunts provide similar offerings as in the past – although there may be some major differences in individual hunt areas – but will provide for fewer tags due to the continuing low deer population levels. Overall, hunters will have 9 percent fewer mule deer tags for 100-series buck deer hunts throughout eastern Oregon, and an 8-percent reduction in 600-series antlerless deer tags statewide.

Because of these big changes in mule deer hunts, it will be extremely important for hunters to review hunts offered and their adjusted boundaries when deciding which hunts to apply for to ensure that they will end up hunting in their desired area. More information can found on the ODFW website at: https://myodfw.com/articles/eastern-oregon-deer-hunts

Mule Deer Population

Having developed improved techniques for estimating mule deer numbers, ODFW now has more accurate population data. The 2025 mule deer population is now estimated to be about 171,700 throughout their eastern Oregon range. This is an increase of less than one-tenth of a percent from 2024, and an increase of 1 percent from 2023. The bottom line, although there has been some small improvement, is that Oregon’s mule deer population is still very much at-risk. Of the 22 identified herds, 14 are classified as of “extreme concern” and 5 at “very high concern.”

Black-tailed Deer

No changes are in store for black-tailed deer hunts for 2026. While there is no population estimate or specific management objectives for black-tailed deer, recent, more accurate monitoring methods indicate the population is no longer declining.

Elk

Changes for 2026 elk seasons are primarily some reductions in tag numbers, including deleting five cow hunts and a reduction of tags for the NW Santiam cow hunt, Hunt 216, from 50 to 22 because of concerns about population numbers and a decrease in elk-human conflicts. Deleted western Oregon antlerless elk hunts include: Pengra, Mosby, Santiam Late Bow, Mckenzie Late Bow and North Indigo Late Bow.

Two eastern Oregon hunts (North Wagontire and Umatilla Youth) are deleted, but three new hunts (Ukiah Youth, Walla Walla Youth, The Dalles Watershed Bow) have been added.

Overall, there will be a 1 percent decrease in available elk tags for 2026.

Oregon’s eastern Oregon Rocky Mountain elk population continues to do very well. Of 35 eastern Oregon units with elk population data available, 24 have elk numbers at or near objectives, and 14 units have numbers of more than 110 percent above objective. The current Rocky Mountain elk population is estimated at 70,600.

Western Oregon elk continue to struggle. Only six of 19 units are near or above management objectives. At an estimated 52,507 animals, Roosevelt elk are only at 74 percent of the 70,850 objective.

Pronghorn

The only change for the 2026 pronghorn season is an additional 12 tags for a total of 2,059 in 52 hunts.

Oregon’s pronghorn population remains stable at 16,000 to 19,000.

Bighorn Sheep

A total of 136 bighorn sheep tags will be offered in 2026 – 81 California rams, 50 California ewes and 5 Rocky Mountain rams in 27 California bighorn hunts and three Rocky Mountain bighorn hunts. Six ram tags and three ewe tags will be available to non-resident hunters.

The tag available for the 556 Wenaha Rocky Mountain bighorn hunt is rotated between Oregon, Washington and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation each year. Oregon was allocated this hunt in 2025, so will not offer it this year.

Oregon’s California bighorn sheep population is estimated at 4,000 to 4,200 in 32 herds. Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep numbers are 800 to 1,000 animals in 11 herds.

Rocky Mountain Goats

Hunters can apply for 21 Rocky Mountain goat tags offered in 12 hunts, with two tags allocated for non-resident hunters.

Oregon’s Rocky Mountain goat population has been stable or increasing in recent years with a current population estimate of 1,100 to 1,300 animals.

Bear and Cougar

For the 2026 controlled spring bear season, ODFW will offer 11,067 tags in 19 hunts, which is 70 more tags than were offered last season. These additional tags are for the 731A South Central Hunt (605 tags) and 754A Mt. Emily-Walla Walla hunt (242 tags). Both of these hunt areas have strong bear numbers that will not be adversely affected by increased harvest. There are no changes for fall bear season.

Oregon has a robust black bear population of about 43,000 statewide.

Cougar hunting regulations remain unchanged from 2025. The cougar population is estimated at 7,060 animals.

Tag Application Fees

Controlled hunt application fees will increase by $2, raising the cost to $10. Application fees will increase by another $1 in 2028 and again by $1 in 2030. Application deadlines remain the same.

Fair Chase

The Commission added language clarifying regulations that prohibit the use of thermal imaging devices for hunting in Oregon. The previous rule stated that: “It is unlawful to: Hunt, locate, or scout for the purpose of hunting any wildlife with infrared or other night vision sight or equipment except trail cameras.”

Expanded language includes clarification that it is unlawful “to hunt, locate, or scout, for the purpose of hunting any wildlife with infrared, including thermal, or any other “night vision” sight or equipment except trail cameras.”

This prohibition includes any thermal device that is attached to or incorporated into a scope or firearm while hunting – even if the thermal device is turned off.

In recent years, Oregon State Police have received increasing reports of poachers using thermal devices to locate wildlife at night. In December 2024, OSP arrested 13 individuals in Clackamas County for allegedly poaching deer, elk and other big game animals. Included in the bust was the discovery and confiscation of 14 thermal imaging devices.

In addition, hunting within 500 feet of the mouth of designated wildlife crossings on US Highways 20 and 97 is now prohibited. This new rule is modeled after current trapping regulations that make it illegal to set traps within 500 feet of the mouth of designated wildlife crossing structures. This new rule was added in response to public input ODFW received during the public comment period while developing the 2026 Big Game Regulations.

See more about regulations on techno-logy and even AI cautions on Page 56.

OHA seeks to help rehab Flat Fire burn

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 20:36:02 GMT

OHA will look for opportunities to join forces with the USFS and other partners to restore critical winter range habitat in the Metolius Unit following this summer’s Flat Fire, which erupted on Aug. 21 and quickly spread south. This human-caused fire affected some of OHA’s conservation efforts in the area.

The fire covered more than 23,000 acres in an area that is a key wintering ground for migrating mule deer within the Deschutes mule deer herd range.

OHA recognized the importance of this area some time ago and leaned in to help conserve and improve the habitat here as part of a bigger project known as the Metolius Winter Range project. The area is home to an OHA conservation easement and multiple habitat projects.

The USFS is already planning to plant bitterbrush (21,000 plants) this year and more next year. They are also planning to seed portions of the burned area (600-800) with native bunchgrass and forbs before invasive plant species can move in.