ODFW Recreation Report
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Photo by Rhett Noonan
Highlights from this week’s Recreation Report:
Deer and elk hunting
Rifle deer hunting continues in western Oregon. General Rocky Mountain elk 1st season opens Oct. 25. Conditions for big game hunting are improving with the rain. See reports below or the Big Game Hunting Forecast for what to expect.
Waterfowl seasons start with a bang
Waterfowl is open statewide. Check out the waterfowl and upland bird harvest statistics at ODFW wildlife areas.
Western fall turkey
Western general season turkey is open through Dec. 31. Up to 4,000 tags will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis. Have you got yours yet?
Heavy rains in western Oregon bring bad news, good news.
The bad news: many rivers were blown out and will be too high to fish until at least mid-week. But wait, there’s good news: as the waters start to drop, more fish will be moving into many rivers. Check the reports for the best weekend opportunities.
It’s a great time for trout fishing
Some of the best trout fishing of the year can happen during the cool fall months. Trout are eating heavily in anticipation of a cold winter, fewer anglers are out as the school year and football season begins, and several water bodies are being stocked one last time before winter. Check out the Rec Reports to find out where.
Archery event coming up
ODFW is sponsoring an all ages archery competition in Junction City on Oct. 28. Sign up now.
Find regulation updates in the Recreation Report
You’ll now find fishing regulation updates on the new website at the top of each Fishing Report in the Recreation Report.
Klamath County Big Game Report
Cascade Elk: Closed
Cougar: Hunting is open. Populations are healthy and distributed throughout the district in any area with a big game prey base. Use of predator calls is a great hunting technique during the summer period. Don’t forget successful hunters must check-in cougars no more than 10 days after harvest; please bring cougar in thawed and with mouth propped open so that field staff can quickly process the animal and get you on your way. Remember a 2017 cougar tag and hunting license is needed to hunt.
Coyote hunting opportunities are improving. Be aware that bobcats and cougars may respond to predator calls, and separate licensing and open season limitations exist for these species. Please consult the annual Big Game hunting regulations for further information.
Test your identification skills with ODFW’s new Coyote and Gray Wolf ID Quiz.
Bear: General Fall Bear Season continues. Best bear prospects are in the Cascades or in the Interstate Unit. Hunters are reminded to check-in harvested bears at an ODFW office within 10 days of harvest. Please bring in skull thawed with mouth propped open. Be sure to call ahead to schedule an appointment.
See the Big Game Hunting Forecast for reports on what to expect from field biologists statewide.