Oregon Outdoor Activities
 

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Oregon Hunting Restrictions and Regulations: 

1. Everyone must have a valid hunting license.

2. Hunting licenses are valid through December 31 of each year. Hunts extending into or beginning in the following calendar year require a new hunting license.

3. No one may possess more than one valid annual hunting license.

4. Hunters, 14 years of age and older, who will be hunting predators on public land and western gray squirrels, unprotected mammals and unprotected birds on public or private land must have a valid hunting license. No tags are required.

5. Any hunter with a valid Oregon or Idaho hunting license may hunt in the waters or on the islands of the Snake River, where the river forms the boundary between the two states. All laws and rules of the respective states apply.

6. To apply for controlled hunts, all hunters must purchase a current hunting license.

7. To hunt big game you must have in possession a valid hunting license and a big game tag valid for the dates, area and species being hunted.

8. Licenses, tags and controlled hunt applications can only be obtained at license agents throughout the state, via the internet (www.dfw.state.or.us/online_license_sales/index.asp), or through the state headquarters office by mail, fax, or in person.

9. Licenses and tags may be purchased for you by a family member or friend.

Picture of bald eagle on the right is provided by DIVISION OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS /U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service →

NONRESIDENTS:

1. Must obtain a valid nonresident hunting license or nonresident juvenile hunting license if 14 years of age or older.

2. Must obtain a valid nonresident tag for each species they will hunt.

3. A nonresident license and/or tag may be purchased for a person by a family member or friend directly from a license agent or by mail, via the internet (State of Oregon Licensing Fees)

YOUTH (RESIDENT AND NONRESIDENT):
1.  License, controlled hunt application and big game tag requirements.

2.  All hunters 12 years of age and older must purchase a hunting license to apply in the big game controlled hunt drawing, to purchase a tag and hunt in any big game season and to apply for and receive landowner preference tags.

3. Youth 11 years of age are allowed to purchase a juvenile hunting license provided they will turn 12 at the time they hunt.

4.  No one 11 years of age and younger can hunt for big game.

Tags and applications requirements:
1. Youth 13 years of age and younger are required to obtain a FREE license in order to purchase turkey tags or apply for sage grouse hunts and waterfowl reservations.

2. Hunters 14-17 years of age can buy a juvenile hunting license to hunt big game, western gray squirrel, game birds, predators, or unprotected mammals.

3. Youth 13 years of age and younger while hunting on property other than land owned by parent or legal guardian must be accompanied by an adult 21 years of age or older.

4. Youth 17 years of age and younger must have a Hunter Education Certificate or a department issued document (ex. Hunting license) which includes their Hunter Education Certificate Number in their possession to hunt anywhere except on land owned by their parent or legal guardian..

LANDOWNERS:
1. A resident does not need a license to hunt on land upon which the person resides and is owned by the person or a member of the person’s immediate family, unless they are hunting a species for which a tag is required.

2. If landowners are purchasing big game tags, applying in the big game controlled hunt drawings or applying for landowner preference tags, a hunting license is required.

3.  All landowners (residents and nonresidents) eligible for landowner preference must send in appropriate landowner preference forms, purchase a valid hunting license and apply by specified deadlines to receive landowner preference tags.

4. A landowner or landowner agent does not need a hunting or trapping license to take predatory animals on land they own, lease, lawfully occupy, possess, or have charge of or dominion over.


Bear Hunting Season:

Western Oregon: Aug. 1 - Dec. 31, Eastern Oregon: Aug. 1 - Nov 30 Southwest Oregon Additional Bear: Aug. 1 - Dec. 31 Bag Limit: One black bear per tag, except that it is unlawful to take cubs less than one year old or sows with cubs less than one year old. There is a mandatory check for all harvested bears. The skull of any bear taken must be presented unfrozen and during normal business hours (Mon. - Fri., 8-5) to an ODFW office within 10 days of the kill. Call ahead to make arrangements to have the bear checked.

Cougar Hunting:

1. Cougar Hunting General Season is Jan. 1 - May 31 and Aug. 1 - Dec. 31 or until Hunt Zone Quotas have been met, whichever occurs first. Entire state is open. However, specific Hunt Quota Zones will be closed if harvest quotas for the year are met in that zone. The Bag Limit is one cougar per tag, except that it is unlawful to take spotted kittens or females with spotted kittens

2. Must have a valid adult hunting license for the current year and a General Season Cougar Tag and/or an Additional Cougar Tag

3. Dogs may not be used for taking or pursuit of cougar. ANY COUGAR TAKEN MUST BE PRESENTED AT AN ODFW OFFICE WITHIN 10 DAYS OF THE KILL TO BE CHECKED AND MARKED. Please call ahead to make arrangements to have cougar checked. Checkout must occur during normal business hours (8 am - 5 pm, Monday - Friday). Hunters are required to check in the hide of any cougar taken, with skull and proof of sex attached. Hunters are required to submit the reproductive tract of any female cougar taken

4. Hunters must have permission to hunt on private property

5. Hunting within city limits of incorporated towns or cities is not legal

Oregon Game Bird Hunters:

1. Besides regular hunting license game bird hunters must obtain a FREE HIP (Harvest Information Program) validation. To obtain a HIP validation, hunters may go to any license agent or send in the game bird application. A separate validation is needed on game bird licenses to hunt crow.

2. Depending on the species of bird you are hunting, you must have a federal waterfowl stamp and/or state game bird validations to hunt .

3. Federal stamps and state validations are in effect from July 1 - June 30 of the following year.

4. Any person 16 years of age or older must have a signed (in ink across the face), valid federal waterfowl stamp in his or her possession to hunt waterfowl.

5. No federal waterfowl stamp is required for pigeon, dove, crow, coot, or snipe hunting.

6. To hunt band-tailed pigeons, black brant or sea ducks, a separate permit is required

Decoys and Calls No person shall:

1. Hunt game birds or crows by the use or aid of any live birds for decoys.

2. Hunt game birds (except for crows) by the use of records or tapes of bird calls or sounds, or electrically amplified imitations of bird calls or sounds.

3. Hunt game birds with the use of decoys powered by motor, battery, or other self powered methods.

4. Quiver magnets are also illegal. Decoys with parts that are moved solely by human actions (for example, via a cable or pull-string) or the wind are allowed

For all information relating to regulations, safety, how to hunt and more see Oregon Fish and Wildlife Department.

 

Oregon Fishing Restrictions and Regulations:

Oregon has three types of regulations that you need to check before you go fishing

• General Regulations – Include information on licenses, tags/harvest cards, permits, catch and possession limits, definitions, gear and bait restrictions, and harvest methods and hours.

• Zone Regulations – Apply to entire geographical areas. There are nine zones in Oregon.

• Special Regulations – Apply to specific bodies of water or portions of water within a zone.

General Restrictions: (From Oregon Fish & Wildlife Dept):
The following activities are unlawful:

1. Use of more than one rod or one line when angling for any fish except:
a. A person with a current Two-Rod License may use two rods or lines when angling on standing water bodies which include lakes, ponds, and reservoirs including Snake River impoundments above Hell’s Canyon Dam but excludes the Columbia River and its impoundments.
b. Any number of rods or lines are allowed outside of three miles from shore when angling for offshore pelagic species and only if no species other than offshore pelagic species have been retained. Rods or lines must be closely attended.

2. Use of gurdies, winches or reels affixed to a boat to land fish (rod or line must be held in hand) except when used for retrieving crab rings or pots.

3. Sale or purchase of fish or shellfish, or parts thereof, which have been taken for personal use. Except the skeletal remains of ocean food fish may be sold; and eggs from ocean-caught salmon may be sold to a licensed wholesale fish or bait dealer.

4. Catching all or part of another person’s catch limit, except as provided for by a Oregon Disabilities Hunting and Fishing Permit.

5. Trespassing on a fishway, weir or fish trap; and angling within 200 feet above and 200 feet below a weir or the entrance or exit of a fishway or fish trap either public or private.

6. Taking or attempting to take fish from state or federal hatchery facilities.

7. Removal, alteration or possession of ODFW signs.

8. Angling through a human-made ice hole larger than 12 inches diameter or length.

9. Transporting live fish or live eggs from one waterbody to another or into the state without a permit from ODFW.

10. Wasting fish, shellfish or marine intertidal invertebrates.

11. Angling on private land without permission.

12. Denying ODFW employees, peace officers or landowners opportunity to inspect license, catch and gear. It is also unlawful for any person licensed by ODFW to fail to comply with the directions of authorized Department personnel related to the collection of sampling data or material from salmon or other fish. It is also unlawful for any such person to fail to relinquish to the Department any part of a salmon or other fish containing coded-wire tags, including but not limited to, the snouts of those salmon that are marked by having clipped adipose fins.

13. Taking or attempting to take any fish by means of chumming, or knowingly angle with the aid of chum, except chumming is allowed when fishing for offshore pelagic species outside of three miles from shore and only if no species other than offshore pelagic species have been retained.

14. Continuing to angle for the same type of fish after taking and retaining a catch or possession limit. Exceptions are provided for in bass fishing tournament regulations and while anglers are providing assistance to a disabled angler. Anglers may continue to angle for sturgeon provided all subsequent fish are released.

15. Dispose of dead animal (fish) carcasses, or parts thereof, in Oregon waters.

16. To attach a tag or physically mark any fish in Oregon waters without a scientific taking permit except that adipose or otherwise fin-clipped fish may be tagged as part of angling tournament activities authorized under Department tournament permits. Contact ODFW in Salem for an application.

17. Take a fish which has had a radio tag inserted (a fish with an antenna trailing from its mouth or body) except radio-tagged fish may be retained, when otherwise legal, (consistent with all other existing regulations and applicable laws) in the mainstem Columbia River and its tributaries.

18. Unless authorized by a specific permit issued by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission, no person may angle for or possess any of the following species of fish: Goose Lake lamprey; Pacific lamprey; River lamprey; Western brook lamprey; Miller Lake lamprey; Klamath lamprey; Pit-Klamath lamprey; Klamath Basin lamprey; Goose Lake tui chub; Warner Basin tui chub; Alvord chub; Catlow tui chub; Oregon lakes tui chub; Sheldon tui chub; Summer Lake Basin tui chub; Borax Lake chub; Oregon tui chub of Hutton Spring; Oregon chub (Willamette Basin); California roach; Millicoma dace; Foskett Springs speckled dace; Lahonton redside shiner; Goose Lake sucker; Modoc sucker; Tahoe sucker; Lost River sucker; short nose sucker (mullet) of Klamath County; Jenny Creek sucker; Warner sucker; Malheur mottled sculpin; margined sculpin; pit sculpin; grass carp; caribe or piranha; walking catfish; Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon; Snake River Fall Chinook Salmon; Columbia River Coho Salmon. Note: fish listed under state or federal endangered species acts may be harvested under “incidental take permits,” which are considered annually. Check regulations to see under what circumstances these fish may be taken.

19. Snag or attempt to snag game fish.

20. Take, possess, or remove from streams salmon and steelhead carcasses or parts thereof not legally taken.

Hook and Weight Regulations:

1. No more than two hooks may be used while angling for Pacific halibut and no more than three hooks may be used while angling for other species except herring jigs may be used for marine food fish species (defined on page 9) other than Pacific halibut. A double or treble point hook is classed as one hook.

2. Measure hook gap from point to shank (see sketches at right).

3. When angling for sturgeon, anglers are restricted to one single-point barbless hook in all Oregon waters.

4. When angling for salmon or steelhead, (except in the ocean or as listed under Special Regulations for specific bodies of water) the following regulations apply:
• Single-point hooks larger than 1-inch and multiple-point hooks larger than 9/16-inch gap are prohibited.
• All weight, if not part of a conventional lure, must be attached above the hooks. When using single-point hooks larger than 5/8-inch gap or multiple-point hooks, the attachment of the weight must be 18 inches or more above uppermost hook.

5. When angling for salmon or steelhead in the ocean, anglers must refer to Marine Zone Regulations for Salmon and Steelhead, and the Northwest Zone Special Regulations for Tillamook Bay.

6. Barbless hooks are advised for fisheries where the release of fish is anticipated, unless specifically required.

Department of Fish and Wildlife Regional Offices:

High Desert, 61374 Parrell Rd, Bend, OR 97702 Phone: 541-388-6363
Northeast, 107 20th Street, La Grande, OR 97850 Phone: 541-963-2138
Northwest, 17330 SE Evelyn Street, Clackamas, OR 97015 Phone: 971-673-6000
Southwest, 4192 N Umpqua Hwy, Roseburg, OR 97470 Phone: 541-440-3353

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