BIRD SEASONS OPEN: EURASIAN COLLARED DOVES, FOREST GROUSE, CA AND MTN QUAIL, PHEASANTS, GEESE, AND DUCK

GENERAL BIG GAME SEASONS OPEN: ARCHERY DEER AS OF 11/9 IN THE ROGUE AND EVANS CREEK UNITS, FALL BLACK BEAR, COYOTE, COUGAR

Eurasian collared-doves: These are non-native game birds that can be harvested year-round with no bag limit; however, a hunting license is required. They are found just about everywhere throughout Southwestern Oregon, and seem to be in especially high concentrations near residential zones. Be sure of your identification before you hunt these abundant invasive birds. Identify this species and its habitat 

Apply for youth deer hunts on C2 Ranch near Medford

ODFW’s Access and Habitat Program and the C2 Ranch are offering 10 guided youth rifle hunts for black-tailed deer on the ranch’s property near Medford. Youth hunters must apply by Nov. 29 and must possess a 630T Rogue Unit Youth Deer controlled hunt tag or be eligible through the Youth “First Time” program for a 600-series tag. Youth hunts are guided. To apply for this hunt, click here. 

Applegate, Chetco, Evans Creek, Rogue, portions of Dixon, and Sixes Wildlife Management Units

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Reminder for all deer and elk hunters, once you find out whether you got a controlled deer and/or elk tag or not, you will still need to pick up your tags. Etag – you still have to go to the online account – purchase from the catalog – and choose your tag. If you have a Sports Pac you will have a “$” symbol next to your tag. It will populate your cart as zero payment. If you don’t have a Sports Pac, you will have to pay for the tag. Paper tag – you can go online or to a license agent and purchase your tag. If you have any problems contact an ODFW office for assistance.

Deer: Archery deer season has reopened in the Rogue and Evans Creek units.

If you happen to harvest a deer and are in the vicinity of one of ODFW’s field offices we would appreciate you stopping by so we can gather samples from your deer for age analysis and Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) testing. Although CWD has never been documented in Oregon regular monitoring of our deer and elk populations ensures early detection once it arrives in the state; this will aid in combating its spread once it is detected in Oregon.

The rut is on for the blacktails of Southern Oregon. For archery hunters, this is not a new experience at all. Archery hunters will find very good hunting in the Rogue and Evans Creek units. Deer have moved down to the lower elevations and are being found in wintering areas on south facing slopes in the oak, evergreen convergence zones. There are still some stragglers in the upper elevations. Hunting older fire burn areas could be very productive this season. Following last winter's rain and snow and the rains in August and September, there will be a lot of desired food sources for deer in these areas. Beware of potential hazards such as snags when hunting fire burn scars. 

Fall black bear: The season opened Aug. 1. Hunters can expect another good year. Success has been reported as very good. Work clearing areas early and late in the day if it will be a sunny day. Bears can move during the day, but are less likely too with sunny skies. When skies are cloudy and especially with rain, bears will be active through the day. Fawn calls can be a useful tool when trying to harvest a bear.

Here in Southern Oregon you can harvest two fall bears when you purchase a SW Additional Fall Black Bear tag. This tag is good for all of units 20-30.

Remember that there is a mandatory check in of your bear skull at an ODFW office or designated collection site within 10 days of harvest, the skull must be unfrozen.  In addition if you harvest a female bear you must turn in the entire reproductive tract to ODFW. See page 60 in the big game hunting regulations for more information.

Cougar season is open statewide year-round or until zone quotas are met (see zone quota page). Please remember it is mandatory to check in any harvested cougar with ODFW, including the unfrozen skull, hide, proof of sex, and reproductive tract if female.  Please call your local office to schedule the check in. For more information refer to page 62 of the 2019 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations.

Youth Antlerless Elk seasons began Aug. 1 in many areas across southern Oregon. These are controlled hunts that give youth a long, low-stress hunting season in which they can hopefully harvest an elk. Elk this time of year generally have moved down to lower elevations that boarder private land. The north end of Jackson County has a lot of elk. It also has a lot of private land. If you can get trespass permission, you will likely find elk.

Western gray squirrel: Western gray squirrel hunting remains open with no bag limit in that part of the Rogue unit south of the Rogue River and S Fork Rogue River and north of Hwy 140. See page 63 of the 2019 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations for more information.

Coyotes are abundant in our area. Remember to ask for permission to hunt on private lands. Hunters can find coyotes around meadows and brush piles where mice and rabbits are found. Predator calls are very useful when used in conjunction to known prey base.  Remember to identify your target. Wolves and coyotes can look alike. Wolves are protected by state and/or federal law and it is unlawful to shoot them. Coyote hunters need to take extra care to identify their target as wolves can look like coyotes, especially wolf pups in the mid-summer and fall. Please report any wolf sightings or wolf sign to ODFW using the online reporting system.

 

 

Pheasant: In Jackson and Josephine Counties pheasant hunting is exclusively at the Denman Wildlife Refuge in White City. The general pheasant season began on Oct. 5, at which point you will not need a Fee Tag. They are no longer stocking birds. However, there are still planty of birds on the refuge. The bag limit for hunts is two birds per day, for more information refer to page 16 of the 2019 Bird Regulations.

Grouse season remains open through January 2020. The daily bag limit is three birds of each species (blue and ruffed). Grouse surveys are being conducted now and numbers in SW Oregon appear to be slightly better than in recent years. Driving less used dirt roads in the late evening can be an effective method in finding grouse to harvest.

Quail season remains open through January 2020. The daily bag limit is 10 quail (in aggregate with both Mountain and California quail). Quail numbers this year seem to be the same as in past years; driving old dirt roads in the late afternoon and evening is usually a good way to locate groups. For more information refer to the Oregon Game Bird Regulations.

Duck season is open through the end of the year in Southern Oregon. There are plenty of ducks out there. Mallards are being seen in good numbers, but there are lots of other species as well. Most bodies of water will have ducks on them. Weather will be a factor for sure. As long as the sunny weather prevails, you will want to be in a blind and well camoflauged before any kind of daylight arrives. If you are not a blind hunter.....jumping shooting ducks from irrigation canals in the area can be an extremely successful method for ducks. But, it is a challenge! 

 

For fishing information....................click image  

 

Dixon, Indigo, Evans Creek, Melrose, E Tioga and NE Powers Wildlife Management Units

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Deer: Archery deer season has reopened in the Melrose Unit.

If you happen to harvest a deer and are in the vicinity of one of ODFW’s field offices we would appreciate you stopping by so we can gather samples from your deer for age analysis and Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) testing. Although CWD has never been documented in Oregon regular monitoring of our deer and elk populations ensures early detection once it arrives in the state; this will aid in combating its spread once it is detected in Oregon.

The rut is on for the blacktails of Southern Oregon. For archery hunters, this is not a new experience at all. Archery hunters will find very good hunting. Remember, much of the Melrose Unit is made up of private property. Some of that is not going to be well identified. Be sure you know where you are and if the property you are on is private. In Oregon, private property does not have to be marked for trespass to occur. It is up to the hunter to do their homework and know if the land you are on is public or private. 

Cougar: Look in areas adjacent to agriculture and within areas of higher concentrations of deer. When fresh tracks are found, set up and call with either mouth or electronic predator calls.

Cougars are abundant throughout with indicators pointing to stable or increasing numbers. Hunting cougar is a challenge because these animals are very secretive, but harvest success is greatest adjacent to private land with high deer populations using a predator call.

Coyote: Numbers are strong throughout Douglas County. Using predator calls to lure them in can be an effective method for harvesting coyotes. Try calling in early morning and late afternoon. Be sure to ask permission before hunting on private land.

Fall black bear: The season opened Aug. 1. Hunters can expect another good year. Success has been reported as very good. ork clearing areas early and late in the day if it will be a sunny day. Bears can move during the day, but are less likely too with sunny skies. When skies are cloudy and especially with rain, bears will be active through the day. Fawn calls can be a useful tool when trying to harvest a bear.

Here in Southern Oregon you can harvest two fall bears when you purchase a SW Additional Fall Black Bear tag. This tag is good for all of units 20-30.

Remember that there is a mandatory check in of your bear skull at an ODFW office or designated collection site within 10 days of harvest, the skull must be unfrozen.  In addition if you harvest a female bear you must turn in the entire reproductive tract to ODFW. See page 60 in the big game hunting regulations for more information.

Eurasian collared-doves: These non-natives are expanding throughout Douglas County. These birds have no protections in Oregon, so there are no closed seasons and no limits to their harvest. Target Eurasian collared-doves around agricultural areas and forest openings where food sources are abundant. Be sure of your identification before you hunt these abundant invasive birds. Identify this species and its habitat

 

                                                                                                                    

 

 

W Tioga, Powers, and portions of Sixes Wildlife Management Units

 Coos Mountain Access

The Coos Mountain Access Area went into effect Aug. 25 and will be in effect year-round for the next three years. This is the newest Access Area in Oregon and encompasses about 63,000 acres in the heart of the Tioga Unit. Within this Access Area most of the arterial roads are open for motor vehicle access and many, but not all, of the secondary roads are open for foot or bike access. This new Access Area was created in response to some private landowners in the area expressing a willingness to allow public access in a way that is compatible with their land management goals.

Lands within Coos Mountain Access Area provide excellent opportunities for big game and upland gamebird hunting and viewing. Roads that are open to foot or bike access also provide great opportunities to hike or use mountain bikes in conjunction with hunting and viewing in an area where those opportunities are not plentiful. Roads open to motor vehicles are marked with green dots. All other roads are open, only to foot or bike access. For information on Coos Mountain Access Area , contact The Charleston Field Office at (541)888-5515.  Maps are available.

Deer: Archery deer season has reopened in the Sixes Unit.

If you happen to harvest a deer and are in the vicinity of one of ODFW’s field offices we would appreciate you stopping by so we can gather samples from your deer for age analysis and Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) testing. Although CWD has never been documented in Oregon regular monitoring of our deer and elk populations ensures early detection once it arrives in the state; this will aid in combating its spread once it is detected in Oregon.

The rut is on for the blacktails of Southern Oregon. For archery hunters, this is not a new experience at all. Archery hunters will find very good hunting. Hunting older fire burn areas could be very productive this season. Following last winter's rain and snow and the rains in August and September, there will be a lot of desired food sources for deer in these areas. Beware of potential hazards such as snags when hunting fire burn scars. 

Fall black bear: The fall black bear season is off to a great start. Fall season will continue through the end of December with increasing opportunity as forage becomes more available.

Most berry crops have run their course now. Bears are still focusing in on wild plums, cascara acorns and fruit trees associated with farms or old homesteads. Bear hunters should consider taking up a stand along trails to these feeding locations, or still hunting around them in the mornings and evenings. Bears should continue to be active until the heavy rains of fall begin. ODFW is currently receiving lots of calls from landowners about bears damaging fruit trees.

Here in southern Oregon you can harvest two fall bears when you purchase a SW Additional Fall Black Bear tag. This tag is good for all of units 20-30.

It is mandatory to check in of your bear skull at an ODFW office or designated collection site within 10 days of harvest, the skull must be unfrozen. In addition if you harvest a female bear, please turn in the entire reproductive tract to ODFW if possible. See page 59 in the big game hunting regulations or MyODFW.com for more information.

Elk: All elk hunts in Coos County are currently closed.

Coyote: Numbers are strong throughout Coos County. Using predator calls to lure them in can be an effective method for harvesting coyotes. Try calling in early morning and late afternoon. Be sure to ask permission before hunting on private land.

Test your identification skills with ODFW’s new Coyote and Gray Wolf ID Quiz.

Cougar: Cougar has reopened with the new year. The most productive way to hunt cougar is to use a predator call. Hunters are reminded if they harvest a cougar, they must have it checked in to an ODFW office within 10 days of harvest. See the 2019 Oregon Big Game Regulations for details.

Grouse and Quail: Grouse and quail populations have been experiencing some good survival of broods on the south coast for the past several years. As a result, bird hunting has been pretty good for those who pursue them. Grouse will be found where you find them this year. Due to recent rain and warm weather, green up has given them good food resources throughout their habitat. Quail will be more predictable as they will generally be found near clearcut edges, ridge tops and rocky outcroppings.

Snipe: Snipe season opens Nov 2.  Presently these birds have not moved into Coos County in large numbers. This is not surprising as they tend to be late migrators in comparison to other water birds.

Waterfowl: Ducks and geese are beginning to move into the area with the changing weather. Presently most migratory ducks appear to be in the lower portions of local bays. They don’t seem to be spending much time above tidewater. This will likely change as rains inundate inland agricultural fields.

Most of the geese arriving on the south coast are moving to staging areas on agricultural lands near the Coos/Curry county line. However, resident geese are using agricultural lands throughout the county.

Coquille Valley Wildlife Area and Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge are good places to check out for waterfowl hunting as both offer high quality tidal habitats for birds.  Other good early season bets include open-to-hunting areas in Coos Bay, New River and Winchester Bay.