Oregon

Hunting In Oregon

Oregon Deer Hunting

If you intend to chase deer, several options are available. The state’s western mountains are home to the elusive blacktail deer. This mule deer subspecies occupies dense forest, and offers a highly challenging mountain hunt with equally high rewards. In the desert region to the east, trophy mule deer can be hunted with a spot-and-stalk approach in open grasslands. The state also has a whitetail population with growing numbers of quality animals. Oregon has a typical archery, muzzleloader, and general gun season for all species of deer, as well as special draw tags for certain trophy areas.

Oregon Elk Hunting

Another interest for hunters is the mighty elk, often considered the king of western big game hunting. The western region of the state holds Rocky Mountain elk and the eastern portion holds Roosevelt elk, two of the most sought after subspecies in the world. One particular area, Siuslaw National Forest, was named by Field and Stream as the best public elk land in the country. Rocky Mountain elk occupy this timbered region and make for a difficult but highly rewarding elk hunting experience where a hunter is likely to have many heart pounding encounters with quality animals. The regulations for obtaining an Oregon elk tag are very similar to the aforementioned deer tags.

Oregon Bighorn Sheep And Mountain Goat Hunts

In the hunting world, two of the most coveted animals are bighorn sheep and rocky mountain goats. Along with the multitude of other big game species, Oregon is lucky enough to have both of these animals living in the high mountain regions of the state. Both tags are pricier for non-resident hunters, but they are lottery based tags that can only be drawn by a hunter once in their life, which adds to the mystique and excitement of these animals. That being so, the tag is more of a gamble than a purchase. However, throwing your hat in the ring could prompt a once in a lifetime hunt that is not to be passed up.

Oregon Pronghorn Hunting

If a sheep tag seems a little much, Oregon also has a large population of pronghorn antelope, also known as the “speed goat”, that totals at over 25,000 animals. Antelope hunting employs a spot-and-stalk style of hunting, where a hunter locates their target animal at a great distance and then attempts to stalk into an effective shooting distance. These hunts typically provide many encounters with the targeted species allowing hunters to test their hunting abilities with frequent action and opportunity. Tags for these animals are slightly cheaper than deer or elk and offer a unique and challenging hunting experience in terrain that is often new to many hunters. 

Oregon Upland Bird Hunts

If working fields with your favorite bird dog and toting an over-under is more your speed, Oregon also has excellent upland bird hunting and is home to many sought after species including pheasant, Hungarian partridge, quail, chukar, blue grouse, and the rare sage grouse. One advantage of Oregon bird hunting is that all a hunter must purchase is a state hunting license and area specific permits, a cost that is significantly less than big game tags. Whether it is your first time picking up a shotgun or you have chased birds from North Dakota to Argentina, this is the place for you.

Oregon Hunting Regulations

Like many western states, Oregon has vast tracts of public land made up of wildlife management units, national forests, Bureau of Land Management land, state forests, and wildlife areas. This land is managed in a similar fashion to most US public hunting areas, where some sites are open to all general tag holders and other, more sought after areas, are only accessible to those holding special draw tags or other various permits. Keeping track of all of the regulations can become difficult at times, but any questions can be easily answered with a quick phone call to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife or by speaking with one of the expert guides you can find on Huntanywhere.com.