Time for turkey

Spring season opens next week

Just in time for the start of the spring turkey hunting season on April 15, the 2021 spring turkey hunting forecast offers our biologists’ take on the upcoming season. Also check out the new 2020 turkey harvest by unit maps to help decide where to hunt this season.

How to hunt wild turkeys

A comprehensive online course

Whether you’re new to turkey hunting, or just need a few refreshers, this course covers everything you’ll need to know to bag a bird this spring.

Youth spring turkey hunt

This weekend -- April 10-11

This weekend, youth will have the turkey woods all to themselves for a two-day youth-only hunt. This hunt gives youth an early “shot” at birds. See page 19 of the 2020-21 Game Bird Regulations for more information.  

Reserve a turkey hunting spot

No cost reservation program connects hunters and landowners

This program, now in its second year, brings hunters and landowners together to provide quality hunting experiences. Find more information about this program.  

 
Best bets for weekend fishing

• Lakes and ponds on the north and mid-coast have been stocked and fishing has been good!
• Galesville Reservoir would be a good bet as there should be lots of bass and trout ready to bite. 
• Surfperch anglers have been doing well catching good size red-tail surfperch along beaches near the mouths of rivers and bays.
• Anglers have been catching striped bass in the Coquille and Smith rivers.
• Even with low water conditions, boat and bank anglers have been regularly picking up spring Chinook on the lower Rogue.
• Thief Valley Reservoir has a good number of holdover rainbow trout, producing fish in excess of 20 inches on occasion.
• Trout fishing has been good on Malheur Reservoir. 
• Fishing has been great for black crappie in Owyhee Reservoir – check out the upper reservoir near Leslie Gulch – and Pole Creek Reservoir. 
• The Chewaucan River and Deep Creek are beginning to rise with snow melting in the upper reaches. The Chewaucan River will have more moderate flows this spring due to very little snow in the uplands. The use of lures and flies are very effective at bringing trout to hand. 
• Spring fishing on the Blitzen River can be great, even during spring runoff. 
• Anglers have been catching ocean Chinook, with the best success among anglers launching from Newport and Depoe Bay.

Tips for kokanee fishing

Kokanee fishing starts to pick up in April in several popular fisheries. If you’ve been wanting to try kokanee fishing, or could us a few pointers, check out Kokanee fishing in Oregon for some tips.

New interagency map shows wildfire impacts on recreation

Hunters, anglers and wildlife viewers will be living with the impacts of the 2020 wildfire season for a long time. To help you navigate the status of popular recreation sites, natural resource management agencies in Oregon have released an interagency status mapthat shows open, closed and reduced service areas on a single map, regardless of reason for closure.