ODFW Recreation Report
by OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Staff
11-3-2023
Website
Western streams closed to trout Oct. 31
Most rivers and streams in the NW, SW, Central and Willamette zones closed to trout fishing on Oct. 31. Statewide, several other popular fisheries closed to trout after Oct. 31, including Laurance Lake, Odell Lake, Wikiup Reservoir, the Wood and Williamson rivers, and others.
CWD check stations, other ways to get your animal tested
As elk seasons open, ODFW will monitor hunter harvested elk for CWD – a fatal, highly infectious disease. What can hunters do to help combat CWD?
- Get your animal tested – at a roadside test station, ODFW office or participating meat processor and taxidermist.
- Education yourself, and others, about CWD, the risks to Oregon's wildlife, and other ways you can help.
Find out more about CWD, check station locations and the ways to have your animal tested.
Veterans Day Nov. 11 – Thank you for your service!
From license discounts to additional controlled hunt tags, ODFW wants to make sure our uniformed service members are given the opportunity to participate in the outdoor recreation Oregon has to offer. Learn more about the opportunities.
Eastside rivers open to steelhead through April 30
Enough unmarked steelhead have passed the Bonneville and Ice Harbor dams that the John Day, Deschutes, Snake, Grande Ronde, Imnaha and Wallowa rivers will remain open to steelhead fishing through April 30, 2024, per permanent regulations.
Rogue-South Coast Steelhead Validation and Harvest Tag go on sale Nov. 1
All winter steelhead anglers in the Rogue Basin and on the south coast will need a Rogue-South Coast Steelhead Validation from Dec. 1 to April 30. In addition, anglers will need a new harvest tag to keep wild winter steelhead in this area.
The new validations will provide more accurate harvest information and close annual harvest loopholes on certain daily licenses. Learn more about this new validation and harvest tag.
Find coastal river salmon regulations
Find the latest regulation updates for coho and Chinook fishing in coastal rivers for the NW Zone and SW Zone.
Watch for wildlife on roads and highways
Vehicle collisions with deer and elk tend to peak in October and November with the onset of both migration and breeding seasons. Here are some tips for avoiding close, and unfortunate, encounters with Oregon's wildlife.