An exceptionally mild and warm 2025-‘26 winter across much of Oregon has provided good overwinter survival for Oregon’s deer and elk herds.
Drought-impacted areas got a short reprieve in spring before dry conditions returned in late summer. Recent rains with cooler temperatures offer a temporary fix as fall moves into winter.
Big game fitness and resiliency heading into fall hunting seasons will vary by region. Check out the fall forecast at https://myodfw.com/articles/2026-big-game-hunting-forecast.
Meanwhile, it’s a great time of year to fish. From high lakes where trout go on the feed to Chinooks, cohos, and steelhead in the rivers, September opportunities abound.
If you haven’t already done so, get your license and head out for an adventure. Find out all you need at https://odfw.huntfishoregon.com/login.
Don’t forget to tag your salmon, steelhead, halibut, deer, or elk harvest through the MyODFW app. If you haven’t already done so, be sure to update your app and make sure you have your tags. More info at https://myodfw.com/articles/tips-tagging-fish-and-game.
Fish Waiver
The Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeking public comment on a fish passage waiver request from the Oregon Department of Transportation at an Unnamed Tributary to Bear Creek in Jackson County. ODOT is extending a culvert on OR99S, which triggers fish passage.
Written comments on the proposed plans must be submitted by Sept. 22.
In lieu of providing fish passage at the tributary to Bear Creek where it intersects OR99S, ODOT proposes to complete habitat restoration work on the tributary and replace a culvert damaged by fire on another unnamed tributary to Bear Creek.
ODFW has made the initial determination that the mitigation proposed by ODOT would provide a net benefit to migratory fish. This waiver request will be presented to the Fish Passage Task Force for their recommendation at the Oct. 8 Fish Passage Task Force Meeting.
Members of the public can send written comments or request additional information from Pete Baki, ODFW-ODOT Fish Passage Liaison, 4034 Fairview Industrial Drive SE, Salem, OR 97302, or email [email protected].
The waiver application, ODFW’s benefit analysis and the draft waiver agreement can be found on the ODFW Fish Division website at https://dfw.state.or.us/fish/passage/index.asp.
Grouse And Quail
Successful Oregon forest grouse and mountain quail hunters are asked to donate a wing and tail from harvested birds to support biological research.
Hunters can deposit wings and tails in collection barrels located at major road junctions or highways in hunting areas, select ODFW offices, and popular rural markets. Barrels include paper bags for submitting samples. Place one entire wing and the whole tail (with small rump feathers still attached) in a paper bag and label it with the harvest date, county, and general location. Use one paper bag per wing and tail.
Each year, biologists hold a “wing bee” to examine each sample and identify species, estimate hatch date for young birds, and determine age, sex, and whether females likely nested successfully. This information provides a ratio of young to adults to track annual production, average hatch date for each region, and the proportion of each age and sex in the harvest. These metrics help track the overall health of Oregon’s forest grouse and mountain quail populations and inform decisions regarding hunting dates, season length, and bag limits.
Hunters can find out where to donate at https://myodfw.com/articles/forest-grouse-and-mountain-quail-hunters-turn-wings-and-tails.
Clam Advisory
The Department of Fish and Wildlife recommends people avoid harvesting and consuming softshell and bay clams from Alsea Bay estuary after the Oregon Health Authority issued a recreational use advisory for Eckman Lake in Lincoln County due to the presence of cyanobacteria and very high saxitoxin (paralytic shellfish toxin) levels.
With Eckman Lake draining directly into the Alsea Bay estuary and that saxitoxins can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning, ODFW recommends that people avoid harvesting and eating softshell and bay clams harvested from the estuary.