ODFW Articles
Need to figure out controlled hunts, find a place to clam, learn how to fish or get directions to a wildlife area? We've got information on all that and more, straight from ODFW biologists and other accomplished hunters, anglers and wildlife watchers.
Header image by Dave Budeau
Find all the information you need to trap or hunt furbearers in Oregon, including licensing requirements and seasons.
Furtakers Harvest...
How to fish
A quick guide to cleaning and storing the fish you catch.
How to hunt big game
Choose a conventional or online course
Hunters younger than 18 must take hunter education before they can hunt in Oregon. We also recommend hunter education for...
How to clam and crab
The Oregon Health Authority has issued an advisory for recreationally harvested softshell and gaper clams along the Oregon coast due...
How to clam and crab
How-to and where-to dig for clams on Oregon’s coast
Digging for razor and bay clams is fun, easy and tasty.
Where to fish
The south Willamette area covers the upper Willamette Basin south of Salem and includes the communities of Albany, Corvallis, Eugene...
How to fish
Crappie are scrappy, hard-fighting fish, and with a two-rod validation you can double the excitement of reeling in these delicious...
How to fish
Surf fishing is one of Oregon’s most underutilized fisheries. There are hundreds of places to fish along Oregon’s sandy beaches...
How to fish
Begun in 2014, the Tag Team Program helps ODFW fish biologists better understand the effectiveness of stocking efforts.
It’s also a...
How to fish
Opportunities from beach, pier and jetty
With some simple, inexpensive gear and a little knowledge, anglers of all ages can enjoy a day of marine fishing.
Where to fish
The John Day – Umatilla area includes the John Day River and Umatilla River basins, and Oregon’s upper reaches of...
How to fish
As temperatures heat up during spring and summer, be on the watch for harmful algae blooms when recreating in Oregon...
How to fish
You can purchase an Oregon fishing license online or at an ODFW license vendor. Here are step-by-step directions for purchasing...
Where to fish
Abundant rainfall feeds the massive Willamette River watershed, tamed by a system of reservoirs stocked annually with hundreds of thousands...
Where to fish
Hiking or camping plans getting in the way of fishing this weekend? Going to be busy kayaking or going to...
Young animals are rarely orphaned, so leave them where you find them. Chances are good mom is nearby, just waiting...
Where to fish
The southwest area follows Interstate 5 from Drain south to the Oregon-California border and includes the communities of Grants Pass...
Buying a license or permit
All anglers fishing for salmon, steelhead or sturgeon (catch-and-release and retention) on all rivers and tributaries in the Columbia River...
How to hunt big game
Hunters know how easy it is to get focused on taking “the shot.” But a lot of planning and preparation...
Where to fish
The granite peaks of Oregon’s Blue and Wallowa Mountains form the backdrop for many of this zone’s glacier-carved lakes and...
How to fish
The Buoy 10 fishery, where the Columbia River meets the Pacific, offers anglers a chance to catch Chinook and coho...
How to fish
A guide to the field identification of bull trout, brook trout, and their hybrids.
How to fish
Two commonly caught species of salmon are coho and Chinook. Fishing regulations require anglers to correctly identify salmon species as restrictions...
Hunters and anglers can still visit their local ODFW license agent to purchase and print licenses, tags and other documents...