Residents have an opportunity to comment on proposed changes to Oregon’s big game regulations at a series of meetings around the state in July. Some of the proposals are sweeping changes, and hunters need to be heard. This will be the only chance to comment before the Commission enacts rulemaking at the Sept. 13 meeting in Gold Beach.
One proposal would make spikes legal in the general western Oregon buck season and illegal in controlled 600-series antlerless hunts. Another would create a new general season antlerless elk damage tag.
Other proposed changes include:
Longer, later seasons for pronghorn, bighorn and mountain goat hunts to give hunters who draw a prized tag a later opening and more time to hunt.
• 127 existing hunts to be consolidated into 49.
• 91 hunt dates to be expanded or made simpler or consistent with other hunts.
• 85 hunt areas to be expanded to the entire unit or simpler boundaries.
• 57 bag limits to be made simpler or consistent with other hunts.
Nine new controlled hunts, including three late mule deer hunts, two mountain goat hunts and a pronghorn hunt.
An example of the influence hunters can have occurred at the June commission meeting, where OHA representatives stated the importance of keeping certain coveted 600-series hunts with an either-sex bag limit available for many interested hunters who have compiled preference points for them. The Commission then recommended that the proposal to change those hunts to 100-series buck deer hunts be dropped.
The meeting schedule is here: https://www.dfw.state.or.us/news/2019/06_Jun/062419b.asp
Chinook salmon reduced bag limit in effect
Following conservation measures adopted last week to reduce catch limits in the Nehalem Basin itself, ODFW has implemented a temporary rule modifying catch limits for adult wild Chinook salmon in the ocean immediately off the mouth of Nehalem Bay.
As of July 1, ocean anglers fishing inside the special ocean management area (defined below) will be required to abide by the same catch limits as anglers fishing inside the Nehalem River basin. Under these new temporary rules, take of adult wild Chinook salmon in this ocean area and the Nehalem Basin combined is restricted to one adult wild Chinook salmon through Sept. 15, 2019.
The rule changes do not affect other existing regulations in this ocean area. In particular, anglers will still be required to follow federal rules and use no more than two single-point, barbless hooks. Catch limits for hatchery salmon and legal size limits also remain unchanged. Salmon caught in this area will still be recorded on the combined angling tag as code “2”, not code “66” (see page 90 of the 2019 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations for location codes).
Leftover tag sale delayed until Aug. 1
The sale of about 200 leftover controlled big game hunt tags will be delayed until Thursday, Aug. 1. The process for these tags is changing this year due to ODFW’s new electronic licensing system, with leftover tags being sold exclusively online, rather than onsite at license sale agents/vendors.
ODFW is delaying the date of the sale (from July 1 to Aug. 1 at 10 a.m.) to allow more time for staff to complete User Acceptance Testing of the new process before the sale takes place.
The delay also provides additional time for hunters who want to try for a leftover tag to get ready for the new process. Hunters will need to have an active and verified MyODFW online licensing account, including a username and password, to purchase a leftover tag this year. (If you don’t have an online account yet, visit MyODFW.com and click “Buy a License” and then follow the steps to verify your account.)
