Oregon’s big game regulations open for discussion before Sept. 13 decision

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