SALEM – Oregon 's Fish and Wildlife Commission today
adopted game bird regulations for the 2006-07 season.
Major changes adopted include a new controlled fall turkey hunt in
the John Day watershed and two new goose hunting zones to address
depredation problems on private agricultural land.
Below is a summary of the regulations adopted today:
New Fall Turkey Hunt, John Day Watershed: Season
Sept. 30-Nov. 30 in eight wildlife management units, bag limit of one
turkey, 300 tags, application deadline Sept. 12. Hunters are reminded
only one fall turkey tag is allowed.
Sage grouse: Regulations are unchanged from last
year and remain among the most conservative in Western states,
reflecting Oregon 's participation in a range-wide plan to protect sage
grouse. Season Sept. 9-17 in 12 wildlife management units, daily/season
bag limit of two sage grouse, 1,300 permits available, application
deadline Aug. 28.
Ducks: The Commission approved another liberal
107-day duck season with a daily bag limit of one canvasback and one
pintail for the full season. The daily bag limit for scaup remains three
birds. Season dates are Oct. 14-29 and Nov. 1-Jan. 28 in Zone 1 and Oct.
7-Dec. 5 and Dec. 8-Jan. 21 for Zone 2. New: The Commission adopted
proposed changes to hunting in the Fern Ridge Wildlife Area that will
change hunting days and times in some areas in order to better attract
and distribute waterfowl and improve hunter success
Goose: Most zones continue a 100-day season with a
liberal bag limit of four dark geese and five white geese. Openings are
concurrent with duck openers in most areas. NEW: Two new goose zones
adopted include a new south coastal zone for Coos, Curry and Douglas
counties west of Highway 101 with some hunting targeting Aleutian Canada
geese allowed in late February and early March. The second new zone is
in Klamath County and allows late February and early March hunting for
white-fronted geese.
The Commission also approved several special hunting opportunities
including 12 youth upland game hunts statewide during one of three
weekends in September; a Becoming and Outdoors Woman Pheasant Hunt in
Denman Wildlife Area Sept. 16-17; Western Oregon Fee Pheasant Hunts in
Denman WA (Sept. 25-Oct. 13), E.E. Wilson (Oct. 1-31), Fern Ridge (Sept.
11-Oct. 8), and Sauvie Island (Sept. 18-Oct. 1) and a statewide youth
waterfowl hunt (Sept. 23-24).
The game bird season regulations will be available Aug. 18 at ODFW
offices and license retailers statewide, as well as on the ODFW Web
site, www.dfw.state.or.us
The Commission is the policy-making body for fish and wildlife issues
in the state. The seven-member panel meets monthly. The next regular
Commission meeting is Sept. 8 in Reedsport.