THE FOLLOWING IS A PRESS RELEASE FROM THE OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
The Commission adopted the 2027 Big Game Regulations at their meeting in La Grande today, setting seasons that offer a wide and varied range of hunting opportunities.
The approved regulations include hunts for deer, elk, pronghorn, black bear, cougar, bighorn sheep, and Rocky Mountain goats, providing a mix of traditional big game opportunities along with some of the state’s most challenging and sought after special hunts.
Seasons and tag numbers will be similar to 2026 but for calendar shifts. Printed regulations will be available in late November.
Hunters will see some changes to western Oregon elk hunts in 2027. For any legal weapon coast elk hunts, the spike-only bag limit will shift from the second period to the first period, a change meant to more evenly distribute hunters across the two periods. Three Wildlife Management Units will shift from two any bull elk bag limit periods to one any bull period and one spike-only period, a change meant to raise bull ratios back up to management objectives.
Cow harvest will be reduced in the West Cascades hunt by removing antlerless elk from the bag limits of the General Archery Season Tag, Santiam Unit Traditional Bow hunt (216R1), Cascade Muzzleloader tag (200M), and for holders of an Oregon Hunting and Fishing Disability Permit (PDP tag). The Cascades Elk population continues to be below population management objectives.
After hearing testimony from more than 25 people both supporting and opposing the proposal and considering biological data showing a need for targeted action, the Commission approved a cougar target area by a 6–0 vote with one abstention. The three-year cougar target area is intended to temporarily reduce predation pressure during a planned bighorn sheep augmentation needed to increase genetic diversity in the Trout Creek Mountains’ resident sheep population. The low level of genetic diversity is limiting the growth of the population, despite relatively good habitat conditions and lack of disease.
ODFW will remove no more than 18 cougars over three years in the Trout Creek Mountains (Harney County) to support the upcoming translocation. This short-term action is designed specifically to reduce predation on the newly translocated, naïve sheep, which are unfamiliar with the landscape and especially vulnerable in their first months after release. The measure is temporary and narrowly focused, reflecting evidence that cougar predation was the primary cause of mortality during the previous translocation effort for this herd.
In other business, the Commission:
Access and Habitat funding: Approved funding for projects that open public hunting access to private land or improve wildlife habitat. Projects were recommended by the A&H board. Commissioners also approved some changes to address concerns about insurance coverage costs from participating landowners.
Sale of John Day Watershed District Office and land in Pendleton: Approved the sale of ODFW’s old Pendleton office site of 40.54 acres to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The land is located within the boundaries of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) and includes a fish acclimation facility that has been operated by CTUIR for many years. ODFW’s new office will be at 1502 SW 37th St. in Pendleton.
Coquille Wildlife Area Acquisition: Approved the acquisition of 528 acres of land in Coos County adjacent to the existing Coquille Wildlife Area, expanding it to 1,224 acres. The acquisition will help protect and restore habitat, benefiting a number of species, and improve public access to the area.
A recording of the meeting is available online at ODFW’s YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/@MyODFW/streams
