SALEM, Ore.—ODFW would like to make hunters aware of the following changes and corrections to fall 2019 Oregon big game regulations.  Remember the deadline to apply for a controlled hunt is May 15 and applications can be changed online until June 1.

Tag numbers and season changes:

• Hunt #254M1 – Union Agr. No. 1 is being changed from a muzzleloader hunt to allow any weapon legal for elk in Oregon to more effectively address damage caused by elk becoming habituated to agricultural areas of the Grande Ronde Valley. Tag numbers will be increased to 200 (161 tags were listed in 2019 Big Game Regulations).
• Hunt 152B – Starkey Experimental Forest (buck deer) tags are being reduced from 25 to 10 to maintain the deer herd consistent with ongoing research monitoring the mule deer population as the elk herd is reduced.
• Hunt # 244A – Columbia Basin (antlerless elk) tags are being increased from 110 to 250. The hunt is in an elk de-emphasis area, the change is to address continued damage from the build-up of resident elk herds.
• Hunt # 248E – Willow Creek (antlerless elk) tags will be increased from 80 to 170 to reduce damage from resident elk that are now staying in the area year-round.

Corrections to 2019 Oregon Big Game Regulations:

• The Wenaha 1st season Spike-only elk hunt (256X) has the wrong season dates (Oct. 23-Nov. 10) printed in the hard copy 2019 Big Game Regulations. The correct dates are Oct. 23-27 and they are noted correctly in the online eregulations
• The message informing hunters they must be listed on a Landowner Permission Form to apply for Northside Private Land hunts 247A1 and 247A2 was inadvertently dropped from page 46 in the Big Game Regulations; the information is in the hunt area description on page 99.

Potential controlled burn in Fort Rock Unit may close some areas to hunting
The U.S. Forest Service is working to finalize plans for a prescribed burn within the Fort Rock Wildlife Management Unit between Sept. 1- Oct. 30, along the eastside of Crater Lake National Park extending south from Hwy 138 and west of Hwy 97.

The controlled burn operation is expected to be approximately 13,000 acres on the Fremont-Winema National Forest and 2,000 acres within Crater Lake National Park. Once prescribed burn operations begin, the area may be closed to the public for safety reasons.

This could impact some recreation opportunities in the Fort Rock WMU, especially camping and hunting. Hunters should contact the Chemult Ranger Station on the Fremont-Winema NF for more information, 541-365-7001.