HUNTING SEASONS IN OREGON 2025–26: Deer Hunting, Big Game and Small Game, Licenses, and Regulations Guide

Plan your 2025–26 OR hunt with our state‑by‑state guide—season dates, bag limits, licenses, bow & rifle rules, and key game species from mule deer to elk to ducks. Whether you’re glassing a rutting buck atop Cascade foothills, slipping through coastal fir groves for black‑tailed deer, or running decoys for mallards in Willamette Valley wetlands, Oregon’s mountains, forests, and marshes deliver premier big game and small game opportunities under clear regulations. What Is There to Hunt in Oregon? Oregon supports a diverse array of game: Big Game: Mule deer, black‑tailed deer, Rocky Mountain elk, pronghorn antelope, black bear, cougar, bighorn sheep (limited draw) Small Game & Upland Birds: Cottontail rabbit, snowshoe hare, gray squirrel, mountain quail, chukar, ring‑necked pheasant, ruffed grouse Waterfowl & Migratory Birds: Ducks (mallard, teal, wigeon), Canada geese, snow geese, coots, rails, mourning dove Furbearers & Predators: Coyote, bobcat, fox, raccoon, beaver From shrub‑steppe east to coastal rainforests, Oregon’s varied habitats sustain healthy state animal populations and well‑timed seasons. What Animals Can You Hunt Year‑Round in Oregon? On private lands with landowner permission—and the appropriate license—you may take unprotected or nuisance species such as coyote, ground squirrel, beaver, and raccoon any time of year with no closed season and no bag limits. Public Wildlife Management Units enforce posted season dates and method restrictions—always verify before you hunt. Oregon Big Game Hunting Seasons 2025–26 Mule & Black‑Tailed Deer Archery: Sept 15 – Oct 15, 2025 (Zone dependent) General Rifle: Oct 25 – Nov 30, 2025 Muzzleloader: Nov 25 – Dec 5, 2025 (selected units) Late Buck: Jan 2 – Jan 10, 2026 (few zones) Tags allocate by draw or over‑the‑counter in low‑pressure Units. Bag limit: one buck per season. Rocky Mountain Elk Archery (OTC in Elk Units): Sept 1 – Oct 1, 2025 General Rifle: Oct 10 – Nov 7, 2025 Muzzleloader: Nov 20 – Dec 1, 2025 Controlled Hunts: Variable by zone (draw only) Elk harvests manage populations in eastern and coastal ranges; one bull or cow per tag. Pronghorn Antelope General Rifle: Sept 10 – Oct 5, 2025 (Units 2 & 3) Limited‑Entry: Sept 15 – Sept 25, 2025 (Unit 4 draw) Antelope tags awarded by quota draw; bag limit of one buck per season. Black Bear & Cougar Bear Archery: Aug 15 – Sept 30, 2025 Bear Rifle: Oct 1 – Oct 31, 2025 Cougar Season: Nov 1 – Mar 31, 2026 (quota tags) Bear and cougar hunts require successful draw; harvest reporting and mandatory sealing preserve data. Oregon Small Game & Waterfowl Seasons 2025–26 Upland Game & Small Mammals Cottontail Rabbit & Hare: Oct 1 – Mar 31, 2026 (8 rabbits/hares/day) Gray Squirrel: Year‑round; no closed season Pheasant (WMAs): Oct 15 – Jan 31, 2026 (2/day) Chukar & Quail: Sept 1 – Mar 31, 2026 (8/day) Grouse & Woodcock: Sept 1 – Nov 30, 2025 (3/day) Shotguns with non‑toxic shot required; dogs permitted on public lands per WMA rules. Waterfowl & Migratory Birds Early Teal: Sept 6 – Sept 26, 2025 Regular Duck Seasons: Nov 14 – Dec 12 & Dec 26 – Jan 31, 2026 (zones split) Goose: Nov 14 – Jan 31, 2026 (Canada & white geese) Rails & Coots: Sept 1 – Nov 9, 2025 (25 & 15/day) Mourning Dove: Sept 1 – Nov 9, 2025; Dec 1 – Feb 28, 2026 Shooting Hours: Sunrise – sunset; Federal Duck Stamp, HIP, and state waterfowl stamp required Pacific Flyway migrations draw hunters to coastal bays and interior reservoirs; daily duck limit is 7 with species sub‑limits. Bag Limits by Species Mule & Black‑Tailed Deer: 1 buck/tag Elk: 1 bull or cow per tag Pronghorn: 1 buck per tag Bear & Cougar: 1 per tag Ducks: 7/day; sub‑limits on teal, mallard, pintail Geese: 5/day Rails & Coots: 25 & 15/day Pheasant, Chukar, Quail: 2, 8, 8/day respectively Rabbit & Hare: 8/day Coyote & Squirrel: No limits on private lands Bag limits ensure sustainable harvests across big and small game species. License & Tags Information for Oregon Hunters (2025–26) All hunters must carry a valid Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) license and appropriate tags: Resident Hunting License: $35; Nonresident: $240 Big Game Tags: $12–$370; OTC or draw application Waterfowl Stamp & HIP: $20; Federal Duck Stamp required Furbearer License: $50; includes bobcat, coyote, nutria Hunter Education: Certification mandatory for hunters under 18 and new licensees Licenses fund habitat management, fish and wildlife research, and enforcement; draw applications open mid‑summer. Hunting Methods: Bow, Rifle, Muzzleloader ODFW authorizes: Archery: Compound, recurve bows, crossbows (season dependent) Firearms: Center‑fire rifles, shotguns (slugs & buckshot) during rifle seasons Muzzleloaders: Single‑shot black‑powder firearms during designated windows Dogs & Bait: Permitted for waterfowl retrievers and upland hunting on designated WMAs; predator hunts on private lands Ensure compliance with caliber, draw weight, and non‑toxic shot requirements to maintain legal, ethical hunts. Regulations & Resources ODFW regulations cover: Shooting Hours: Sunrise – sunset (small game may extend to legal sunset) Hunt Unit Maps & Boundaries: Detailed GIS maps for big game units and WMAs Harvest Reporting: Mandatory for deer, elk, pronghorn, bear within 48 hrs via Online License System Special Areas: Wildlife Areas, bird refuges, CWD surveillance zones Before you head out, always verify season dates, bag limits, and license requirements on the official Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife website to stay compliant and ensure a legal, ethical hunt. This guide was created based on information from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW): https://myodfw.com/big-game-hunting/seasons