ODFW News: approves tags for limited entry hunts

[Pete]

For Immediate Release Friday, June 9, 2006

Commission approves tag numbers for limited entry big game hunts

SALEM - The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission today approved 138,206 hunting tags for this year's limited entry hunts for deer, elk, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, cougars, and Rocky Mountain goats, a three percent increase from tags approved in 2005.

The Commission considered ODFW staff recommendations crafted using the latest population data available, results of hunter harvest surveys from last year, input from 24 public meetings held throughout Oregon in May and public correspondence.

The Commission also approved a bag limit of one deer during buck seasons for archery deer hunters in 17 Wildlife Management Units and one antlerless or legal bull elk during bull seasons for archery elk hunters in 44 WMUs. The same limits apply to deer and elk hunters with disability permits in the designated units.

The controlled hunt drawing process will now begin to award controlled hunt tags to hunters who applied by the May 15 controlled hunt application deadline. Results will be available by June 20. Hunters who were unsuccessful in the controlled hunt drawing may choose to hunt in a general season for elk and / or western Oregon deer.

There is no limit on the number of general season tags sold. Cougar and fall bear hunting seasons also are managed as general seasons.

The following summarizes the Commission's actions today.

Deer:
The Commission approved 80,338 deer tags, a two percent decrease from last year. The decrease is primarily due to a 12 percent decrease in antlerless tag numbers.

Elk:
The Commission approved 54,357 total elk tags, an 8 percent increase over last year. The change represents a 10 percent increase in bull and either-sex elk tags and a 2 percent decrease in antlerless tags. The total controlled tags for Rocky Mountain elk increased 12 percent, while Roosevelt elk tags decreased 3 percent. The modifications reflect the move from general season to controlled hunts in south-central and northeast Oregon.

In a change from last year, the new standard bag limit for general season archers is one legal bull. The change is needed because elk populations are struggling in some areas of Oregon. In areas where elk populations are healthy, or where the Commission adopts major sub-unit or major unit-wide firearms hunts for antlerless animals, the authorized general archery bag limit will include antlerless elk.

For 2006, the Commission adopted rules allowing antlerless elk to be taken during archery bull seasons in 44 units. Hunters with permanent disability permits have the same bag limit in those designated units.

Pronghorn (Antelope):
The Commission approved a total of 3,029 pronghorn tags, a four percent increase from last year. Pronghorns continue to do well in many areas.

Bighorn Sheep:
The Commission approved 82 bighorn sheep tags, four less tags than last year, in response to concerns about recruitment and the number of mature rams available to hunters with these once-in-a-lifetime tags.

Rocky Mountain goat:
The Commission approved six Rocky Mountain goat tags, the same number as last year.

Cougar:
The Commission approved a change in cougar quotas for 2006. Overall, quotas will increase from 668 to 777. All human-caused mortalities will now be counted toward the quota; previously, only hunter-caused mortalities were counted toward the quotas.

Once a zone quota is met-through successful hunting, administrative removals, or other human-caused events-ODFW will close the cougar season in the zone and end administrative removals in the zone. Should this occur, ODFW or other agencies would still respond to individual cougar complaints in the zone.

The commission also approved the concept of expanding a second cougar tag opportunity statewide in 2007. This opportunity currently is limited to areas east of the crest of the Cascade Mountains.

The Commission also approved several "concepts" for future big game hunting in the state. These ideas will be considered for adoption at the October 6, 2006 Commission meeting in Salem.

The Commission approved the concept for 7,283 spring bear tags for 2007, an increase of 8 percent from 2006, plus 201 youth spring bear tags.
Beginning in 2007, the Cascade Head hunting area near Lincoln City would be expanded from 10.5 square miles to 21.25 miles. The current restrictions on firearm use would remain unchanged.

Staff also informed the Commission of plans to change two youth-only (for hunters age 12-17) deer hunts in south-central Oregon in the year 2010. The hunts will be changed from 600 series to 100 series hunts, allowing only one-buck opportunity annually for youth. The change will affect preference points for some, so youth hunters and adults involved should plan ahead for this change.

The Commission is the policy making body for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The seven-member panel meets monthly. The next scheduled Commission meeting is July 7 in McMinnville.