Hunting Public Land in Oregon For Upland Birds

Most people don’t realize how much public land there is in Oregon or how many birds there are on it. Oregon has tens of thousands of acres of public ground, most of which is loaded with birds, along with quite a few refuges.

Most of the best chukar ground is BLM, open to the public. Some is close to amenities, and some is really remote. Maps are available through the BLM, and camping areas, topography, roads, etc., are labeled.

Grouse hunting in Oregon is pretty much all public land controlled by the Forest Service or BLM. There are many campgrounds throughout good grouse country. I’m not a door knocker, personally, so I mostly hunt public ground throughout the state. There is also a book available called Wingshooter’s Guide to Oregon that outlines open wildlife areas and refuges. With a little bit of research, you can hunt for days and not have to ask permission.

Let me note that quail are in most of these areas, too. You might not find a lot of pheasants, but there are refuges that stock birds. Information on these areas is available from ODFW.

I hope I have touched on this enough to help get you started. Maybe I’ll even see you out in the field. Good luck.

List of references for public ground bird hunting in Oregon:

Wingshooter's Guide to Oregon (Wilderness Adventures Wingshooter's Guide Series) (Wilderness Adventures Wingshooting Guidebook)

BLM: http://www.blm.gov/or/index.php

Forest Service: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/pdx/forests.shtml#oregon

Upland Bird Synopsis: http://www.dfw.state.or.us/

Endless maps and info on the internet.

Article By Professional Dog Trainer Ed Hall