The statewide hunting season for ruffed and blue grouse, as well as mourning doves, opened Sept. 1, and the season for most other upland game birds, including chukar, quail and rooster pheasants, starts Oct. 12.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has issued a forecast for hunting conditions around Northeastern Oregon for this fall and into the winter. Based on summer surveys, bird populations have increased in many areas, and hunting conditions should be good this fall and winter.

The hunting season for some upland species, such as chukar and quail, continues through Jan. 31, 2025.

The potential effects of the many large wildfires that combined have burned more than 1.3 million acres in the region this summer is not certain. ODFW biologists say the fires could displace some birds.

Waterfowl hunting seasons also begin Oct. 12 in many areas. A hunting forecast for waterfowl will be published in the Oct. 9 issue.

BAKER COUNTY

Upland game bird hunters should see a better-than-average year in Baker County. Favorable spring conditions and good numbers of birds last year led to good chick production this year.

Chicks were of good size, and broods were generally large. People who hunted last season in Baker County should see a very similar season this year.

Access and Habitat properties offer good upland hunting and access to public land. More information about these private properties that are open to hunting is available at www.dfw.state.or.us/lands/ah.

GRANT COUNTY

Turkey and chukar offer the best opportunities this season for upland hunters, with turkey widely distributed through the county.

Turkeys tend to congregate in large numbers in the John Day Valley, Ritter area and Monument during winter. However, many of these birds are on private land so hunters must be sure to obtain permission before hunting.

Quail, California and mountain, can be found in brushy and riparian areas throughout the county, but hunters will have to work to flush them out of cover.

Hunters will find grouse throughout national forest lands with blue grouse on ridgetops, like Strawberry Mountain or Vinegar Hill, and ruffed along brushy creek bottoms, like Murderers Creek or Camp Creek.

The Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area near Dayville, which can be a good place to hunt birds, remained closed to the public due to the Rail Ridge Fire as of Sept. 30.

MALHEUR COUNTY

Ring-necked pheasant

Last winter the county received above-average precipitation at higher elevations while mid-elevations stayed fairly open. Timing and the amount of moisture were good for nesting conditions, resulting in good brood production of upland birds.

Overall, hunters should expect to find more birds than last year. The Cow Valley and Durkee fires burned a combined 427,755 acres in northern Malheur County and southern Baker County. This includes significant portions of Cottonwood Mountain and Brogan Canyon, which are both popular chukar hunting spots. Habitat loss in these areas is going to negatively impact chukar, huns and quail in the short term.

Chukar

Surveys on established routes yielded 109 birds per 10 miles, a 127% increase from 2023 and 123% above the 10-year average of 48 birds per 10 miles. Brood production was excellent at 12.1 chicks per brood; total number of brood classified was significantly increased from last year.

Pheasants

Surveys along established routes yielded seven birds per 10 miles, a 123% increase in number of birds observed last year and 36% above the 10-year average. Chick production was good at 3.3 chicks per brood.

Hunting prospects will vary depending on the farming practices in the area where you have permission to hunt. The outlying areas around Willow Creek and Vale have higher bird numbers than areas closer to Ontario and Nyssa.

California quail

Surveys on established routes yielded 111 quail per 10 miles, a 116% increase from last year and 171% above the 10-year average. Production was excellent at 12.2 chicks per brood with good production observed in range and agricultural lands.

Mourning doves

Surveys on established routes yielded 49 doves per 10 miles, an 89% increase from last year and 43% above the 10-year average. These surveys are conducted on both pheasant and chukar routes.

MORROW, GILLIAM, WHEELER COUNTIES

Hunters should find decent numbers of uplands birds this fall. This year’s counts indicate an average number of upland birds.

Pheasant and Hungarian partridge numbers were around the average counts along with chukar, but quail were down slightly below the long-term average.

UMATILLA COUNTY

Most upland hunting is on private land, so be sure to ask permission prior to hunting. Hunters looking for public land can access the Columbia Basin Wildlife Areas, including Power City, Irrigon, Coyote Springs and Willow Creek.

Biologists have seen good numbers of quail at Irrigon and Coyote Springs. Cold Springs National Wildlife Refuge also is an option for upland hunting.

Summer brood surveys indicate that pheasant, chukar and quail populations all had good production this year. Brood route counts for chukar and pheasant were down just slightly while quail numbers showed a small increase from 2023 surveys.

This is the second year in a row of above-average upland game bird production in Umatilla County.

UNION COUNTY

The best hunting opportunities are pheasant on the Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area and forest grouse on national forests. Hunters should work ridgetops above 5,000 feet for blue grouse and stream corridors with heavy cover and water for ruffed grouse.

Ladd Marsh

Ladd Marsh is open Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays and federal holidays through Jan. 31, 2025.

Hunters can find upland game birds throughout Ladd Marsh, providing ample hunting opportunity for all. Grassland, fencerows, brush and areas adjacent to agricultural fields are good locations to key on — but don’t overlook dry and receding wetlands. The wetland habitat provides more opportunity for pheasants than all the other areas combined.

All visitors, including hunters, must have in their possession a free daily permit to access the wildlife area. Permits will be available at several self-check-in stations at entry points and parking lots. All visitors are required to have an ODFW Wildlife Area Parking Permit to park on the wildlife area. Hunters receive a free parking permit with their hunting license. Parking permits are to be displayed on the vehicle dash. Learn more about ODFW’s Wildlife Area Parking Permit Program at shorturl.at/cQ3Sf.

Call the Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area with questions, 541-963-4954.

Pheasant

The mild winter followed by a warm spring has produced a solid batch of wild birds on Ladd Marsh. Biologists are optimistic about what they’re seeing so far with large broods and birds spread across the entire wildlife area. There seems to be a good hatch of grasshoppers helping young birds grow rapidly.

Quail

This summer biologists saw several broods at varying ages, including birds in areas that haven’t had quail for many years. Covey size seems strong with groups spending most of their time in brush rows.

Wallowa County

Late winter and wet spring conditions did not seem to affect birds and were likely good for production. Moderate drought conditions throughout the summer may have impacted brood survival due to limited forage resources.

Surveys for blue and ruffed grouse indicate that blue grouse populations are still below the long-term average. Nevertheless, these species should provide fair opportunity through early October, especially in more heavily forested areas throughout the county.

Chukar remain abundant in more arid areas, specifically in patches of cheatgrass above the Imnaha River and on vegetated slopes along the Wenaha and Grande Ronde rivers.

Upland game bird hunting

Ruffed and blue grouse

Open area: statewide

Open dates: Sept. 1 to Jan. 31

Daily bag limit: 3 of each species

Possession limit: 9 of each species

Chukar and Hungarian (gray) partridge

Open area: statewide

Open dates: Oct. 12 to Jan. 31

Daily bag limit: 8

Possession limit: 24

Rooster pheasant

Open area: statewide

Open dates: Oct. 12 to Dec. 31

Daily bag limit: 2

Possession limit: 8

Quail (California and mountain)

Open area: Eastern Oregon

Open dates: Oct. 12 to Jan. 31

Daily bag limit: 10 (may not include more than 2 mountain quail)

Possession limit: 30 (may not include more than 6 mountain quail)

Bobwhite quail may be taken as part of the quail bag limit.

Wild turkey — Eastern Oregon fall

Units 36, 37 (west of Forest Road 12 and south of the northern Ochoco National Forest boundary), 38, 40, 43 — 45, 48 (area north and west of the North Fork John Day River), 49, 51 — 64, 65 (east of the western Malheur National Forest boundary) and 67

Season dates: Oct. 12 — Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 — Jan. 31

Daily bag limit: 1 turkey of either sex

Season limit: 1

Note: Dec. 1 — Jan. 31, hunting is allowed only on private lands by permission.

Units 37 (east of Forest Road 12 and north of the northern Ochoco National Forest boundary), 46, 47, 48 (area south and east of the North Fork John Day River), 50 and 65 (west of the western Malheur National Forest boundary)

Season dates: Sept. 1 — Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 — Jan. 31

Daily bag limit: 1 turkey of either sex

Season limit: 1

Note: Dec. 1 — Jan. 31, 2024, hunting is allowed only on private lands by permission.