2021 Big Game Regulationsand Tag Numbers

OregonFish and Wildlife Commission

September 11, 2020

1

Presentation Overview

• Process for Big Game Regulation development

• Public Outreach and Information─ Approach─ Online Forum and Survey Results

─ Input on Proposals

• 2021 Regulations Proposals─ General Regulations─ Species Specific: season dates, tag numbers, etc.

2

Process for Adoption of Hunting Seasons

• Fall to Spring: Biological data collection

• March to June: Internal data analysis

• July: Public outreach

• September: Commission adoption

• November: Print following year regulations

• December: Begin selling licenses and tags

3

Process for Adoption of Hunting Seasons

• Typically not many changes year-to-year

• Big Game Review has led to some differences

• Priority investment in human dimensions research

• Increased outreach and information to public and constituent groups

• Dedicated, full time project lead

• Increased communication with the Commission

4

Public Information, Outreach and Opportunity for Input

5

Approach• Collect hunter input early, prior to developing

draft proposals

• Survey of randomly selected hunters

• Staff development of potential proposals

• Collect additional hunter input on proposals we are considering

• Release final Department proposals for Commission process

6

Early Input to Inform Proposal Development

Mark Duda, Executive Director

Responsive Management

(Shifting to 30 minute presentation before returning to this presentation)

7

Input on Proposals Considered• Utilized this early input to develop initial

proposals for public input

• Department provided public information on proposals being considered

• Solicited for input utilizing an online comment form as well as local level outreach

• Received >2,700 comments via online form

8

Input on Proposals Considered• West Cascade Deer and Elk

• Most comments supportive of change

• Some due to improving elk hunting

• Others due to lengthening deer season

• Few were concerned about impacts on populations

9

Input on Proposals Considered• Eastern OR Archery Elk Season

• Many want or understand the need for change, but disagree on scale and method of change

• Concerned about loss of opportunity to hunt every year

• Desire to maintain general season, possibly in smaller zones with limits on tags

10

Input on Proposals Considered• Eastern OR Archery Elk Season

• Interest in reducing the number of non-resident hunters

• Use of general season as “fall back” opportunity if unsuccessful in draw

• Concept of “choose your weapon” to prevent a person who is unsuccessful in the controlled rifle draw from purchasing a general archery tag

11

Input on Proposals Considered• Eastern OR Archery Elk Season

• Concerns related to preference point use and/or accrual

• Change in Eastern OR could lead to archery hunter increase in Western OR

• General season allows flexibility to adapt to fire closures

• Feeling that proposal goes from one extreme to the other 12

Input on Proposals Considered• Eastern OR Archery Elk Season

• Most frequent comment was that predators should be reduced, not archery hunters

• Interest in having a committee of sport group leaders make the decision instead of wide public participation or surveys

• Hunter survey – disbelief by some, appreciation by others

13

Input on Proposals Considered• Eastern OR Archery Elk Season

• Quality of archery season has decreased; controlled hunt would improve experience

• Density of hunters is too high

• Not many elk remaining on public land; mostly on private

• Unfair to have very limited rifle bull hunting opportunity and unrestricted archery

14

Input on Proposals Considered• Eastern OR Archery Elk Season

• Archery technology has become too advanced and effective

• Many suggestions to only change the areas with the highest problems

• Change should have happened many years earlier

• Suggestion to phase in a change over several years 15

Input on Proposals Considered• Eastern OR Archery Deer Season

• Many expressed concern about mule deer populations

• Some suggested greater reductions in hunting opportunity

• Believe that decreasing buck harvest will increase populations

16

Input on Proposals Considered• Eastern OR Archery Deer Season

• Concerns about loss of opportunity

• Archery success rate compared to rifle

• Many comments to reduce predators, not archery hunters

• Disbelief that nutrition could impact populations

17

Development of Final Proposals• All comments received are available for review

at: MyODFW.com “Big Game Review” page

• Input received was taken into consideration when developing final Department proposals

• Provided information on August 17th, to give the public time to provide comments to Commission

18

Proposed 2021 Big Game Hunting Regulations, Seasons and Controlled

Hunt Tags

19

Section Overview• General Hunting Regulations

• Species Specific

• Western Gray Squirrel

• Bear/Cougar

• Bighorn Sheep/Mountain Goat

• Pronghorn

• Elk

• Deer 20

• Proposing to allow crossbows during “Any Legal Weapon” seasons

• Commission packet details the requirements for draw weight, stock length, safety mechanism, arrow length, and arrow point/broadhead requirements

• Currently legal to use rifle, shotgun, muzzleloader, handgun or bow

• Not proposing to allow crossbows during archery season

General Regulations

21

2021 Western Gray Squirrel Seasons

No change for 2021North-Central Oregon (Hood, White River, Metolius, Upper Deschutes, and Paulina Units)

September 15 – October 313/day, 6 in Possession

Remainder of the State September 1 – November 15 5/day, 15 in Possession

Portion of Rogue UnitJanuary 1 – December 31No Bag/Possession Limit

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Black Bear Management PlanCheck-in for all bear mortalitiesMandatory harvest reportingNew model beingdeveloped

Bear Population Monitoring

LMale Median Age

012345

Med

ian

Age

Light Harvest (L)Median Age All Bears

0123456

Med

ian

Age

Harvest sustainable if median age of males >2 years, females >4 years, and all bears >3 years

No indication of unsustainable harvest

Bear Population Monitoring

01234567

Med

ian

Age L

Heavy Harvest (H)

Moderate Harvest (M)

MM

HH

Female Median Age

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Light

Moderate

Heavy

Bear Population MonitoringSex-age criteria to assess take level of black bears in Oregon. Criteria based on 3-year running averages of all mortalities.

Criteria Light Moderate Heavy

% Males ≥5 yr old >35% 25–35% <25%

25

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%

% M

ales

5+

Light

Moderate

Heavy

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%

% F

emal

esBear Population Monitoring

Sex-age criteria to assess take level of black bears in Oregon. Criteria based on 3-year running averages of all mortalities.

Criteria Light Moderate Heavy

% Females <30% 30–40% >40%

26

Spring Bear, 2021 Season Proposals

Maintain dates: April 1 to May 31 statewide9,905 controlled hunt tags across 17 huntsContinue to protect cubs & sows with cubsContinue mandatory check-in

Spring Bear

Year Estimated Harvest Teeth Check-In

Rate2015 577 533 92%2016 580 549 95%2017 607 545 90%2018 627 594 95%2019 724 674 93%2020 * 702 * 27

General Bear, 2021 Season Proposals

Maintain dates: Aug 1 to Dec 31 statewideMaintain season structureContinue to protect cubs & sows with cubs

Continue mandatory check-in

Fall General Season

Year Estimated Harvest Teeth Check-In

Rate2016 1,003 825 82%2017 1,134 943 83%2018 1,103 935 82%2019 1,484 1,145 77%

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ZONE EBLUE

MOUNTAINS

Cougar Monitoring and Zones

ZONE ACOAST/NORTH

CASCADES

ZONE BSOUTHWEST

CASCADES

ZONE CSOUTHEAST CASCADES

ZONE FSOUTHEAST

OREGON

ZONE DCOLUMBIA BASIN

Cougar Management PlanCheck-in for all mortalitiesMandatory harvest reporting

29

Cougar Population MonitoringPlan Objective 1: ODFW will manage for a stable cougar population that are to not to fall below 3,000 cougars statewide

Statewide Population Estimate of 6,610 in 2019

Zone A: Coast/N Cascades

Zone B: SW Cascades

Zone C: SE Cascades

Zone D: Columbia Basin

Zone E: Blue Mountains

Zone F: SE Oregon

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Cougar Population MonitoringThree-year average proportion adult (3+ year old) females in the total mortality ≤ 25-35%No Cougar Zones exceed 35%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018

Prop

ortio

n Ad

ult F

emal

es

Year

Zone A Zone B Zone C Zone D Zone E Zone F

31

32

Cougar Population MonitoringZone quotas (i.e. mortality caps) include all known cougar mortalities across all agesHarvest closes when cap met but removals for damage and conflict are still permitted, and all forms of mortality are still counted

Quota

Total Mortality

Quota

Total Mortality

Zone 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019A Coast/North

Cascades 120 99 103 120 121 130 101 180 117 177 157 193 160

B SW Cascades 165 90 96 109 106 143 100 200 98 131 140 156 111C SE Cascades 65 25 20 15 24 21 17 80 25 42 43 40 23D Col. Basin 62 38 31 36 38 50 26 100 41 27 38 39 30E Blue Mts. 245 158 163 169 164 135 93 270 106 114 142 117 125F SE Oregon 120 63 69 57 77 52 45 140 42 55 51 45 42Total 777 473 482 506 530 531 383 970 427 546 571 591 491

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Cougar 2021 Season Proposals

Maintain year-round seasonMaintain season structureNo changes to Zone QuotasContinue mandatory check-inContinue to protect kittens & females with kittens

Bighorn Sheep Population Monitoring

0500

1,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,0004,5005,000

Popu

latio

n

Year

Oregon Bighorn Population Trend

California Rocky Mountain

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Bighorn Sheep Population Management

Captures Winter 2019 – 20209 animals to 30 Mile Canyon25 animals to Utah18 Sampled for Disease

Captures Planned Winter 2020 – 2021California Bighorn Disease Sampling:

• 15 animals in McClellan• 10 animals in Riverside• 20 Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge

Rocky Mtn Bighorn:• Disease Sampling in Lookout Mountain

35

Bighorn Sheep Tag & Season Proposals

Delete three Rocky Mtn ram huntsOne new California ram huntTwo new California ewe huntsFive Rocky Mountain Bighorn ram tags in 202170 California Bighorn ram tags in 202110 California Bighorn ewe tags in 2021Six nonresident tags (7%)

36

Rocky Mtn. Goat Population Monitoring

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

Popu

latio

n

Year

Oregon Rocky Mtn. Goat Population Trend

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Rocky Mtn. Goat Tag & Season Proposals

No season changes for 2021

29 Tags in 2021

Two nonresident tags (7%)

Increasing auction tag minimum bid

38

Pronghorn Population Monitoring

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

Popu

latio

n

Year

Oregon Pronghorn Population

39

Controlled Pronghorn Tag Proposals

Hunt Type2020 Tags

Buck/Either Sex 1,330Bow/Muzzleloader 648Doe 170Youth 40Premium 27Total Pronghorn 2,215

2021 Tags

% Change

1,279 -4%643 -1%143 -16%

40 0%27 0%

2,132 -4%

No season changes for 2021

40

Increasing auction tag minimum bid

020,00040,00060,00080,000

Popu

latio

n Si

ze

Year

Population MO

Elk Population StatusRoosevelt Elk

020,00040,00060,00080,000

Popu

latio

n Si

ze

Year

Population MO

Rocky Mountain Elk

41

≥100%

≤50%

51-75%

76-99%

% Of MO

Roosevelt Elk Population MOs

Elk De-Emphasis Area

Applegate

EvansCreek

Chetco

Dixon

Indigo

Santiam

McKenzie

Powers

Tioga

Siuslaw

Alsea

Stott Mtn. Trask

Wilson

SaddleMtn.

Scappoose

Metolius

FortRock

42

≥100%

≤50%

51-75%

76-99%

% Of MO

Rocky Mtn. Elk Population MOs

Elk De-Emphasis Area

SnakeRiver

Chesnimnus

SledSprings

Minam

WenahaWalla Walla

Mt. EmilyColumbiaBasinBiggs

Hood

MalheurRiver

Beulah Lookout Mtn.

Keating

Imnaha

Starkey

Desolation

Northside

MurdersCreek

Silvies

Ochoco

Maury

Grizzly

Paulina

Sumpter

WhitehorseBeatysButte

Juniper

Interstate

SilverLake

Sprague

KlamathFalls

FortRock

Pine Creek

43

050,000

100,000150,000200,000250,000300,000350,000400,000

Popu

latio

n Si

ze

Year

Oregon Mule Deer Population

Population MO

Mule Deer Population Monitoring

44

100%

≤50%

51-75%

76-99%

% Of MO

Mule Deer Population Status

SnakeRiver

Chesnimnus

SledSprings

Minam

WenahaWalla Walla

Mt. EmilyColumbiaBasinWest

Biggs

Maupin

MalheurRiver

BeulahLookout Mt.

Keating

Imnaha

Starkey

Desolation

Northside

MurdersCreek

Silvies

Ochoco

Maury

Grizzly

Paulina

WhitehorseBeatysButte

Juniper

Interstate

SilverLake

Sprague

KlamathFalls

FortRock

Metolius

Pine Creek

East Biggs

Hood

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General Elk Season ProposalsSeason Bag Limit 2021 SeasonCoast 1st Season One Bull Nov. 13–16

Coast 2nd SeasonOne Bull

Nov. 20–26One Spike Bull(Units 12, 14, 20)

West Cascade One Bull Nov. 6–12Rocky Mtn. 2nd Season One Spike Bull Nov. 6–14

General Season Elk Damage Tag Antlerless Elk

W Oregon & De-emphasis Areas,

Aug. 1 – Mar. 31;E Oregon outside

De-emphasis Areas Aug. 1 – Nov. 30

General Bow Legal Bull Aug. 29–Sept. 27

46

West Cascade General Elk• Proposing to move West Cascade elk season

three weeks later

• 2020: Oct. 17 – 23

• 2021: Nov. 6 – 12

• Improve hunting opportunity

• High public support

• Sufficient bull ratios to support the change47

Hunt Type2020 Tags

2021 Tags

% Change

Bull / Either Sex 39,903 38,125 -5%Bow/Muzzleloader 7,691 7,610 -1%Antlerless 10,561 9,652 -9%Youth 1,358 1,369 1%Premium 64 64 0%Total Elk 59,577 56,820 -5%

Controlled Elk Tag Proposals

48

Eastern Oregon Archery Elk• This issue has been the overwhelming

majority of effort and input for 2021 seasons

• High priority issue for Department due to management challenges with current general season

• Growing inequity in opportunity by weapon type, inability to manage harvest across all weapon types, and elk displacement off of public land.

• 2020 general archery elk tag sales +10% 49

Eastern Oregon Archery Elk• Objectives of proposals that we had

considered:

• Allow for tag changes for all weapon types when changes are appropriate to manage populations, bull ratio, and/or allocation of harvest

• Reduce archery hunter density where archery hunter density is believed to be impacting elk distribution

50

Eastern Oregon Archery Elk• Developed initial proposal to move from

general season with unlimited tags to controlled hunting

• Majority of hunters supported change; archery hunters divided on the issue

• Collected input on a proposal to hear impacts, preferences, concerns, etc.

• Significant amount of input received

51

Eastern Oregon Archery Elk• Based on input, we see an opportunity for

change that would:

• Meet Department objectives and help with management challenges

• Address many of the concerns expressed by both supportive and concerned hunters

52

Eastern Oregon Archery Elk• Decided to continue work and develop a

proposal for 2022 hunting season

• Received feedback concerned with status quo

• More time to develop final details and understand archery hunter preference on various options

• Also want to hear from all hunters

53

Eastern Oregon Archery Elk• Moving forward

• Status quo not a viable management option

• Eastern Oregon elk populations, particularly on public land are not an unlimited resource

• Develop proposal that will take steps toward achieving objectives and help with management challenges

• Proposal will include controlled hunting for archery elk in a portion of eastern Oregon54

Eastern Oregon Archery Elk• Moving forward

• Build upon existing information and input; not starting over

• Continue to prioritize unbiased information that takes into account hunter preferences

• Anticipate bringing forward archery elk proposals for 2022 at a time that does not conflict with archery season

55

General Deer Season Proposals

Season Bag Limit 2021 Season

Western General Deer Buck w/Visible Antler Oct. 2 – Nov. 5

Western General Bow Buck w/Visible Antler Aug. 28 – Sept. 26

NW Late Deer Bow Buck w/Visible Antler Nov. 20 – Dec. 12

SW Late Deer Bow Buck w/Visible Antler Nov. 13 – Dec. 5

56

Western Oregon General Deer• Previous Year General Deer Season

• Coast Buck Area

• West Cascade Buck Area

• West Cascade Elk Season proposed for after deer season

• Consistent Western Oregon wide general deer proposed for 2021

57

Controlled Deer Tag Proposals

Hunt Type2020 Tags

2021 Tags

% Change

Buck 45,198 43,413 -4%Bow/Muzzleloader 4,365 18,590 326%Antlerless (600) 7,568 7,530 -1%Youth 1,277 1,270 -1%Premium 67 67 0%Total Deer 58,475 70,870 21%

58

Controlled Deer Tag Proposals

Hunt Type2020 Tags

2021 Tags

% Change

Buck 45,198 43,413 -4%Bow/Muzzleloader 4,365 18,590 326%Antlerless (600) 7,568 7,530 -1%Youth 1,277 1,270 -1%Premium 67 67 0%Total Deer 58,475 70,870 21%

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Eastern Oregon Archery Deer

60

• Current general season with unlimited tags

• Significant mule population declines

• Nearly 50% decline over last 40 years

• General season no longer an appropriate management approach

Eastern Oregon Archery Deer

61

• Objectives

• Increase control over harvest

• Ability to control all harvest when changes are needed

• All units in eastern Oregon controlled hunting

• Same controlled hunt area as rifle hunts in most units

Eastern Oregon Archery Deer

62

• Eastern Oregon controlled archery tags only valid in season and area of controlled hunt

• Consistent with muzzleloader and rifle hunts

• Spreads limited harvestable resource among all hunters instead of providing multiple hunting opportunities to some hunters

• Prevents unintended impacts on western Oregon late black-tailed deer season

63