Oregon Hunting Seasons, 2023-2024
The Pacific Northwest is known for its lush, dense forests and rainy weather, but the state of Oregon should also be commended for its popularity among hunters. Within this West Coast state, hunters can bag a plethora of game, including deer, elk, bear, cougar and pronghorn. Oregon also offers several small game seasons to round out a year of hunting.
Looking for license and regulations information for hunting in the great state of Oregon? Be sure to visit the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife for details.
Oregon Black Bear Seasons
| General Season | Aug. 1-Dec. 31 |
Season dates vary by zone. Many of the state’s hunts are controlled hunts, and hunters must have permits to hunt black bears.
Oregon Cougar Seasons
| General Season | Jan. 1-Dec. 31 |
Cougar seasons run until Dec. 31 or until area hunting quotas are met. It is unlawful to take spotted kittens or female cougars with spotted kittens.
Oregon Pronghorn Seasons
| General Season | Aug. 19-Oct. 29** |
**Season dates vary by zone. Pronghorn hunting in Oregon is limited to one bagged animal per season — buck, doe, or fawn depending on your hunting area.
Oregon Rocky Mountain Goat/Bighorn Sheep Seasons
| General Season | Aug. 15-Oct. 31** |
**Season dates vary by zone. Bighorn sheep ram hunts are considered once-in-a-lifetime hunts, however hunters can harvest ewes more frequently.
Oregon Deer Seasons
| Firearm | Oct. 7-Nov. 10 |
| Archery | Sept. 2-Oct. 1 |
Many of Oregon’s deer seasons are controlled hunt seasons, which require specialty permits; beginning in 2021, all eastern Oregon archery hunts are controlled hunts, whil ethose in western Oregon are not.
Oregon Elk Seasons
| General Season | Nov. 11-Dec. 1** |
| Archery | Sept. 2-Oct. 1 |
**Season dates vary greatly in some regions of the state based on specific hunting units. Many of Oregon’s elk seasons are controlled hunt seasons, which require specialty permits.
Oregon Small Game Seasons
| Western Gray Squirrel | Sept. 1-Nov. 15** |
| Badger | Open Season |
| Coyote | Open Season |
| Nutria | Open Season |
| Opossum | Open Season |
| Porcupine | Open Season |
| Spotted and Striped Skunk | Open Season |
| Weasel | Open Season |
**Season dates may vary by region. Visit the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife website for more information.
Bag limits, special seasons and hunting regulations for Oregon hunting seasons do vary based on animal and seasons, as the state is divided into hunting units with differing rules and regulations. For more information on obtaining licenses, permits and regulations, visit the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife website.