A dog was killed by a doe in a yard in east Medford. An Ashland woman was attacked while walking her dog on the Southern Oregon University Campus.
ODFW is receiving reports of aggressive deer throughout Ashland, east Medford and even in Jacksonville. A total of 15 reports have been received since June, most since June 14.
At this time of year, black-tailed deer are raising their fawns, and will protect them against dogs or other perceived threats. Bucks are more likely to be aggressive during the rut in October-November, but can exhibit this behavior all year when they are being fed. Most recent complaints about aggressive deer involve does, but one report was about an aggressive buck.
Feeding wildlife also causes aggression, as animals that will typically avoid people start coming to them for food. Deer will eat landscaping in residential neighborhoods like Ashland, and some residents intentionally feed them. (Note that City of Ashland ordinance 9.08.280 prohibits the feeding of deer and some other wildlife.)
“People in Ashland tolerate deer eating their landscaping because they love having them around, until they start to get aggressive like they are now,” said Matthew Vargas, assistant district wildlife biologist. “The best way to keep them away is to not feed them. You can also spray a garden hose at them if they are in your yard—any kind of hazing that doesn’t actually harm them.”
“Dogs can also spark aggression, especially in does caring for fawns,” continued Vargas. “Dog owners might consider not walking their dog in areas where these deer problems are happening, at least for a few weeks, until fawns become more mobile and does less protective.”
ODFW recommends residents in these areas take the following steps:
– Don’t approach deer. Keep your distance from them.
– Keep dogs on a leash.
– Don’t pick up fawns or get near them. Does are protective of fawns, and may also leave them alone for periods to go off and forage on their own.
– Don’t feed wildlife. It habituates them to people which makes them less afraid and more aggressive.
– Stay alert, especially at dawn and dusk. Be aware of your surroundings and areas where deer may be.
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Fall turkey hunters need to be aware of some changes for this season.
There are now two tags available for the fall season: general eastern Oregon and general western Oregon.
Quotas on the numbers of tags that can be sold have been lifted, though hunters are still limited to two fall turkey tags of which only one may be an eastern Oregon tag.
Fall turkey season now runs through the end of January, though eastern Oregon hunters are limited to harvesting birds on private land only beginning Dec. 1.
The White River Wildlife Management Unit is now closed to fall turkey hunting, to allow population numbers to recover and provide more opportunity during the popular spring season. (White River WMU is the most popular destination to spring turkey hunt in Oregon.) See the regulations for more details.
Other changes include:
n All eastern Oregon counties are now open to mountain quail hunting with a two-bird bag limit. Hood and Wasco Counties are now included in the eastern Oregon bag limit.
n The scaup (bluebill) daily bag limit has been reduced to two.
n A new Veteran and Active Military Personnel Waterfowl Hunt Day is scheduled for Feb. 6, 2021.
Other changes in the regulations are shown in highlighted yellow text.
The Oregon 2020-21 Game Bird Regulations are now available in stores and online at http://www.eregulations.com/oregon/game-bird (the hyphen is part of the url).
Fall turkey tags and 2020-21 Upland Game Bird, Waterfowl, and HIP validations went on sale July 1 online and at ODFW license agents.
Hunters who have already purchased a Sports Pac are reminded that they need to redeem their vouchers for their Upland Game Bird and Waterfowl Validations before hunting this fall.
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Bureau of Land Management officials have updated the 2020 prohibitions regarding the use of fire-causing materials on BLM lands to include the prohibition of using metal targets throughout Oregon and Washington.
This is in addition to the original prohibition of using fireworks, exploding targets, and tracer or incendiary devices. The prohibition is effective through Oct. 31.
“We need everyone to take an active role in preventing human-caused wildfires this year since the Pacific Northwest is predicted to have an extremely dry summer. To prevent these fires, we all have to follow these prohibitions,” said Barry Bushue, state director, BLM Oregon/Washington.
BLM officials recommend the following fire safety precautions for recreational target shooting:
Avoid target shooting on days with hot, dry, and/or windy conditions.
Ensure target areas are clear of dry grass, vegetation, and rocks for at least 20 feet around the target.
Have a proper backstop.
Bring water, a fire extinguisher, and a shovel.
Do not use prohibited items: metal targets, tracer or incendiary devices, and exploding targets.
People violating these prohibitions can be fined up to $1,000 and/or receive a prison term of up to one year.
In addition, people responsible for starting wildland fires on federal lands can be billed for the cost of putting out the fire.
An incendiary device is defined as any firebomb or device designed or specially adapted to cause physical harm to persons or property by means of fire, consisting of an incendiary substance or agent and a means to ignite it.
Examples include, but are not limited to, flamethrowers, Molotov cocktails or accelerants.
For updated information on public use restrictions on BLM OR/WA public lands, visit the BLM OR/WA fire restrictions page.
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Governor’s Task Force on the Outdoors members have delivered their recommendations in the 2020 Framework for Action.
The framework presents a comprehensive approach for ensuring long-term social, environmental and economic sustainability of outdoor recreation in Oregon. It is available at http://www.oregon.gov/orec/Documents/OREC-Gov-Task-Force-Outdoors-2020.pdf .
Gov. Brown first directed the Office of Outdoor Recreation within the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department in early 2019 to convene a diverse task force to strategize and recommend policies, legislation and initiatives to:
Support economic development in both rural and urban areas
Balance improved outdoor recreation access with resource protection
Increase outdoor recreation participation, especially among youth and traditionally underserved communities.
The task force created the 2020 Framework for Action by building on work from public agencies, nonprofits, and national groups to target Oregon’s attention on five key areas:
Serve everyone: ensure outdoor recreation opportunities are diverse, equitable, and inclusive.
Unite centrally: strengthen collaboration and organizational effectiveness among state leaders.
Cooperate locally: empower local and statewide action on the ground among public and private organizations.
Invest: accelerate public and private investments in the outdoor recreation sector.
Act boldly: catalyze innovative policies and legislation.
The 33-member task force held six meetings around the state over the last year. Members hailed from business, nonprofit, education, and land management organizations. It was managed by Office of Outdoor Recreation Director Cailin O’Brien-Feeney, and chaired by Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commissioner Jonathan Blasher.
“It’s been an honor to serve along a great group of folks to create and strengthen relationships in this sector while developing an important body of work,” said Blasher. “Many people beyond this group will need to help achieve these goals and bolster the recreation economy while bridging divides with a sense of equity and inclusion.”
The report sets out a five-year strategy that begins immediately. Every function of government is being challenged to fund and staff services, even ones most people accept as important, and few things are as integral to the Oregon identity as a love of the outdoors.
The Office of Outdoor Recreation, charged with guiding this work forward with help from the full spectrum of public and private organizations, is not immune to these forces and the director’s position is subject to lay off by the end of 2020.
“What’s clear is just how important being outdoors is to people right now, and will be in rebuilding our economy. This report lays out a plan, but it’s up to outdoor enthusiasts, my fellow agency peers and our elected leadership to think creatively and act boldly. With fewer resources and strong interest in outdoor recreation, that need has never been more pressing,” said O’Brien-Feeney.
The work set out by the task force will result in a series of agreements and execution plans between public and private organizations between now and December, setting out clear next steps with measurable results for each of the five priority actions.
Ultimately the framework focuses on these top recommendations:
Serve everyone: Advance accessibility and universal design principles.
Unite centrally: Appoint a stakeholder group to advise the Office of Outdoor Recreation.
Cooperate locally: Conduct a statewide outdoor recreation inventory and gap analysis.
Invest: Address County search and rescue needs.
Act boldly: Reassess recreational immunity and liability provisions.
For more information on the task force, Office of Outdoor Recreation and the final Framework for Action, please visit: https://www.oregon.gov/orec/Pages/Governors-Task-Force.aspx