Comment on Proposed Changes to Oregon's Elk Archery Season

In March of this year, representatives from your Oregon Backcountry Hunters & Anglers board were invited by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Archery Elk project team to discuss the potential archery elk changes for the 2022 hunting regulation cycle. The goal of these meetings was to review issues identified in the 2021 hunt development process, and discuss additional information and concepts developed since that time. 

Oregon BHA appreciates the decision made last year by the commission to extend the archery regulation review an additional year to conduct further stakeholder outreach. Much has been learned during this entire outreach process and Oregon BHA hopes to see this level of public outreach along with this process’s model be used in future Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife proposals. Wildlife management decisions require extensive stakeholder outreach and input to inform important decisions and Oregon BHA approached these discussions understanding that a high level of nuance would be required. 

Oregon BHA members are a diverse group, but the common thread that binds us together is an abiding sense of stewardship for our natural resources; a desire for healthy fish and wildlife populations, as well as wild places, to persist and grow in Oregon. This value has guided Oregon BHA’s input to the archery elk regulation project team throughout this entire process, and why we have continued to be heavily engaged as the proposal (which can be found here) goes before the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission for review on June 18th.

The stated goals of Oregon BHA for this proposal are to achieve the following:

1. Propose alternatives that would still provide Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife with the management flexibility to protect and enhance public resources
2. Maintain backcountry hunting opportunities and experiences across the state
3. Maintain statewide, youth and general archery tag opportunity
4. Use input from our members to inform the Oregon BHA’ssuggestions

After careful evaluation, the Oregon Chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers strongly encourages folks to click on the Action Alert below to contact your ODFW Commissioners and urge them to consider and adopt the following concepts amendments to the Initial Draft 2022 Archery Elk Proposal.

1. Adopt the creation of the Eagle Cap Zone Concept, keeping Oregon’s largest Wilderness intact.
2. Adopt either the Coast and Cascade/East General Season concept or the Single Statewide General Archery Elk season concept, keeping the Cascade Crest Wilderness’ intact.
3. Adopt a statewide General Youth Archery Elk season that would have a tag valid in most WMUs statewide, including those that are proposed to move to controlled hunting in 2022.

Adoption of these amendments not only achieves the stated goals of the ODFW project team, it will be proof that ODFW and the Commission truly value Oregon’s wild public lands, the wildlife that live there, and the experience of the archery and rifle hunters who seek the opportunity and challenges associated with Oregon’s largest blocks of intact Wilderness.

Supporters of Oregon BHA's stance on the 2022 Elk Season can contact the ODFW Commission through the form below or by clicking here.

Photo Credit: Felix Hernandez