Oregon has a mandatory harvest reporting rule for big game and turkey. By the end of each hunting season, each hunter who purchased a deer, elk, cougar, bear, pronghorn or turkey tag needs to complete a short survey — even if the hunter didn’t hunt or was unsuccessful. Hunter reporting helps game managers understand harvest and hunter effort data so that they can better manage game populations. For deer and elk, ODFW charges a $25 fee if you don’t report.
For instructions on harvest reporting, read this “Report Your Hunt” article on Myodfw.com.
PRO TIP Some people report false harvest information because they believe ODFW will share hunt data with other people or use it in ways that adversely affect their hunting success. This is a silly myth in the Oregon hunting community. Be sure to report accurate information so that wildlife managers can make good choices about tag numbers and allocations.