Sign up now for youth pheasant hunts in September

SALEM, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and its partners will be sponsoring 14 pre-season upland bird hunts in September for young hunters under age 17. Registration for these hunts begins on Sept. 2.

According to James Reed, ODFW hunter education coordinator, these pre-season pheasant and upland bird hunts allow young and possibly inexperience hunters to hunt before the season opens and other hunters are in the field.

“These early hunts offer young hunters a good chance at bagging a bird,” Reed said.

In conjunction with many of the youth hunts, ODFW will be holding free shotgun skills clinics where participants will learn basic shotgun skills and shoot some sporting clays.

Pre-registration is required for youth hunts. No registration for the shotgun skills clinics is required; participants can arrive anytime between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Refer to pages 22-23 of the 2010 Oregon Game Bird Regulations for complete information about the hunts and clinics.

Season dates for youth upland bird hunts are:

Sept. 11-12

• Fern Ridge Wildlife Area (WA) near Eugene. No advanced registration necessary.  Call (541) 935-2591 for more information. 
• Ladd Marsh WA (Lakeview), call 541-963-4954 for information. Shotgun skills clinic both days.
• Klamath WA (Klamath Falls), call (541) 883-5732 to register. Shotgun skills clinic both days.
• Sauvie Island WA (Portland), call (503) 621-3488 to register. Shotgun skills clinic both days.
• Mid-Columbia (Wasco and Sherman counties), call (541) 296-4628 to register. Hunt takes place on private lands. Shotgun skills clinic both days.
• Ontario-Vale area, Paul Parker Memorial Youth Hunt, call (541) 889-6975 to register. Hunt takes place on cooperating private lands. Shotgun skills clinic on Sept. 11.

Sept. 18-19

• Denman WA (Central Point), call (541) 826-8774 to register.  Shotgun skills clinic both days.
• E.E. Wilson WA (Monmouth near Corvallis), call (541) 745-5334 to register. 
• John Day, call (541) 575-1167 to register. Hunt takes place on private lands in John Day valley.   Shotgun skills clinic both days.
• Baker City, call (541) 963-2138 to register. Hunt takes place near Baldock Slough Wetlands Project. Shotgun skills clinic both days.
• Willow Creek (Madras area), call (541) 447-5111 to register. 

Sept. 19

• Heppner area, call (541) 676-5230 to register. Hunt takes place in private lands in southern Morrow County.  

Sept. 25-26:

• E.E. Wilson WA (Monmouth), call (541) 745-5334 to register. Shotgun skills clinic both days
• Irrigon WA (Irrigon), call (541) 276-2344 to register. Shotgun skills clinic both days

Hunters 17 years and younger may participate in the pheasant hunts; they must be accompanied by one adult who does not hunt. Each hunter must have in possession a hunter education certificate, HIP validation and a permit for the area hunted. Hunters 14 years or older also must have a valid juvenile hunting license with an upland game bird validation.

All hunters, and accompanying adults, must wear a blaze orange hat, shooting glasses and vest. In most cases, hunters also must provide their own shotguns and shells.

Shotgun skills clinics are open to youth 17 and younger. No hunter education, license or validation is required to participate. ODFW will provide instruction, shotguns, shells, clays, and ear and eye protection.

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