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April 3, 2025
DAYVILLE, Ore.—The annual winter range closure on Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area will be extended an additional two weeks, through April 30, to provide additional protection to wintering big game as the region recovers from summer and fall wildfires.
The Falls Fire Complex and Rail Ridge Fire burned hundreds of thousands of acres in Grant County last year, including approximately 38,000 acres of the wildlife area. As a result, winter forage available for mule deer is limited.
“ODFWs east region wildlife research team and the John Day district office have documented malnourished deer, with both young and adult does at very low weights,” said Dan Somers, John Day Watershed wildlife habitat program manager. “The closure will provide an extra two weeks of undisturbed feeding for vulnerable mule deer.”
Even without fires, big game struggle to get adequate nutrition during winter months. For this reason, several wildlife areas and other public lands that serve as winter range for big game are closed to public access during the wintertime. The closures limit disturbance from vehicles, pets and people—all of which can put animals on the move and use up limited energy reserves during a vulnerable period.
Shed hunting—searching for and keeping the naturally shed antlers of male deer and elk—is one of the more popular activities on wildlife areas and winter ranges when they reopen in spring. Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area typically reopens April 15 and sees a lot of shed hunting pressure opening day and on weekends. Shed hunters are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the guidance for shed hunting in Oregon before heading out.
Despite the burn, there are already signs of green-up on Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area. In addition, some re-seeding and treatment against invasive weeds has already been completed within the burned area. Additional invasive weed treatment, re-seeding, and large-scale shrub plantings are planned in coming years.
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