Get ready for spring turkey

The spring turkey hunting season opens April 15. To help plan for the upcoming season, ODFW offers a variety of turkey hunting information. And that’s not counting these 10 tips for taking toms.

Watch for whales

Gray whales will be visible from the Oregon coast during their annual northern migration – usually lasting from the end of March into June. Learn more about good places to spot them.

Sign up for hunter education

If there’s a young, first-time hunter in your household who hopes to hunt this fall, why not get their hunter education completed now? All hunters 17 and younger must complete hunter education before they hunt in Oregon. Kids will need to take the course online or in person before they attend a field day.

Best bets for weekend fishing

• Though the steelhead season is winding down in many areas, hard-core chrome anglers can still find fish on the North Coast in the Nestucca and Wilson rivers, and further south in the upper and middle Rogue.
• Most steelhead anglers are moving to spring Chinook in the lower Rogue and Umpqua rivers.
• The Chinook seasons are well-underway in the Columbia and Willamette rivers.
• There’s lots of trout being stocked in locations throughout the state – especially in the lower elevations of the NW, SW and Willamette zones, and small community ponds on the eastside. Check the zone reports for details.
• This is a good time of year to target surfperch as they school up near shore for spawning.