Below is a news release from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Northeast Oregon hunters should be aware that several Travel Management Areas (TMAs) listed in the 2023 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations as having a change for this year will operate under 2022 rules instead.
ODFW made changes to TMAs for 2023 when the Commission adopted regulations back in September 2022. Most of the changes started TMAs at an earlier date or included a specific date the TMA was in effect (for example, start date of Aug. 20 rather than three days before archery season). The purpose of the changes was to protect wildlife habitat, improve the hunting experience and make the regulations more consistent and understandable for all visitors.
But as portions of these TMAs are on U.S. Forest Service lands, a separate public process is needed to adopt them. That USFS process is not yet complete.
Instead of what’s printed in the regulations, the following rules will be in effect for the TMAs and winter range closures listed below (in most cases, reversion to 2022 rules):
- Dark Canyon (Sumpter): Three days prior to opening of controlled buck deer season (g. archery season) through the close of the last elk season.
- Patrick Creek (Sumpter): Three days prior to the opening of controlled buck deer season (g. archery season) through the close of the last elk season and May 1-June 30.
- Clear Creek (Starkey): Three days prior to the opening of the deer and elk archery season through the close of Rocky Mtn bull elk second season.
- Trail Creek (Starkey): Three days prior to the opening of Rocky Mtn bull elk first season through the close of Rocky Mtn bull elk second season.
- Indian Creek-Gorham Butte (Starkey): Three days prior to the opening of deer and elk archery season through the close of Rocky Mtn bull elk second season.
- Bald/Angel: Not in effect for the 2023 season.
- Chesnimnus: Three days prior to 1st Chesnimnus any legal weapon bull elk season through the end of the 2nd Chesnimnus any legal weapon bull elk season.
- Grouse-Lick Canal (Imnaha): Three days prior to the opening of Rocky Mtn bull elk first season through the close of Rocky Mtn bull elk second season.
- Lake Fork-Dutchman (Pine Creek): Three days prior to the opening of archery season to end of all elk any legal weapon seasons and from May 1 to July 1.
- Okanogan-Fish (Pine Creek): Three days prior to opening of buck deer any legal weapon season to end of all elk any legal weapon season and from May 1 to July 1.
- McCarty Winter Range: Dec. 15-March 31 (not through April 30)
Find GeoPDF maps of several TMAs with the correct dates for 2023 at the following link: https://myodfw.com/articles/hunting-maps or on the ODFW storefront on Avenza, https://store.avenza.com/collections/oregon-department-of-fish-and-wildlife
The purpose of TMAs is to protect wildlife habitat, reduce disturbance of wildlife from motorized vehicles and help keep big game from shifting to private land during hunting seasons.
Research conducted at Starkey Experimental Forest shows that elk avoid roads that are open to motorized vehicle use, whether this is on-road vehicles or ATVs. A 2022 study by ODFW found avoidance of roads was even stronger during hunting seasons. This pattern of avoiding roads has been observed throughout North America and is typically one of the strongest factors affecting habitat use by elk.
Travel Management Areas (TMA) restrict motorized access on certain roads and are in effect in parts of the state during hunting seasons and other times of year. TMAs protect wildlife habitat, reduce disturbance of wildlife from motorized vehicles and can help keep big game from shifting to private land during hunting seasons.
(Photo credit: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife)