2021 Hunting Public Access Program – Applications begin July 12th

The Pine Creek and Upper John Day Conservation Lands Programs offer limited public hunting access to the Conservation Areas, including Pine Creek Conservation Area, the mainstem Forrest Conservation Area in Prairie City, and the Oxbow, Middle Fork Forrest, and Dunstan Conservation areas along the upper Middle Fork John Day River. Because of the limited permits offered for each hunt, a lottery is held to randomly select hunters from among the applications. Hunters may submit applications starting on July 12th, and all applications must be received by August 6th. Results will be announced by August 13th, 2021. Hunters wishing to apply for an access permit MUST apply through this website, see Hunting Permits.

As we limit hunting to control numbers and maintain a quality hunt, we perform a draw of the applications submitted. The website will have you register an account, you will submit your ODFW tag information, contact information and select your hunts. After August 6th, we process the applications and randomly draw from the applications received for each hunt. All hunters will be contacted by email about the outcome of the draw. For specific hunting questions for Oxbow/Forrest/Dunstan, please contact Erik Rook, and for Pine Creek, contact Tim Bemrose. For 2021, there is no hunting access allowed on the Willamette Conservation Areas (Red Hills, Little Sweden, and Austin Hot Springs).

Currently, the Conservation Areas are open for Day-Use only. Overnight Camping at Pine Creek is NOT ALLOWED at this time, but check back as this evolving situation. We are hoping that all COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted by fall hunting season. If we do reopen for overnight use, successful hunters who get access permits will get first access to campground reservations. Tribal Member Hunting is managed by a separate website through the Reservation.

See Hunting and Fishing for more information.