Question for Oregon hunters

J

jrfoxx

New member
I just moved to Oregon last year, and this will be my first time hunting in Oregon this season. I have read all the rules, regs, tips, etc I have been able to get my hands on, from the internet, magazines, and from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife regulation manuals, but there is 1 thing still that I cant find mentioned anywhere.Can you legally hunt with a centerfire rifle from a tree stand in Oregon? I can only find a handfull of references to tree stands at all, and they all are online articles talking about bow hunting.Oregon DFW booklets and websites dont even mention stands anywhere except once, and thats a safety reminder on thier website to inspect your tree stand before getting in it to be safe.I gather stands are legal for bow hunting, since I see lots of online articles about it, but I cant find anything anywhere that actually says stands are legal to use, even for bow hunting.I cant find ANY references to rifles and stands at all. Not a single article or warning, or anything.The lack law/regulation on this in the ODFW booket strikes me as very odd.So, does anyone know what the law/regulation is with regards to centerfire rifle hunting from a stand in Oregon? (For blacktails and black bear, if it makes a difference....)
Thanks in advnce.
 
Can't say as I know I've hunted Eastern Oregon for 11 years and well not a whole lot of trees to put a stand in so it wasn't really an issue.. My suggestion would be to make a call to ODF&W and ask them... they are the ones that will write you a ticket if it's illegal...
 
yeah, I do plan to call them to ask to find out for sure. I partly posted the question here just to see if the answer was common knowledge and/or easy to find somewhere and I'm just stupid, or if the ODFW were the dummies for not putting it in the regs book or website in an obvious spot, as stand hunting for is not exactlt unusual and unheard of, so I would think they would put it in the regs or on the website, or something, especially if it's not legal....
 
Welcome to Oregon! I grew up in Oregon and unfortunately had to move away 6 years ago. I think the reason its not listed is because I have never heard of anyone hunting from a stand. Blacktails aren't the creatures of habit blindly following the same trails at the same time of day like the Indiana whitetails I hunt from a stand now. As you've probably figured out, most Blacktails are shot still hunting or glassing and stalking. Some are also shot trail watching or sitting on the edge of a clearcut, but it pays to be mobile so you can move when you see them coming in differently than you thought.

Anyway, I think its not posted because it doesn't really pertain to anyone. I'm sure its legal, its just not something thats done.
 
A search on the word "tree" in the .pdf download of the 2007 regs yield only uses of the verb to tree and uses in the names of streets, roads, and highways that define the boundaries of various hunt units. Using the search function on the ODFW web site yields recommendations for the safe use of tree stands, though only in past years' handbooks. I am satisfied that tree stands are not regulated.
 
JR - in the absence of a reg prohibiting it (and common sense/safety, of course) it is fine. Only thing I would suggest with centerfire rifle out of a tree is to know what is beyond the target, and use a pull line to get your weapon up. Background is not usually a problem for tree stands as you are shooting down, but it is a concern if one comes in from over a ridge, etc.

Tree stands in Oregon are rare, but perfectly legal. As mentioned, eastern Oregon it can be hard to find a suitable tree and west side, it is often too thick.

When rifle hunting west side, and hunting clear cuts, we usually just use elevation as a default tree stand. Just sitting on top of the ridge gives you the same advantage. Plus you don't have to haul that tree stand up the mountain...

I have one from when I was stationed back east, but have never even put it up in Oregon.

What area are you hunting?
 
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