Help ODFW celebrate the #25DaysOfFishmas
Follow #25DaysOfFishmas on Instagram to learn more about some of Oregon’s more interesting and unusual fish.

Add bird watching to your holiday to do list
Join other birders from around the state in the Audubon Christmas bird count around the holidays this year. Depending on the area, the typical one-day counts start in mid-December and continue into early January. Experienced and novice birders are invited. This nationwide, citizen science project celebrates 119 years this year.

20,000 gray whales will be swimming past Oregon – how many can you spot?
Mid-December to mid-January is the peak of the winter gray whale migration along the Oregon coast, and a prime time to do a little whale watching. If you’re headed to the coast for the holidays, take a warm coat and some binoculars. Our friends at Oregon Parks have some great advice about where to go, including the 24 places that will be staffed with knowledgeable volunteers during the Whale Watching Spoken Here program, Dec. 27-31.

Favorite time of year for duck hunters
Duck hunting provides some of the best hunting opportunities in December and January. Cold stormy weather to the north will push birds into our area and increasing rains will fill ponds and flood fields. Many ODFW wildlife areas are reporting ice, but hunters willing to search for open water and hunt over decoys can still do well.

Winter belongs to steelhead
Technically winter doesn’t begin for a few weeks, but don’t tell winter steelhead that. Fish already are moving into many rivers, and if they’re not in your home waters yet, they will be soon. In the meantime, it’s not too soon to fine tune the gear, and start monitoring water levels and early fishing reports in the weekly Recreation Report updates.

ODFW launches new licensing system
Carry your licenses and tags on your phone
ODFW’s new licensing system allows you to carry your licenses and tags on your smartphone. (Though you can still print them to paper at home or at a license vendor.) The first step is to go to the MyODFW licensing page to locate and verify your account. Next you’ll want to download the MyODFW app, which will store your documents even when you’re out of cell phone range. Be sure you verify your account at MyODFW.com BEFORE your try to log into the MyODFW app.

Check out the How to buy a license or tag page, and the frequently asked questions if you have additional questions.