Spring bear hunters should be aware that there is an error in the 2018 Oregon Big Game Regulations. The W Blue Mtns hunt (#749A) wrongly lists the opening date as April 15. The correct opening date for this hunt is April 1, as it has been for many years.

The deadline to apply for a spring bear tag is Saturday, Feb. 10 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply online, at license sales agent or at an ODFW office that sells licenses. (Spring bear hunters visiting the Pacific Northwest Sportsmen’s Show in Portland this week can apply through Feb. 10 at our exhibit, which is now in Hall C next to Sylvan Archers.) The cost is $8 per application and hunters need a 2018 annual hunting license to apply. The 4,400 SW Oregon spring bear tags (sold first-come, first-served) sold out on Jan. 14 this year.

See the point summary reports page and the hunting harvest statistics page on myodfw.com for more information about the odds of drawing various hunts and black bear harvest success rates.