Raffle tickets for big game hunts on sale now

On Tuesday, raffle tickets for 2007 big game hunts went on sale at most Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife offices.

Unlike past years in which ticket sales started Dec. 1, the sale of 2007 tickets started this week due to the release of ODFW's new “point-of-sale” licensing system. The new system will go into effect in summer 2007 as opposed to March to provide more time for preparation, according to ODFW spokeswoman Michelle Dennehy.

“We felt the change in date would benefit everyone,” Dennehy said Thursday. “People that were buying them as Christmas presents will have to wait a couple days this year.”

Dennehy also said that 13 tags will be raffled off on May 19 at the Oregon Hunters Association State Convention in Bend. Additional raffle tickets will reportedly be sold from 5-6:30 p.m. at the convention as well.

The deadline to purchase tickets at both license agents and ODFW offices is May 7. Those tickets offered include rare tags for Bighorn sheep, Rocky Mountain goat and pronghorn. Prices for raffle tickets are as follows: $11 for one, $51 for six, and $101 for 13. Proceeds will go toward funding Access and Habitat projects, which improve public hunting access and wildlife habitat on private land.

To be eligible for the raffle, purchases tickets must be completely filled out and mailed back to ODFW-Raffles, P.O. Box 7760, Salem, OR 97303, and postmarked no later than May 12.

Oregon, Washington adopt sturgeon sport fishing season

Oregon and Washington adopted new regulations for Columbia River sturgeon recreational fishing season last Friday during a Columbia River compact meeting.

“The Columbia River sturgeon population is stable, based on recent stock surveys, so fishery managers adopted a season similar to last year,” ODFW Columbia River fisheries program manager John North said in a statement.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2007, retaining green sturgeon will be prohibited in Columbia River fisheries.

- Information provided by ODFW and Scott J. Adams, World outdoors editor.