ORS 496.246 Use of public lands for hunting; requirements regarding closure of access to public lands; exceptions

As used in this section, “public lands” means any land, or improvements thereon, owned by the State of Oregon.

Public lands open to access and use for hunting shall remain open to access and use for hunting, except as limited by a state agency for reasons of public safety or wildlife management or for any other reason determined by a state agency to be in the public interest. However, a state agency is not required to give preference to hunting over other uses of public lands.

In implementing subsection (1) of this section, state agencies shall, to the greatest extent practicable, avoid making determinations that result in a net loss of access to hunting on public lands.

Before a state agency restricts or closes access to public lands open to access and use for hunting, the state agency shall notify the State Department of Fish and Wildlife in a sufficient amount of time of the plans to restrict or close access to the public lands in order to allow the department to post notice pursuant to paragraph (b) of this subsection.

In order to give hunters notice that a state agency plans to restrict or close access to public lands open to access and use for hunting and before a state agency may restrict or close access to the public lands, the department shall post notice on the department’s website for 30 days after it receives notification under paragraph (a) of this subsection.

Paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subsection do not apply to restrictions or closures for:

Emergencies.

Fire prevention pursuant to the provisions of ORS 401.165 to 401.236 or 477.535 to 477.550.

Critical wildlife management activities.

On or before January 1 of each year, the State Fish and Wildlife Director shall submit a report to the Legislative Assembly that describes:

The amount, in acres, of public lands open to access and use for hunting that has been closed to hunting by state agencies in the previous calendar year and the reasons for each closure; and

The amount, in acres, of public lands that has been opened to access and use for hunting by state agencies in the previous calendar year.