OAR 635-075-0022: Landowner Hunting Preference Tags for Mule Deer

(1) This rule further implements HB 2027A whereby the 2013 Legislative Assembly directed the Department through the commission to specify a formula that bases the number of landowner preference tags available for mule deer on the management, research, and habitat needs set forth in the wildlife management plan for mule deer. (2) For purposes of this rule, the population management objectives (MOs) for each mule deer herd range that were adopted by the commission in June 2024 are considered representative of the management, research, and habitat needs for mule deer. (3) The formula to determine the number of landowner hunting preference tags available for buck mule deer in a mule deer herd range is as follows: (a) In those mule deer herd ranges where, based on the criteria in Oregon’s Mule Deer Management Plan (2024), the department determines that the estimated mule deer population and average annual population change over 5-years result in a herd range concern level of Extreme, Very High, or High, the number of landowner hunting preference tags available for buck deer in that unit may be limited to five tags or 15 percent of the total controlled buck tags authorized for the public for each hunt in that unit by the commission, whichever is greater. (b) In the Helix (HX-01), Jackknife (JK-01), North Blues 01 (NB-01), North Blues 02 (NB-02), and Northeast 03 (NE-03) deer hunt areas, and deer hunt areas within those mule deer herd ranges where the estimated mule deer population and average annual population change over 5-years results in a herd range concern level of Moderate or Low, the number of landowner hunting preference tags available for buck mule deer in that deer hunt area may be issued based upon a landowner's acreage as set forth in 635-075-0005(8). (c) If conditions such as but not limited to disease or harsh winter weather occur, resulting in adoption of a Temporary OAR to reduce 100 Series mule deer tags by equal to or more than 25% from the number authorized by the Commission in areas listed or described in 635-075-0022(3)(c), Limited Landowner Preference mule deer tags in those areas may be limited as described in 635-075-0022(3)(b). (4) If landowner preference tags remain from the controlled hunts described in 635-075-0022(3)(a) or (b) after the game mammal controlled hunt drawing, the Department will issue remaining tags to qualified landowners as described in 635-075-0024.