Hunting in Oregon with .22 Rimfire?

[N Monty]

Hello,

I recently purchased a .22lr rifle, and I was hoping to take it out hunting for small game in the future. I can't seem to find a lot of guidance online regarding the legality of using .22lr in Oregon.

I saw a note saying it was legal to use .22lr on forest grouse, but that was about all I could find.

What about rabbit? Squirrel?

What are the do's and don'ts of hunting with a .22 rimfire rifle in Oregon? Any guidance would be much appreciated. I have pretty much zero experience hunting right now, and I do plan on taking a Hunter Education Course.

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[Red_beard]

ODFW Weapons Restrictions

This page holds the ODFW caliber requirements. Western gray squirrel is the only regulated small game referenced in the requirements. .22lr should be legal on any small game until deer size, where the minimum becomes .22 centerfire.

I would recommend reading the whole big game hunting guide. It's a good place to start learning the do's and don'ts of hunting in Oregon.

 

[N Monty]

ODFW Weapons Restrictions

This page holds the ODFW caliber requirements. Western gray squirrel is the only regulated small game referenced in the requirements. .22lr should be legal on any small game until deer size, where the minimum becomes .22 centerfire.

I would recommend reading the whole big game hunting guide. It's a good place to start learning the do's and don'ts of hunting in Oregon.

Thanks so much. I found that page and was kind of confused by it. The only mention of "rimfire" on the page was, "Rimfire firearms are allowed for the hunting of forest grouse only." The rest of the chart mentioned centerfire rifles, so I was kind of lost. So basically, all small game is good to go?

I'll definitely get a copy of the hunting guide and take the class, I just wanted to make sure that my plan of "go hunt with a lever .22" was going to be viable before I spent any time or money doing more research.

Thanks!

 

[Certaindeaf]

"Sage rats" are a big deal around here come springtime in eastern Oregon etc.. .22's and bigger/longer range stuff..

 

[Silver Hand]

"Sage rats" are a big deal around here come springtime in eastern Oregon etc.. .22's and bigger/longer range stuff..

Always wanted to do that, never have. Maybe this spring there will be a chance to fill the freezer.
Crab bate. Been wanting to try it being they are plentiful and are not on the menu the seals and sea lions are reading.

 

[N Monty]

Always wanted to do that, never have. Maybe this spring there will be a chance to fill the freezer.
Crab bate. Been wanting to try it being they are plentiful and are not on the menu the seals and sea lions are reading.

So people use them as bait? You don't eat sage rats do you?

 

[Certaindeaf]

.You don't eat sage rats do you?

Only if you slam one at close range with a .243. Mmm, sagey!
lol

 

[Silver Hand]

So people use them as bait? You don't eat sage rats do you?

If I were in a survival situation they might be considered gourmet, not otherwise.

I have never used them for crab bait but I think they would work. That is why I posted that. When I was crabbing a lot my findings were the more bait in the pot the more crab I caught. Since there are so many seals in the bays these days we have to use something they do not eat, Rather than waist them I would consider freezing them and use them for bait next chance I had Crabbing. I know crabs go nuts over chicken guts.

 

[N Monty]

Only if you slam one at close range with a .243. Mmm, sagey!

That's a classic recipe, you know- "Aerosol Sage Rat."

Edit - But to get back on topic, things like rabbit are OK to hunt with .22 in Oregon?

 

[Otter]

We used to walk the sage brush in Central Oregon, 4 or 5 of us spread out with 10/22s, shooting rabbits. Wild and fun with a semi auto 22LR! In some places around the center pivots the rabbits are such a problem the crops are quite diminished, and the farmers welcome you to come kill them. Rabbits like to come out a night though, which poses some challenges. Far as I always knew, totally legal.

We also hunted ground squirrels in Southern Oregon with 22LR. And of course the sage rats in Central and Eastern Oregon. Bad news on the fields I hunt sage rats is they have become educated and won't come up within the range of a 22LR. 17 HMR and small caliber center fires are the go to calibers.

I think the only game animal you can hunt with 22LR are the silver grey squirrels, but pretty sure there is a season and bag limit on them. Nice to know you can hunt grouse too...I wasn't aware of that, since we always used a 410 shotgun. I wouldn't suggest hunting coyotes with a 22LR. Maybe a 17 HMR or a 22 mag, but I think you should respect the fact it is a dog and use something that kills them effectively and quick like a .223 or .22-250. I hate to see a wounded animal get away.

 

[Legs]

Keep in mind to hunt (kill) Oregon wildlife a valid hunting license is required. Whether it be sage rats, starlings, coyotes, or big game.

License Requirements | eRegulations

My friends that own property tell me they are excluded from the license requirement for non-big game animals.

Landowners | eRegulations

 

[Andy54Hawken]

While not in Oregon....
I do hunt grouse with a .22 rifle or one of my muzzleloading rifles...its good to remember to check your backstop when shooting a bird just off the path , old logging road , or as some folks do while they are on a tree limb.
A .22 or bigger round ball in the case of a muzzleloader will travel for quite the ways , depending on the angle of your shot.
Andy

 

[Koda]

Hello,

I recently purchased a .22lr rifle, and I was hoping to take it out hunting for small game in the future. I can't seem to find a lot of guidance online regarding the legality of using .22lr in Oregon.

I saw a note saying it was legal to use .22lr on forest grouse, but that was about all I could find.

What about rabbit? Squirrel?

What are the do's and don'ts of hunting with a .22 rimfire rifle in Oregon? Any guidance would be much appreciated. I have pretty much zero experience hunting right now, and I do plan on taking a Hunter Education Course.

refer to the ODFW big game regulations for 2018 available here: Oregon Hunting Seasons & Regulations - 2018 | eRegulations

In the absence of a rule, its legal... the ODFW legal weapons listed on pg 10 are for game mammals only
you can hunt any unprotected mammal with it. Caution, you cannot hunt any furbearing animal (fox, bobcat...). See page 89 for furbearer definition and pg 90 for the definition of unprotected mammal. Rabbits are considered unprotected and so are all squirrels except the Western Grey Squirrel which is considered a game mammal. See pg 65
you still need a hunting license

 

[pharmseller]

I love shooting sage rats (Belding's ground squirrels) but I don't touch them. They are known to carry the plague, which I try to avoid.


About sage rats (Belding's ground squirrel) - Rat Patrol





P

 

[bbbass]

Watch out for wabbits too. Known tularemia carriers. Just don't get their blood in an open wound.