Winter range closure extended through April 30 on Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area due to wildfire impacts

Oregon – The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has announced a two-week extension of the annual winter range closure on the Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area in Grant County. Originally scheduled to reopen on April 15, the area will now remain closed through April 30 to give wintering big game, especially mule deer, additional undisturbed time to recover from the effects of last year’s wildfires.

The Falls Fire Complex and Rail Ridge Fire, which scorched hundreds of thousands of acres in the region in 2024, burned approximately 38,000 acres of the wildlife area. The damage severely limited the amount of winter forage available to mule deer, compounding the challenges these animals typically face during the colder months.

“ODFW’s east region wildlife research team and the John Day district office have documented malnourished deer, with both young and adult does at very low weights,” said Dan Somers, wildlife habitat program manager for the John Day Watershed. “The closure will provide an extra two weeks of undisturbed feeding for vulnerable mule deer.”

Winter range closures are a routine measure designed to protect big game from unnecessary stress during a season when food is scarce and energy must be conserved. Disturbances from vehicles, pets, and human activity can force animals to move and expend valuable energy, potentially impacting survival and reproduction.

The extension will also delay shed hunting season on the wildlife area, a popular springtime activity in which people search for naturally shed antlers from deer and elk. The area typically sees a large influx of shed hunters when it reopens, especially on opening day and weekends. Wildlife officials are urging the public to respect the closure and review Oregon’s guidelines for shed hunting before visiting.

Despite the burn damage, officials have already observed signs of regrowth across the wildlife area. Early re-seeding and treatment against invasive weeds have been completed in some locations, and long-term habitat restoration—including large-scale shrub planting and further weed control—is planned in the coming years.