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. Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 496.138, 496.012, 496.146 & 496.162 Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 496.138, 496.012, 496.146 & 496.162 History: DFW 6-2026, amend filed 01/22/2026, effective 01/22/2026 DFW 91-2025, amend filed 09/19/2025, effective 09/19/2025 DFW 80-2024, amend filed 09/16/2024, effective 09/16/2024 DFW 110-2023, amend filed 10/24/2023, effective 10/24/2023 DFW 183-2021, amend filed 12/30/2021, effective 12/30/2021 DFW 71-2021, temporary amend filed 06/09/2021, effective 06/09/2021 through 12/01/2021 DFW 154-2020, amend filed 12/18/2020, effective 12/18/2020 DFW 67-2020, temporary amend filed 06/09/2020, effective 06/09/2020 through 12/01/2020 DFW 180-2019, amend filed 12/19/2019, effective 12/19/2019 DFW 179-2018, amend filed 12/04/2018, effective 12/04/2018 DFW 60-2017(Temp), f. & cert. ef. 5-16-17 thru 11-10-17 DFW 48-2017, f. & cert. ef. 4-24-17 DFW 27-2017, f. & cert. ef. 3-21-17 Reverted to DFW 81-2016, f. & cert. ef. 6-27-16 DFW 131-2016(Temp), f. 9-29-16, cert. ef. 9-30-16 thru 3-15-17 DFW 81-2016, f. & cert. ef. 6-27-16 DFW 69-2015, f. & cert. ef. 6-11-15 DFW 1-2015, f. & cert. ef. 1-6-15