OR Fish & Wildlife Commission approves sale of land in Pendleton
By Terry Murry on Monday, September 21st, 2026 in Columbia Basin News Columbia Basin Top Stories
LA GRANDE – At a meeting late last week in La Grande, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission approved selling the land its old office and land in Pendleton to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.
The 40.54 acres is located within the boundaries of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. It includes a fish acclimation facility that has been operated by CTUIR for many years. The John Day Watershed District Office is moving into a new building at 1502 S.W. 37th St. Staff is expected to move into the new facility in November. CTUIR has agreed to purchase the property for $680,000.
The commission also set 2027 big game hunting licenses and seasons. They are described as similar to 2026, but include some changes in hunts on the west side of the state.
The commissioners unanimously, with one abstention, also approved creating a cougar target area in Harney County. ODFW wants to be able to kill cougar in the Trout Creek Mountains as it introduces more bighorn sheep to the area. The plan is to increase genetic diversity in the resident sheep population.
ODFW will remove no more than 18 cougars over three years to support the upcoming translocation. The action is described by staff as a move to reduce predation on newly translocated sheep which are unfamiliar with the landscape. Staff said it reflects evidence that cougar predation was the primary cause of mortality during a previous translocation effort for the herd.
MyCB photo of the site for the new ODFW office in Pendleton
