Beaver Management Regulations

In 2025, the Oregon State Legislature passed House Bill 3932, which establishes updated rules for the taking and management of beavers on public lands in Oregon. This act highlights the ecological importance of beavers and restricts recreational or commercial taking in environmentally sensitive areas that are on or adjoin public lands. It also emphasizes when removal is permitted to protect infrastructure and specifies responsibilities for state wildlife agencies.

This law applies to state and federal public lands and does not apply to most private lands. It does not alter or interfere with rights or agreements held by federally recognized tribes.

Restrictions on Taking Beavers

• Recreational or commercial taking of a beaver is prohibited in areas designated by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality as Category 4 or 5 impaired waters and approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that are:
  • Streams, rivers, or watersheds flowing through, flowing on, or bordering public land or…
  • Public lands within 200 feet of the ordinary high water mark of a river or stream.
• The ODFW must publish a map of these restricted areas and update the map every two years in consultation with the Department of Environmental Quality

Be aware that private individuals are prohibited always from taking or relocating a beaver from these restricted areas.

Note: Existing closures to beaver trapping still apply, and this legislation does not affect federal or tribal management authority.