Sauvie Island Wildlife Area: hunting rules, map and access
Sauvie Island Wildlife Area is 11,223 acres of land managed by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, in the Scappoose Unit (11), by ODFW's mapped boundary. ODFW's 2026 rule for the area begins: "Open to hunting for black-tailed deer during archery season, except Oak Island (Multnomah-Columbia Co) is closed to deer hunting and Sturgeon Lk Refuge is closed to all hunting."
Data updated October 2026. Rules: ODFW's 2026 regulations, page 88. Boundary: ODFW. Land around it: USGS PAD-US 4.1.
National wildlife refugeNational forestBLMODFW landState forest and trust landSauvie Island Wildlife AreaUnit lineLake, reservoir or riverHighway
| Size | 11,223 acres (ODFW boundary, measured) |
|---|---|
| Units | 11 Scappoose |
| ODFW zone | Northwest |
| First rule | Open to hunting for black-tailed deer during archery season, except Oak Island (Multnomah-Columbia Co) is closed to deer hunting and Sturgeon Lk Refuge is closed to all hunting |
| Nearest towns | St. Helens (next to it), Scappoose (2 mi) and Warren (3 mi) |
What is Sauvie Island Wildlife Area?
Sauvie Island Wildlife Area protects vital waterfowl habitat and provides a public hunting area while supporting a rich diversity of wildlife, including hundreds of bird, mammal, reptile, and plant species.
From ODFW's Sauvie Island Wildlife Area page.
What are the hunting rules on Sauvie Island Wildlife Area?
Open to hunting for black-tailed deer during archery season, except Oak Island (Multnomah-Columbia Co) is closed to deer hunting and Sturgeon Lk Refuge is closed to all hunting. Rabbit hunting is allowed in the North Unit only during Sept. 1 - Jan. 31, 2027. Free daily hunt permits are required and are available at self-service check stations located at Sauvie Island WA headquarters, Willow Bar parking lot off Reeder Rd and North Unit parking lot. Hunters must check in and out daily. Closed to hunting for furbearers, predators, unprotected and protected wildlife (except black-tailed deer, rabbit, crow, Eurasian collared dove and game birds). Use of rifles, handguns and crossbows prohibited at all times. ODFW parking permit is required (see pg 89 for more information).
ODFW's 2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations, page 88, under unit 11. ODFW 2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations.
Which hunting units is Sauvie Island Wildlife Area in?
All of Sauvie Island lies in Unit 11. ODFW's latest elk and deer harvest for the whole unit, not the wildlife area alone:
| Unit | Wildlife area acres in it | Elk harvested (unit) | Deer harvested (unit) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 11 Scappoose | 11,223 | 639 (2025) | 1,134 (2025) |
Harvest: ODFW harvest statistics (2020 to 2025). Acres in each unit measured by FilledTag from ODFW's boundaries.
How do you get to Sauvie Island Wildlife Area?
Highways within 8 miles: US 30, US 26 and I-5. Nearest towns: St. Helens (next to it), Scappoose (2 miles), Warren (3 miles) and Columbia City (3 miles).
Questions hunters ask
Can you hunt on Sauvie Island Wildlife Area?
ODFW's 2026 regulations set these rules for Sauvie Island: Open to hunting for black-tailed deer during archery season, except Oak Island (Multnomah-Columbia Co) is closed to deer hunting and Sturgeon Lk Refuge is closed to all hunting. Rabbit hunting is allowed in the North Unit only during Sept. 1 - Jan. 31, 2027. Hunting seasons follow the unit the ground is in.
Which unit is Sauvie Island Wildlife Area in?
All of it is in the Scappoose Unit (11).
What towns are near Sauvie Island Wildlife Area?
St. Helens (next to it), Scappoose (2 miles) and Warren (3 miles), measured to the area's edge.
Get an Oregon hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Oregon are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Oregon included.
Where these facts come from
- Rules: ODFW 2026 Oregon Big Game Hunting Regulations, page 88.
- Boundary and acres: ODFW Wildlife Areas (Compass dataset). Surrounding public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land by manager, 2025).
- Unit harvest: ODFW harvest statistics (2020 to 2025).
FilledTag is not part of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.