Fish and Wildlife
The Deschutes River offers a generally good environment for coldwater fish and supports three distinct fisheries rainbow/redband trout, spring and fall Chinook, and summer-run steelhead. Check with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife for current fishing regulations.
Visitors to the river can expect to see a wide variety of wildlife. Big game, such as the mule deer and California bighorn sheep, are common while the Rocky Mountain elk and pronghorn antelope are seen less often. Common small mammals include the coyote, river otter, beaver, mink, and raccoon. Watch for Canada geese, great blue heron, common merganser, mallards, and numerous species of song birds including the rufoussided towhee, yellow warbler, northern oriole, and the common raven with its perpetually raucous calls. Golden and bald eagles, osprey and a variety of other raptors can also be seen.