Sage Hen Creek – State Wildlife Action Plan

Photo is needed for this COA. — Submit photos to: OCS.Revision@ODFW.Oregon.gov

Geographic boundaries of the COAs were updated for the 2026 State Wildlife Action Plan and the associated COA profiles are intended to provide additional information. Content of each COA profile is being refined and will be updated to reflect current conditions when feasible. Please help us by submitting information on Local Conservation Actions, Plans, or Potential Partners to: OCS.revision@odfw.oregon.gov.

Located in the southeast corner of Lake County and the southwest corner of Harney County, this COA encompasses the southern and eastern portion of Guano Valley and continues east from Guano Rim to the foothills of Bald Mountain and Acty Mountain. It includes the Spaulding and Hawk Mountain Wilderness Study Areas and the Hawksie-Walksie Research Natural Area.

Recommended Conservation Actions

Initiate or continue wet meadow conservation and restoration efforts
Maintain alkaline wetland habitats
Manage livestock grazing to promote health sagebrush and wetland habitats
Manage sagebrush habitats to achieve and maintain habitat goals of the Oregon Sage Grouse Strategy
Promote early detection and removal of invasive plants

Local Conservation Actions and Plans

Potential Partners

Special Features

General

Contains large contiguous areas of sagebrush habitats
Sage Grouse Low Density and Core habitat
This area provides critical connectivity for Pronghorn Antelope that summer on Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge and winter in Nevada's adjacent Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge.

Protected Areas

Hawk Mountain Wilderness Study Area
Hawksie-Walksie Research Natural Area
Spaulding Wilderness Study Area

Specialized Local Habitats

Cliff and Rim Rock
Isolated pockets of Alpine-Montane Wet Meadow
Perennial Bunchgrasses

Ecoregions

Northern Basin and Range

The Northern Basin and Range ecoregion covers the very large southeastern portion of the state, from Burns south to the Nevada border and from the Christmas Valley east to Idaho. It is largely a high elevation desert-like area dominated by sagebrush communities and habitats.

Key Habitats

Natural Lakes

Natural lakes are relatively large bodies of freshwater surrounded by land that were formed through geological processes, such as glacial scouring, tectonic movements, volcanic activity and river meander cutoffs. In Oregon, natural lakes are defined as standing water bodies larger than 20 acres, including some seasonal lakes. Depth is not a reference for characterization of …

Flowing Water and Riparian Habitats

Flowing Water and Riparian Habitats include all naturally occurring flowing freshwater streams and rivers throughout Oregon as well as the adjacent riparian habitat.