Sportsmen have the opportunity to voice their thoughts online now through Jan. 13, 2012, regarding hunting and fishing related rule change proposals currently under consideration.

Proposed rule changes are often considered to increase opportunity for sportsmen and improve wildlife conservation measures.

“This is an opportunity to discuss items that could lead to changes in our hunting and fishing regulations,” said Nels Rodefeld, information and education chief for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. “We feel strongly that our constituents should have every chance to provide their comments, which is why we are providing an online comment form for those wanting to be heard on these specific subjects. We encourage you to provide your comments through wildlifedepartment.com anytime before 4:30 p.m., Jan. 13, 2012.”

Additionally, those interested can submit written comments by mail to the Wildlife Department’s main office in Oklahoma City (P.O. Box 53465, OKC, OK 73152).

To view a complete listing of proposed rule changes or to complete an online comment form, log on to http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/aboutodwc/public_meeting.htm.

Among others, some of the proposed rule changes this year include the following:

• To make it unlawful to bait wildlife on wildlife management areas.
• To change the bear archery season to Oct. 1 through the third Sunday in October and eliminate the quota for bear archery season.
• To set the statewide daily limit of striped bass at five, except as designated.
• To eliminate daily harvest limits on furbearers so that only season limits apply.
• To establish permanent rules for newly purchased wildlife management areas while altering certain rules on already established public lands.
• To adjust ATV usage rules on Honobia Creek Wildlife Management Area to match those in place at Three Rivers WMA.

The Wildlife Department also will be hosting public hearings and one town hall meeting on the proposed rule changes. The two public hearings will be held at 7 p.m. Jan. 10 at the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation headquarters auditorium in Oklahoma City (1801 N. Lincoln Blvd) and at the Kiamichi Technology Center in Poteau (1509 South McKenna). The town hall meeting will be held in Antlers at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 12 at the Antlers Wildlife Heritage Center (610 Southwest “D” Street).

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Deadline nears for Oklahomans to Comment on Proposed Regulation Changes

With several open hunting seasons and some good fishing to be had across the state, most outdoorsmen know this is no time to be suffering from cabin fever.

While several important fall hunting seasons have come and gone, there are still several hunting opportunities available right now in Oklahoma, including seasons such as deer and turkey archery, quail, pheasant, rabbit, squirrel, furbearer and waterfowl. There also are hunting seasons for some species that are open year-round. Trout season is well-underway, and anglers can even pursue wintertime crappie, bass, striped bass and other sport fish on waters

“This is not the time to pack away all your gear until spring,” said Nels Rodefeld, chief of information and education for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. “Instead, it’s time to get out and enjoy the outdoors.”

Oklahomans don’t have to look far for a place to hunt or fish during the late season, either. The Wildlife Department maintains wildlife management areas in every part of the state that are open to public hunting, and lakes, ponds and rivers provide fishing access even during the coldest months. Seasons on public lands may vary from statewide seasons, and hunters should consult the current “Oklahoma Hunting Guide” online at wildlifedepartment.com before going afield.

Open seasons at a glance

• Deer archery – either sex through Jan. 15
• Turkey fall archery – through Jan. 15
• Squirrel – through Jan. 31
• Furbearer – through Feb. 29
• Pheasant – through Jan. 31
• Quail – through Feb. 15
• Rabbit – through March 15

Waterfowl

• Ducks, mergansers and coots – Panhandle through Jan. 4; Zone 1 through Jan. 22; Zone 2 through Jan. 29
• Canada geese – through Feb. 12
• White-fronted geese – through Feb. 5
• Light geese (snow, blue and Ross’) – through Feb. 12
• (Conservation Order Light Goose Season – Feb. 13 – March 30, 2012)
• Sandhill crane – through Jan. 22 (west of I-35 only)

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Now is No Time for Cabin Fever in Oklahoma

Sportsmen have the opportunity to voice their thoughts online now through Jan. 13, 2012, regarding hunting and fishing related rule change proposals currently under consideration.

Proposed rule changes are often considered to increase opportunity for sportsmen and improve wildlife conservation measures.

“This is an opportunity to discuss items that could lead to changes in our hunting and fishing regulations,” said Nels Rodefeld, information and education chief for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. “We feel strongly that our constituents should have every chance to provide their comments, which is why we are providing an online comment form for those wanting to be heard on these specific subjects. We encourage you to provide your comments through wildlifedepartment.com anytime before 4:30 p.m., Jan. 13, 2012.”

Additionally, those interested can submit written comments by mail to the Wildlife Department’s main office in Oklahoma City (P.O. Box 53465, OKC, OK 73152).

To view a complete listing of proposed rule changes or to complete an online comment form, log on to http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/aboutodwc/public_meeting.htm .

Among others, some of the proposed rule changes this year include the following:

• To make it unlawful to bait wildlife on wildlife management areas.
• To change the bear archery season to Oct. 1 through the third Sunday in October and eliminate the quota for bear archery season.
• To set the statewide daily limit of striped bass at five, except as designated.
• To eliminate daily harvest limits on furbearers so that only season limits apply.
• To establish permanent rules for newly purchased wildlife management areas while altering certain rules on already established public lands.

The Wildlife Department also will be hosting public hearings on proposed rule changes at 7 p.m. Jan. 10 at the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation headquarters auditorium in Oklahoma City (1801 N. Lincoln Blvd) and at the Kiamichi Technology Center in Poteau (1509 South McKenna).

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Oklahoma Wildlife Department Opens Online Public Comment Period for Regulation Changes

Christmas family traditions range from eating out and attending services on Christmas Eve to giving out gifts and stockings filled with treats. But in Oklahoma, families can even go deer hunting over the Christmas holidays.

This year the holiday antlerless deer gun season will be open for 10 days starting Dec. 16 and running through Dec. 25 in open areas.

Most of the state will be open to antlerless hunting those days, except for the majority of the Panhandle and portions of southeast Oklahoma. All public hunting areas and private lands in southeast Oklahoma’s zone 10 are closed to the holiday antlerless deer gun season. Seasons on public lands may vary from statewide season dates. For a map of Oklahoma’s antlerless deer hunt zones and to see which counties will be open for the holiday antlerless deer gun season, consult page 25 of the current “Oklahoma Hunting Guide,” as well as the “Public Hunting Lands” section on page 48 of the guide for seasons on specific public areas.

Last year almost 40,000 hunters participated in the holiday antlerless deer season.

“A good number of those hunters were successful with 4,377 deer being checked during that season,” said Jerry Shaw, big game biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.

According to Shaw, high doe harvests help accomplish several important management benefits such as preventing localized overpopulations, improving buck:doe ratios for a more healthy herd, reducing competition for forage to promote greater antler growth in bucks, reducing the potential for deer/vehicle collisions, and lessening the extent of potential crop depredation.

To participate in the holiday antlerless deer gun season, resident hunters must possess a valid hunting license and a holiday antlerless deer gun license, unless exempt. Resident youth hunters 16 or 17 years old must purchase a hunting license and a $10 youth holiday antlerless deer gun license, unless exempt. Youth under 16 are not required to purchase a hunting license but they must possess a $10 youth holiday antlerless deer gun license.

Although nonresident deer hunters are exempt from a hunting license while hunting deer, they must possess a nonresident deer gun license.

Hunters age 8-30 who have not completed the Wildlife Department’s hunter education class may still hunt during the holiday antlerless deer gun season, but their licenses will have an apprentice designation, and the hunter must be accompanied by a qualified adult hunter who remains within arms reach of the apprentice hunter while hunting. For details, consult the current “Oklahoma Hunting Guide” online at wildlifedepartment.com.

In addition, hunters participating in the holiday antlerless deer season must comply with the hunter orange requirements for the regular deer gun season. Archery hunters and those hunting most other species in open holiday antlerless zones must wear either a hunter orange hat or upper garment while hunting.

To learn more about this year’s antlerless deer season, consult the current “Oklahoma Hunting Guide” or log on to wildlifedepartment.com.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Holiday Antlerless Deer Season Brings Christmas Cheer to Oklahoma Hunters

December brings holiday cheer, cold weather and the start of two full months of hunting the colorful ring-necked pheasant in northern Oklahoma. According to biologists with the Wildlife Department, two main factors determine how many pheasants will be available for hunters to pursue each season. The first is the number of adult birds that survive the winter and enter the breeding season.

“The second and most important factor is the number of young birds that survived the summer,” said Doug Schoeling, upland game bird biologist for the Wildlife Department. “What makes or breaks our season on a bird like pheasants — and even other upland birds like quail — is recruitment, or the number of young birds that survive into the fall season. This year, while we have seen a slightly higher survival rate of adult birds, the number of young pheasants produced is down significantly after a season of drought and record high temperatures. With this decrease in production numbers, the 2011 pheasant season harvest is expected to be lower than last year.”

According to Schoeling, there may be exceptions, such as areas with good habitat that received some scattered rainfall. Schoeling said the best way to find those pockets of birds is to go hunting.

The Wildlife Department keeps tabs on the number of adult birds that survived the winter and the number of young pheasants that survived the spring and early summer through two different surveys. First, biologists conduct the annual crow count survey, which provides an idea of how many adult males survived through the winter. In late April and early May, biologists drive county roads and listen for crowing cock pheasants in search of mates. These 20-mile surveys are conducted in Alfalfa, Beaver, Cimarron, Ellis, Garfield, Grant, Harper, Kay, Major, Noble, Texas, Woods, and Woodward counties. Crow counts in recent years show good survival rates of adult birds, with the 2011 counts up five percent from 2010. The population trend has been going up since 2007. In those counties traditionally with the highest pheasant densities (Alfalfa, Beaver, Cimarron, Grant and Texas), and where surveys have been conducted since 1973, crow counts were up 7 percent from last year, with an increasing population trend since 1996.

The survival of young birds over the spring and summer is gauged using annual brood count surveys, which are conducted in late August to provide a measure of how many young pheasants were produced during the nesting season relative to previous years.

“The brood survey is really the primary means we use to determine the annual population status of pheasants and the outlook for the pheasant hunting season,” Schoeling said.

The brood survey is conducted in the same counties as the crow count survey, and observers count the number of pheasants observed and classify the size of young birds to provide an index of pheasant abundance (number seen per mile) and reproductive success. This year, brood survey results were down 40 percent from 2010 due to the unfavorable weather conditions this summer with record heat and drought throughout the pheasant’s range.

Because pheasant hunters only harvest male birds, biologists say hunting pressure has little effect on overall populations and that sportsmen should not hesitate to go hunting.

The ring-necked pheasant was first introduced into Oklahoma in 1911, and the colorful birds prefer cultivated farmland habitat mixed with weedy fencerows and overgrown pastures common across northwestern Oklahoma and the Panhandle.

Pheasant season in Oklahoma runs Dec. 1 through Jan. 31 (only in open areas) and offers hunters a chance at a popular game bird that, though not native to Oklahoma, thrives in the northwestern part of the state.

Hunters should consult the current “Oklahoma Hunting Guide” for open counties and wildlife management areas. The daily bag limit for pheasants is three cocks, with a possession limit of six after the first day and nine after the second day. Evidence of sex (head or one foot) must remain on the bird until it reaches its final destination.

To hunt pheasants, hunters most possess a valid state hunting license, available online at wildlifedepartment.com or at license dealers located across the state. When the deer gun and the holiday antlerless deer seasons overlap with pheasant season, all pheasant hunters must wear either a hunter orange cap or upper garment. For further regulations, including open areas, consult the current “Oklahoma Hunting Guide.”

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - December Brings Pheasant Season to Oklahoma

Biologists with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation are urging waterfowl hunters to “think geese and cranes” between now and Nov. 27, as large numbers of early migrants have flocked into southwest and western portions of the state in the last five to seven days.

“People may not be thinking about geese and cranes yet, but we are encouraging hunters to take advantage of the opportunity while they are here. Typically, most of these early migrants don’t hang around long but move on to their wintering grounds further south,” said Josh Richardson, migratory game bird biologist for the Wildlife Department. There is good reason for waterfowl hunters to take advantage of the large numbers of migrants while they can, not only because the first half of goose season closes Nov. 27 — not to reopen again until Dec. 10 — but also to help farmers in the region who have already been impacted by record drought conditions which may have delayed planting of their winter wheat. “Young wheat that has not yet reached the tillering stage is more vulnerable to damage by birds pulling up the plant. It is when large numbers of these birds are allowed to concentrate for long periods of time on specific fields that we start seeing impacts to crops like winter wheat. We always encourage the use of hunting to help minimize the impact of geese and cranes using private agricultural land,” said Richardson.

Winter wheat fields are prime spots for finding migrants right now, since they are utilized as a green food source for birds flying to and from limited water sources. The refuge portion at Hackberry Flat Wildlife Management Area is one of the few places holding water now in southwestern Oklahoma, and large numbers of geese and cranes are being observed there. Hunters should obtain permission from local landowners whose properties are near these limited water sources

Richardson said he expects that hunters all across western Oklahoma should have good success if they scout agricultural areas and obtain landowner permission in areas where they find birds.

To hunt geese, hunters need a hunting license, an Oklahoma waterfowl license (unless exempt) and a federal duck stamp. In addition, all migratory bird hunters must carry an Oklahoma Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (HIP) permit. Permits are available anywhere hunting licenses are sold for $3 or for free online at wildlifedepartment.com.

Sandhill crane season remains open until January 22, 2012. To hunt sandhill cranes, hunters need a hunting license, a HIP permit and a federal sandhill crane permit that is available for $3 from license vendors or at wildlifedepartment.com.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Western Oklahoma Waterfowlers Encouraged to “Think Geese and Sandhill Cranes” Before Nov. 27

Portsmouth, NH – This week on “In Pursuit with Greg & Jake”, host Greg Miller heads to Oklahoma and enjoys an awesome opening day whitetail hunt. With the season barely underway, Greg and his Mathews bow seal the deal on a dandy 8-pointer. Then, cameraman Matt Tande puts down his camera and tries his luck at filling his Oklahoma tag. Tune in and treat yourself to this action-packed whitetail double take!

Show Concept

In Pursuit with Greg & Jake follows renowned whitetail deer authority Greg Miller and his crew as they travel far and wide in search of trophy whitetails. Along with his son Jake, Greg takes viewers on an exciting journey behind the scenes, offering proven hunting tips and tactics, insights on whitetail behavior and advice on how to make the most of your precious time in the field. With cutting-edge segments, dramatic footage and valuable educational content, In Pursuit with Greg & Jake not only to entertains viewers with exciting hunting action, it also educates and provides practical information from which all hunters, veterans and beginners alike, will benefit.

Celebrating his third decade in the outdoor industry, Greg Miller continues to be a popular television host, producer, author and noted North American deer hunting expert.

Learn more at www.inpursuittv.com.

Weekly Show Lineup

• Episode 21: cameraman Brach Pulver arrows a great Nebraska buck; young Cooper West takes down a 150″ South Dakota buck.

• Episode 22: Greg connects on a giant Indiana 10-point; Jake hunts Missouri.

• Episode 23: Matt Tande hunts a trophy Minnesota 10-point; Gordon Whittington and his Thompson/Center muzzleloader spot and stalk Kansas whitetails.

• Episode 24: Greg hunts his home state of Wisconsin during the peak of the rut; Jake and Brach Pulver pursue a big mule deer buck with Dakota Ranch Outfitters.

• Episode 25: Greg gun hunts western South Dakota’s scenic river bottom country; Kyle Stae braves brutal weather during a late-season Wisconsin bowhunt.

• Episode 26: Jake takes his biggest buck ever with his Thompson/Center muzzleloader in Iowa; Greg drops a dandy split G2 11-point just minutes later on the same farm.

Outdoor Channel Airtimes

Thursday 8:30 PM EST + 2 Additional Re-Airs

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - In Pursuit Showcases Sooner State Success Tomorrow on Outdoor Channel

Oklahoma’s quail season opens Nov. 12 and runs through Feb. 15, providing hunters with an opportunity to hunt one of the most popular game birds in Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation has conducted annual roadside surveys in August and October since 1990 to index quail populations across Oklahoma. Department employees run 83 different 20-mile routes in all counties except Oklahoma and Tulsa, and large counties like Beaver, Ellis, LeFlore, McCurtain, Osage, Pittsburg and Roger Mills have two routes.

“The 2011 statewide index decreased 37 percent from 2010, which was already down from the 21-year average,” said Doug Schoeling, upland game bird biologist for the Wildlife Department.

The continued decline in quail numbers is believed to be a result of the continued drought and the record number of days above 100 degrees this summer, which are known to negatively impact quail nesting attempts and success. The only region where the number of quail observed increased from the 2010 survey was in the south-central region, where quail numbers only slightly increased over 2010 numbers.”

Even though the survey shows quail numbers down, Schoeling still encourages hunters to get out this season. Some areas of the state experienced rain in August that could have contributed to successful late nesting attempts that may not necessarily be reflected in the survey results. There are always those areas that have good habitat that experienced favorable nesting conditions where there will be opportunity for some good hunts. Wildlife management areas (WMAs) in western Oklahoma probably will offer hunters the best opportunity to find birds on public land. Quail season shooting hours and regulations on some public lands may vary from statewide seasons, so hunters should consult the current “Oklahoma Hunting Guide” for specific area details. To view the current Hunting Guide or find contact information for the WMAs, log on to wildlifedepartment.com.

Oklahoma still remains one of the strongest holdouts of native bobwhite quail populations and habitat. However, seeking to address quail population declines, the Department has launched several major research efforts to try to identify the factors contributing to their decline.

As part of the initiative, the Wildlife Department is working with the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch, Texas A&M, Texas A&M-Kingsville and Texas Tech universities on a project called Operation Idiopathic Decline. Wildlife Department biologists are trapping quail and sending biological samples to Texas Tech University where researchers are investigating the potential impact of disease, parasitism, pesticides, toxins and contaminants on quail.

The Wildlife Department is also starting an upland game bird initiative that will provide extensive information on matters that could lead to improvements in the quail population and quail habitat management.

“We’re working with Oklahoma State University to implement a long-term, well-designed telemetry study that’s going to look at the dynamics of reproduction, recruitment and the movements of quail,” Schoeling said. These key aspects of quail ecology will be evaluated in relation to habitat management, weather patterns and events, vegetation and insect abundance, predators and hunting.

Although the research will focus on Packsaddle and Beaver River WMAs — where intensive quail habitat management is being done such as strip disking, patch burning and regulated grazing — research findings will also be used to assist landowners in managing quail on their properties. Quail populations will be closely monitored before and after the application of these management efforts, and their response carefully documented. Quail will be leg-banded and fitted with radio tracking devices where biologists can track movements, reproductive success and survival. Hunters harvesting banded or radio-tagged quail are asked to contact the Wildlife Department or Oklahoma State University. Signs will be posted on the areas detailing how hunters can report banded and tagged birds. Researchers will also use weather stations on the two WMAs to intensively monitor and collect information on localized weather events in order to correlate the relationship between weather, vegetation and insect abundance and intensive management habitat efforts.

The Wildlife Department will be working to improve methods for monitoring quail populations on a yearly basis.

“Effectively monitoring the quail population is critical to evaluating management efforts, tracking annual fluctuations in the quail population and informing hunters,” Schoeling said.

Limited supplies of a Wildlife Department publication called “Upland Urgency” are available free for those wanting to learn more about quail research in Oklahoma. To request a copy, call the Wildlife Department at (405) 521-3856 or visit the headquarters office at 1801 North Lincoln in Oklahoma City.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Oklahoma Quail Season Opens Nov. 12

With North American waterfowl populations higher now than ever recorded, Oklahoma hunters who can find ample water supply this winter could be in for some outstanding hunting. Zone 1 waterfowl season kicks off Oct. 29, followed by the Zone 2 opener Nov. 5. Waterfowl season in the Panhandle opened Oct. 8.

Every year wildlife biologists conduct waterfowl breeding population counts in the northern United States and Canada, and this year the counts show the highest numbers of ducks ever recorded, thanks to ideal breeding ground conditions and decades of cooperative waterfowl and habitat management efforts by state wildlife agencies, the U.S. and Canandian Fish and Wildlife Services, and sportsmen’s groups.

Drought in Oklahoma combined with one of the hottest summers on record has caused many lakes and ponds to dry up. While recent rains have started to saturate the ground once again, finding significant amounts of water to hunt may be challenging for some hunters, according to Josh Richardson, migratory game bird biologists for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.

“Many lakes have a 100-yard stretch or more of dried lakebed before you even get to the water, which makes it difficult to find a good spot to hide,” Richardson said. “Still, the duck numbers are high this year and hunters who position themselves well should have ample opportunities.”

Every year the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes frameworks to states for structuring their waterfowl seasons and limits, and Oklahoma’s long season and generous harvest limits represent a liberal season framework for hunters to enjoy.

The daily limit of six ducks may include no more than: five mallards (only two may be hens), three wood ducks, two redheads, two scaup, two pintails and one canvasback. The daily limit of mergansers is five, of which no more than two may be hooded mergansers, and the daily limit of coots is 15.

To hunt ducks in Oklahoma, hunters must possess a valid hunting license, an Oklahoma waterfowl stamp, a federal duck stamp and a Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (HIP) Permit. More information and regulations — including information on goose and sandhill crane seasons — is available online at wildlifedepartment.com or in the current “Oklahoma Waterfowl Guide,” available free at locations where hunting licenses and duck stamps are sold.

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Heavy Waterfowl Traffic Expected this Season in Oklahoma, Zone 1 Duck Season Opens Oct. 29

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation is searching for young hunters who want to go on a guided duck hunt this fall at one of six lakes across Oklahoma.

The hunts are designed for youth ages 12-15 who have completed the Wildlife Department’s free hunter education course. Hunts are held at Altus-Lugert Lake, Ft. Gibson Waterfowl Refuge, Ft. Cobb State Lake, Hackberry Flat Waterfowl Refuge, Vann’s Lake (north of Muskogee), and Wister Lake Refuge.

The application deadline is Nov. 7, and all youth have to do to apply is write their first hunt choice preference and two alternate locations on a 3”x5” postcard along with their name, address, phone number and their hunter education number and mail them to OK Dept. of Wildlife Conservation, Youth Waterfowl Hunts PO Box 53465, Oklahoma City, OK 73152. Applications must be received by Nov. 7.

Other than meeting the age requirements, applicants must have proof of successfully completing a certified hunter education course and have an adult guardian who can accompany them on the hunt.

The scheduled date of the hunt will be coordinated with successful applicants after the drawing, and a Wildlife Department employee will accompany each youth and their adult guardian for the controlled waterfowl hunt. Only the youth hunter will be allowed to hunt.

The Wildlife Department will provide successful applicants the necessary nontoxic shotgun shells, and a 20 gauge single shot shotgun will be available for use if the youth does not have his or her own shotgun. For more information, contact Jeff Neal, wildlife technician for the Wildlife Department, at (405) 396-2503 or by e-mail at jneal@zoo.odwc.state.ok.us. Information also is available on page 6 of the “2011-12 Oklahoma Waterfowl Guide.”

Outdoor Hub, The Outdoor Information Engine - Oklahoma Wildlife Department Seeks Youth Waterfowl Hunters