New Hunting and Fishing Regulations

dennishoddy · Mar 6, 2012

The Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission on Monday approved new regulations that expand the bow hunting season for black bears, restricts the use of off-road vehicles on the Honobia Creek Wildlife Management Area and stops baiting of deer and turkeys on public hunting grounds.

Commissioners voted 6-1 to expand black bear hunting in southeastern Oklahoma by eliminating the 20-bear limit that had existed for the archery season. Only commissioner David Riggs dissented.
Black bear hunting is legal in four southeastern Oklahoma counties: Pushmataha, Latimer, Le Flore and McCurtain. The black bear hunting season previously ended when 20 bears were killed.
The archery season will now open Oct. 1 and close after the third Sunday of October. There will be no limit on the number of bears that can be killed by bow hunters. A total cap of 20 bears will be in place for the muzzleloader season, which will open Oct. 22.
The end of the 20-bear limit for bow hunters will guarantee a three-week black bear archery season and a black bear muzzleloader season that will follow.
There has been no muzzleloader season for black bears during the past two years because bow hunters have killed more than the 20-bear limit in the first day or two.
Commissioners voted 5-2 to restrict ATVs and other off-road vehicles, except during the deer gun season, to established roads only on the Honobia Creek Wildlife Management Area in Pushmataha County.
Commissioners Mike Bloodworth and Harland Stonecipher, whose districts include counties in southeastern Oklahoma, voted against the proposal which had angered many recreational ATV riders and local residents.

Read more: http://newsok.com/ou...9#ixzz1oOGjbjna

dennishoddy · Mar 6, 2012

Commissioners voted unanimously to eliminate the baiting of deer and turkeys on public wildlife management areas.
State wildlife officials said the measure is intended to help avoid hunter conflict on the public land and to keep turkey hunters from ambushing gobblers between roosts and baited areas.
In other measures, the wildlife commission:
*Rejected a proposal that would end daily bag limits on furbearing animals such as raccoons and establish season limits only.
*Approved a regulation that will require the release of all striped bass less than 20 inches in length caught from Sooner Lake. State wildlife officials are trying to grow bigger stripers in the lake.
*Eliminated the 13- to 16-inch slot limit on largemouth and smallmouth bass at Lake Elmer Thomas.
*Reduced the tom limit from two to one in 32 counties in central and eastern Oklahoma beginning in the 2013 spring turkey season.
*Set the daily limit at five striped bass for all lakes with the exception of Lake Texoma, which remains at 10 per day with only two more than 20 inches.
*Set the daily limit at 20 for striped bass hybrids and white bass combined at Kaw Lake. Only five fish may be more than 20 inches.
*Rejected a proposal that would have increased the qualification for participation in the Wildlife Department's Deer Management Assistance Program from 1,000 to 2,500 acres.

Read more: http://newsok.com/outdoors-wildlife-conservation-commission-passes-new-hunting-and-fishing-regulations/article/3654899#ixzz1oOgImNG5