JANUARY 2009 NEWS RELEASES
WEEK OF JANUARY 22, 2009WEEK OF JANUARY 15, 2009
WEEK OF JANUARY 8, 2009
WEEK OF JANUARY 2, 2009
Archers can now hunt bucks
until Jan. 15
Late season archery hunters have until Jan. 15 to hunt deer, and new
this season is an opportunity to harvest an antlered deer Jan. 1-15, a period
that previously limited hunters to antlerless deer hunting only.
“This is an exciting time for archery hunters because many of them
may not realize they can now harvest a buck during the Jan. 1-15 portion of
archery season,” said Alan Peoples, chief of wildlife for the Oklahoma
Department of Wildlife Conservation. “Deer are really focusing on food sources
now, so that can help archers pattern deer.”
Along with the additional buck hunting days comes a change to the
archery season harvest limit. Hunters can now harvest their full combined season
limit of six deer during archery season, of which no more than two may be
antlered deer.
Other increased archery hunting opportunities have been added in
recent years as well, such as one added in 2003 that removed the closure of
archery season during deer gun season. Before that, hunters could harvest deer
with a bow during deer gun season, but they had to purchase a deer gun license
before hunting.
To hunt deer Jan. 1-15, 2009, all hunters must possess a valid 2009
hunting license and legacy permit as well as a 2009 deer archery license for
each deer hunted, unless otherwise exempt. These annual licenses are valid from
Jan. 1 to Dec. 31. Deer taken Jan. 1-15, 2009 count toward a hunter’s 2008
combined season limit.
To learn more about deer hunting in Oklahoma, log on to
wildlifedepartment.com or consult a copy of the current “Oklahoma Hunting
Guide.”
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H&H Gun Range to host free hunter education instructor workshops
Sportsmen who want to pass on the tradition of hunting have an
opportunity to educate the next generation of hunters.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation has announced the
dates for its 2009 hunter education workshops to be held free of charge at H&H
Gun Range Shooting Sports Outlet in Oklahoma City.
“Volunteer instructors are crucial to the success of our hunter
education classes statewide,” said Lance Meek, hunter education coordinator for
the Wildlife Department. “We also rely heavily on our partners like H&H. We
couldn’t get hunter education done without the involvement of our community.”
Miles Hall, founder of H&H Gun Range Shooting Sports Outlet, looks
forward to hosting the workshops and adding to the number of Oklahoma hunters.
“Having helped teach thousands of hunters in the past, we’re looking
to build our base of instructors in anticipation of teaching thousands more,”
Hall said.
Volunteer instructors teach and assist in numerous classes
throughout the state each year, making hunter education more readily available
for more Oklahomans. Volunteers help set up and teach classes, assist other
instructors and represent the Wildlife Department and sportsmen of the state.
Annually, the Wildlife Department certifies approximately 15,000 new
sportsmen and women to enjoy Oklahoma’s great hunting opportunities.
According to Meek, the most important quality for a volunteer
instructor is to be a safe and ethical hunter, but there are also a few steps to
becoming certified, such as attending a workshop and receiving a background
check.
“Now is a good time of the year to start the process of becoming a
hunter education instructor,” Meek said. “There is plenty of time to work
through the process of becoming an instructor before our busiest time of year in
the Fall, and there is time to gain confidence and learn everything you need to
know to teach hunter education.”
Workshops are scheduled for Feb. 7, June 13, Aug. 8, and Dec. 12,
2009, at H&H Gun Range, located at the I-40 and Meridian area in Oklahoma City
(400 S. Vermont, Suite 110).
For more information about hunter education in Oklahoma, log on to
wildlifedepartment.com.
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Trout angling offers cure
for cabin fever
Despite some especially cold days during December that brought
single digit temperatures to parts of the state, Oklahoma also has been
experiencing periods of unseasonably warm weather, driving sportsmen to break
their cabin fever and head for the outdoors. Trout angling at one of Oklahoma’s
eight designated trout waters may be just the cure for too much time spent
inside.
Matt Gamble, south central region fisheries biologist for the
Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, said he noted heavy trout angling
activity after the season first started Nov. 1 where he is stationed at the Blue
River Public Fishing and Hunting Area. He said he also expects activity to
continue picking up.
“Wintertime trout fishing really offers Oklahomans a unique outdoor
getaway,” Gamble said. “Trout do well in Oklahoma waters and really make for an
exciting way to fish. They put up a good fight, and both kids and adults enjoy
the challenge.”
According to Gamble, good weather is a plus as well.
“When you get a really nice winter day like we have been having
lately, trout fishing just doesn’t get much better or more fun.”
Wintertime trout fishing is available from Nov. 1 through March 31
at Blue River PF&HA, Lake Pawhuska, Robbers Cave, Lake Watonga, Quartz Mountain
and Lake Carl Etling. Additionally, the Wildlife Department manages year-round
trout fisheries in the Lower Illinois River from Tenkiller Dam to the Hwy 64
bridge near Gore and in a 12-mile stretch of the Lower Mountain Fork River from
the Broken Bow Lake spillway downstream to the U.S. Hwy 70 bridge (of which
about five miles lies with Beaver’s Bend State Park).
Trout anglers must possess an appropriate fishing license and a
legacy permit as well as a $10 trout license ($5 for youth 17 and under).
For more information on trout fishing, or for descriptions and
regulations pertaining to Oklahoma’s designated trout waters, log on to
wildlifedepartment.com or consult the current “Oklahoma Fishing Guide.”
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More than
4,000 paddlefish cleaned for anglers at new center
Oklahomans enjoy the finest paddlefish angling in the nation, and in
doing so they not only are catching thousands of fish each year, but they are
also contributing to science and funding their own sport through the paddlefish
research and processing center.
At its January meeting, the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation
Commission heard a presentation from Keith Green, paddlefish program coordinator
for the Wildlife Department, and Brent Gordon, northeast region fisheries
supervisor for the Department, recounting the success of the first year of the
Department’s paddlefish research and processing center.
In February 2008, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
opened the center at Twin Bridges State Park near Miami in far northeast
Oklahoma. The center collected important biological data, processed paddlefish
fillets for anglers and salvaged paddlefish eggs.
Over 4,000 fish were brought to the paddlefish research and
processing center by anglers, where their fish were professionally cleaned and
packaged. Workers at the center salvaged eggs from female fish to sell as
caviar. More than 8,000 lbs. of eggs were salvaged, and income derived from the
program is being used to fund continued paddlefish research and improve angler
access. Oklahoma paddlefish caviar was dispersed throughout Europe and Asia, and
after the critical biological data was recorded from each fish, more than 45
tons of paddlefish carcasses were recycled into a natural source of heating oil.
Most importantly, the Wildlife Department was able to gather large
quantities of useful data for managing paddlefish in Oklahoma. Certain types of
biological data can only be collected once the fish is dead. Prior to the
opening of the research and processing center, the Department had only collected
information from 240 fish since the late 1970s. The research and processing
center makes it possible to collect data from thousands of fish that are already
being harvested by anglers. In just a few months, biologists found themselves
years ahead of where they were in terms of researching and managing the species.
“We get the information we need for management, anglers get the meat
from their fish, fish carcasses are used as a natural source of heating fuel,
and the salvaged eggs are sold to pay for continued management of the resource,”
Green said.
During 2008, the Wildlife Department was able to gather age and
growth data on paddlefish and get an accurate picture of the total harvest.
Additionally, biologists recorded a day-by-day documentation of the annual
paddlefish spawn for the first time. Information gathered during the spawning
season can be compared with future spawning runs to better understand how these
unique fish relate to their habitat, including water temperature and flow.
The success of the paddlefish research and processing center has led
the agency to design plans for building a permanent center in 2009 at Twin
Bridges on the Neosho River, and the program will be expanded to include Fort
Gibson Lake in 2010.
The center is open during prime paddlefish snagging months
(approximately Feb. 15 – May 15), and anglers can bring their catch to the
center for cleaning and processing. Additionally, anglers such as those fishing
at Miami’s Riverview City Park also can call the paddlefish processing center to
come pick up their paddlefish for processing. Anglers who take advantage of the
service will take home meat from their own fish that has been safely cleaned and
packaged.
The paddlefish research center is seasonally staffed by employees
trained in proper handling and processing of fish products.
Paddlefish anglers are required to obtain a free paddlefish permit
before fishing for paddlefish in Oklahoma. Each angler that obtains the permit
will be assigned a number that must be attached to all paddlefish that are
caught and kept. The permit system will provide clearer information about
paddlefish anglers and help better manage paddlefish populations. The permit is
annual, and the permit number can be used on every paddlefish tagged during that
period. Permits can be obtained online at wildlifedepartment.com.
The Commission also heard a presentation from Rhonda Hurst, Expo
coordinator for the Wildlife Department, on the success of the 2008 Oklahoma
Wildlife Expo. The Wildlife Expo is a hands-on recreational and educational
event. Wildlife Department employees and over 1,000 volunteers and partners come
together to make the event happen.
“The Expo has become the largest outdoor recreation event in the
state of Oklahoma, and this year was no exception.” Hurst said. “The Expo
brought visitors from every county in Oklahoma, 12 other states and as far away
as Alberta, Canada.”
A survey used by the Wildlife Department to gain information about
Expo attendance indicated that 66 percent of the Expo visitors were first-time
attendees.
“It’s evident that, after four years, the Expo is still reaching a
significant number of new people every year,” Hurst said.
Those new people could also equate to new hunters and anglers,
according to surveys. Of those surveyed who were not licensed to hunt or fish,
26 percent said they intended to purchase a hunting license and 45 percent said
they intended to purchase a fishing license after attending the Expo.
Hurst reported that the Expo’s first ever “school day,” held Friday
during Expo, drew over 4,200 students and over 1,000 teachers and sponsors from
79 different schools, including schools as far away as Valliant in McCurtain Co.
and Hardesty schools in the Panhandle’s Texas County.
At the 2008 Expo, guests were able to shop for outdoor goods and
services at the Outdoor Marketplace for the second year in a row, and visitors
were able to try a number of hands-on activities. About 2,500 lbs. of catfish
were stocked in the pond for fishing opportunities, 7,000 Dutch oven food
samples were served to guests, 375 blue bird houses were built, 27,500 shotgun
shells were shot, and thousands of pounds of game meat were served to visitors
at the popular Taste of the Wild booth.
In other business, the Commission accepted a donation of $1,050 from
the Dillingham Ranch and the Bank of Oklahoma to purchase equipment and supplies
for the Department’s Shotgun Training and Education Program (STEP).
Lance Robnett with Bank of Oklahoma said it was “a pleasure” for the
two groups to be able to make a donation to STEP.
“It’s great to have a program that teaches kids and new shooters the
right way to handle firearms,” Robnett said. “I know that my best memories are
out in the field with my dad, and I’m working on creating some of those memories
with my kids as well. I know the money will be put to good use.”
Although special emphasis is put on teaching basic wing-shooting
techniques and fundamentals, STEP is also geared toward recruiting new hunters,
providing shooting experience for Hunter Education students, promoting safe gun
handling, and educating hunters about nontoxic shot shell technology.
The STEP program has over 100 certified instructors that can run a
shooting course, and they provide around 100 programs a year. Attended by around
16,000 participants a year, youth make up approximately 63 percent of attendees,
while females account for about 23 percent.
The Commission also recognized Jimmie Henthorn, game warden
supervisor for the Wildlife Department, for 35 years of service, and Charles
Cowell, data analyst and programmer for the Department, for 20 years.
The Wildlife Conservation Commission is the eight-member governing
board of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The Wildlife
Commission establishes state hunting and fishing regulations, sets policy for
the Wildlife Department and indirectly oversees all state fish and wildlife
conservation activities. Commission members are appointed by the governor and
confirmed by the Senate.
The next scheduled Commission meeting is set for 9 a.m. Feb. 2 at
the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation headquarters (auditorium),
located at the southwest corner of 18th and North Lincoln, Oklahoma City.
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Hunters not waiting on fair
weather
With several open hunting seasons and some good fishing to be had
statewide, most outdoorsman know this is no time to be suffering from cabin
fever. It’s time to be in the field and on the water.
Even though several major fall hunting seasons have come and gone,
there are still opportunities to go hunting right now in Oklahoma including deer
and turkey archery, quail, pheasant, rabbit, squirrel, furbearer and waterfowl.
There also are hunting seasons for other species that are open year-round.
“This is not the time to pack away all your gear until spring,” said
Bill Dinkines, assistant chief of wildlife for the Wildlife Department.
“Instead, it’s a great time to get out and enjoy some of the diverse hunting
Oklahoma has to offer.”
Oklahomans don’t have to look far for a place to hunt during the
late season, either. The Wildlife Department maintains wildlife management areas
in every part of the state that are open to public hunting. Each one is detailed
on the Wildlife Department’s Web site at
www.wildlifedepartment.com
Seasons on public lands may vary from statewide seasons, and hunters should
consult the current “Oklahoma Hunting Guide” or
www.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 Jan. 31 (bobcat through Feb. 28)
Pheasant – through Jan. 31
Quail – through Feb. 15
Rabbit – through March 15
Waterfowl
Ducks, mergansers and coots – Zone 1 through Jan. 18; Zone 2 through Jan. 25
(Pintail/Canvasback – Zone 2 through Jan. 25)
Canada geese – through Feb. 15
White-fronted geese – through Feb. 6
Light geese (snow, blue and Ross’) – through Feb. 15
(Conservation Order Light Goose Season – Feb. 16 - March 31, 2009)
Sandhill crane – through Jan. 25 (west of I-35 only)
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Eagles offer
outdoor show to wildlife enthusiasts
Seventeen locations all across the state offer more than 50
opportunities to see the nation’s emblem in the wild.
As lakes in the northern U.S. and Midwest freeze, eagles migrate
south to find open water and food. Oklahoma has more miles of shoreline than the
east and west coasts combined, and the amount of water in Oklahoma makes it one
of the top 10 states in the nation for winter eagle viewing.
“During the winter, Oklahoma is host to anywhere from 700 to 1,500
eagles that migrate in from the northern states and Canada,” said Lesley McNeff,
wildlife diversity information specialist for the Oklahoma Department of
Wildlife Conservation. “The numbers peak in January and February, with the
highest concentration of birds located at lakes. Popular viewing sites include
Kaw, Texoma, Tenkiller, Ft. Gibson, Grand, Canton and Great Salt Plains
reservoirs. Oklahoma also has over 120 bald eagles that live here year-round,
including nearly 60 known breeding pairs.”
McNeff said that the George M. Sutton Avian Research Center, with
assistance from the Department’s Wildlife Diversity Program, began an initiative
in the mid 1980s to restore breeding eagle populations in Oklahoma and other
southeastern states. Between 1985 and 1991 nearly 100 eaglets were released in
eastern Oklahoma, including 59 birds in 1990 alone.
Biologists transported eggs from Florida bald eagle nests to the
Sutton Center in Bartlesville. Nine to 10 weeks after hatching, the young eagles
were placed in hacking towers and eventually released into the wild with the
hopes that they would return as adults and raise their young in the state.
Since those efforts, bald eagle populations in Oklahoma have
increased each year. While no pairs of nesting eagles existed in the state in
1990, Oklahoma currently has nearly 60 nesting pairs.
Eagle watches are hosted by state parks, lake management offices,
national wildlife refuges and local Audubon Society chapters. Event activities
will vary, but most events are free. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife
Conservation annually compiles a list of events to help Oklahomans discover
where to view this majestic bird. For more information or to view the list, log
on to www.wildlifedepartment.com
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Spotted bass length and daily limits eliminated for Oklahoma anglers
Slot limits, daily harvest limits and “catch and release” angling
have long been important elements of developing good black bass fisheries, but a
new regulation change for 2009 encourages anglers to keep and eat as many
spotted bass as they can.
The new regulation is highlighted in the “2009 Oklahoma Fishing
Guide,” a free, full-color publication of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife
Conservation. The guide is available now and is hitting shelves at fishing and
hunting license dealers across the state.
According to biologists with the Department, spotted bass
populations in most reservoirs are overabundant and slow growing, seldom
providing quality bass fishing and using forage that could be better utilized by
the more desirable predators such as largemouth and smallmouth bass, striped
bass hybrids and walleye/saugeye. Exempting spotted bass from length limits and
increasing the daily limit is intended to encourage more harvest of these fish
as well as reduce competition for forage among other predators, improve overall
fishing quality and remind anglers that harvest is a necessary component of a
healthy fishery.
Keith Thomas, fisheries biologist for the Wildlife Department, said
the regulation change is a good thing for anglers looking to fill their
stringer.
“Here's a great opportunity for folks to load up the ice chest and
have a great shore lunch or fish fry,” Thomas said. “These fish school in large
numbers, so once you locate them you'll usually catch a good mess of them just
like you would while crappie fishing.”
Thomas said spotted bass may not be as big as some largemouth bass,
but the fact that the statewide limit has been lifted except in a few certain
areas means you can harvest more of them for the dinner table.
“To locate them, fish off of rocky points with steep drop offs,”
Thomas said. “Use crayfish, minnows, small curly-tail grubs and small deep
diving crankbaits.'”
Thomas said the nicknames and even the scientific name for the fish
— Micropterus punctulatus — lend some insight into distinguishing spotted bass
from other black bass.
“Spotted bass are also called ‘Kentucky bass,' ‘spots' and ‘diamond
bass,'” he said. “The scientific name translates to ‘small-finned and dotted.'
You can look at the belly scales and most will have a dark green or black spot.
Smallmouth bass and largemouth bass will have very few or no spots.”
For legal identification purposes, a spotted bass is any black bass,
except for smallmouth, having a rough tongue patch.
Thomas' advice to anglers is simple.
“Anglers, help improve fishing at your favorite lake and harvest
some spotted bass,” Thomas said.
The “2009 Oklahoma Fishing Guide” details special regulation areas
where the regulation change may not apply. It also outlines other new regulation
changes for 2009. In addition, it includes a full listing of all fishing
regulations for Oklahoma as well as a wide range of fishing-related articles and
other helpful information such as contacts for Department lakes, “Close to Home”
fishing locations, game warden phone numbers, license fees and fish
identification tips.
Anglers also can find the “2009 Oklahoma Fishing Guide” and buy
fishing licenses online by logging on to wildlifedepartment.com. The Web site
provides a weekly fishing report where anglers can find out how some of the
state's most popular game fish are biting and what baits are working best at
different fishing locations. Compiled by Wildlife Department personnel and
independent reporters, the reports even include techniques and locations to
increase angler success. The weekly fishing report can be received weekly by
e-mail, along with other wildlife news from the Department. To sign up for the
free weekly e-mail, log on to http://www.wildlifedepartment.com
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Celebrate Oklahoma's mule deer with 2009 habitat donor patch
Few images are more stunning to an Oklahoma hunter than that of a
whitetail buck, but many may not realize that the mule deer also calls Oklahoma
home. And its stunning features are being celebrated this year on the Oklahoma
Department of Wildlife Conservation's 2009 habitat donor patch, available now
through the Wildlife Department's Outdoor Store at wildlifedepartment.com.
Much less common in Oklahoma than the whitetail, the mule deer is
characterized by its large, “mule-like” ears and cream-colored tail with a black
tip. Additionally, mule deer bucks like the one featured on the 2009 habitat
donor patch have antlers with forked main beams that are branched equally. The
mule deer typically weighs more than the whitetail.
Hunters along Oklahoma's far western border and Panhandle areas are
most likely to get a glimpse of a mule deer, as they do not inhabit central or
eastern portions of the state. Mule deer are attracted to grasslands, plains,
foothills and river bottom habitat in addition to forests, desert shrubs and
thickets of shrub trees.
“By purchasing a $10 habitat donor patch, buyers help provide public
land access for the future,” said Melinda Sturgess-Streich, assistant director
of administration for the Wildlife Department. “One purchase may not seem like
much, but that purchase is pooled with those of all other outdoor enthusiasts,
and it can really add up. With public land access becoming more important over
time, this really is a program sportsmen can feel good about supporting.”
To purchase a donor patch, visit the Department's Outdoor Store by
logging on to wildlifedepartment.com. Caps featuring the habitat donor patch
also are available for $15. Outdoor Store order forms also can be found in
copies of Outdoor Oklahoma magazine. Additionally, patches can be purchased at
the Wildlife Department headquarters in Oklahoma City.
All proceeds go to the Department's Land Acquisition Fund, which is
used to provide public hunting and fishing access. This program has helped the
Wildlife Department make available over 300,000 acres of land for public hunting
and fishing. To view the new patches and those from previous years, log on to
the Department's Web site at
http://www.wildlifedepartment.com
The colorful patches have displayed a different game or fish species
every year since 1986, and collectors can purchase a patch from any year.
For more information about the Wildlife Department, log on to
wildlifedepartment.com.
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Outdoor Oklahoma readers' photos wanted for special summer issue
Every year, Oklahoma's outdoor enthusiasts have a chance to see
their own digital photos in print in Outdoor Oklahoma magazine's “Readers'
Photography Showcase” issue, and now is the time to submit entries.
Submissions are being accepted through March 31, and winners will
have their work featured in the July/August 2009 issue of Outdoor Oklahoma.
The special summer issue gives both professional and amateur
photographers the chance to have their digital photos displayed in a magazine
nationally recognized for its photography.
“Oklahoma is home to many great outdoor opportunities, and
photography is certainly growing in popularity,” said Nels Rodefeld, editor of
Outdoor Oklahoma. “We look forward to working on the Readers' Photography
Showcase issue because we get to see so many great outdoor images. It seems to
get harder every year to make the final selections.”
Each participant may submit up to five digital images. Each
submission must include a description of the photo, including the location
taken, names and hometowns of subjects and what it took to get just the right
shot. Photos should be in sharp focus, and images should be at least 300 dpi
(dots per inch). The canvas size should be about 8 inches by 11 inches. Slides
and print images will not be accepted.
Hopeful photographers can mail a disk to: Outdoor Oklahoma magazine, Oklahoma
Dept. of Wildlife Conservation, P.O. Box 53465, Oklahoma City, OK 73152.
Individuals can subscribe to Outdoor Oklahoma by calling
1-800-777-0019. Subscriptions are just $10 for one year, $18 for two years, or
$25 for three years. You can also subscribe over the Internet by logging on to
the Department's Web site at wildlifedepartment.com.
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LAKE RECORDS UPDATE
Thunderbird
Crappie
Weight: 2.6 lbs.
Angler: Shelby Wade Greeson, Noble
Date: Dec. 27, 2008
Bait: Jig
Photo link:
http://lake-record.ou.edu/fishsite/public/fishView.php?id=536
Tenkiller
Smallmouth Bass
Weight: 5.5 lbs.
Angler: Barry F. Clay, Tahlequah
Date: Jan. 3, 2009
Bait: Jig
Photo link:
http://lake-record.ou.edu/fishsite/public/fishView.php?id=537
Oklahoma Station Chapter of Safari Club International offers sportsmens' auction
and banquet
Safari Club International is characterized by its support of
conservation and sportsmen, and their active Oklahoma Station Chapter is
offering sportsmen the chance to contribute as well by attending their 24th
Annual Awards Banquet and Charity Fundraiser Saturday, March 7 in Oklahoma City.
The banquet will be held at the National Cowboy and
The Oklahoma Station Chapter of Safari Club International offers
support and funding to local conservation efforts that benefit the sportsmen and
wildlife of
“Starting as a young boy over 50 years ago, the opportunity to learn
about the outdoors and to hunt has added greatly to my appreciation and
enjoyment of life,” said Mike Mistelske, current vice president and nominee for
president of the Oklahoma Station Chapter. “It's a privilege now to be able to
give something back through SCI here in
The organization also has helped fund the purchase of an airboat
used by the Wildlife Department on waterfowl surveys and other wetland
management tasks, and a 24-foot trailer for use in the Department's Shotgun
Training Education Program (STEP). The STEP program introduces both youth and
adults to shotgun shooting techniques and the proper handling of firearms. The
Oklahoma Station Chapter also partners with the Wildlife Department each year to
hold an annual youth essay contest that provides youth a chance to share their
feelings about Oklahoma's outdoors and to win great prizes, including a guided
pronghorn antelope hunt in New Mexico. Additionally, the chapter purchased eight
elk for introduction into an existing herd in southeast
The banquet begins at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 7, but registration
begins at 4:30 p.m. Craig Boddington and various outfitters and wildlife artists
will be available starting at 5:30 p.m. The National Cowboy and
SCI membership is not required to participate in the banquet and
raffles, or to be eligible for door prizes. Tickets may be purchased in advance
for $75 or at the door for $100. To purchase tickets or for further information,
contact Verilea Faust at (405) 721-7229 or e-mail faust4v@pldi.net. Ticket forms
may also be printed and either mailed, faxed or e-mailed through the Chapter's
Web site at oklahomastationsci.org. Bid cards for the auction are available to
members at no cost. For non-members, bid cards ($50) or memberships ($85) may be
purchased at the door if desired. For questions relating to the banquet and
auction, contact Oklahoma Station Chapter of SCI vice president Mike Mistelske
at mjmistelske@yahoo.com.
For more information on the Oklahoma Station Chapter of Safari Club
International, log on to oklahomastationsci.org.
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2009-10 Waterfowl Stamp
artwork selected
The 2009-2010 Oklahoma Waterfowl Stamp design competition results
are in, and first place goes to Tim Turenne of Richfield, Minn. The wildlife
artist's winning painting portraying a pair of gadwalls resting in dim sunlight
will be featured on the 2008-09 Oklahoma Waterfowl Stamp.
Turenne is an active hunter, angler, hiker and wildlife watcher who
enjoys “taking in all nature has to offer.”
Turenne started his own wildlife art company, WILDforLIFE, in 2006
and has won wildlife art competitions all across the country including the 2006
Maryland Black Bear Conservation Stamp, 2007 Minnesota Turkey Stamp, 2008
Colorado Habitat Stamp, 2009 Minnesota Trout and Salmon Stamp and the 2010
Minnesota Turkey Stamp. He said he uses photography to help draw inspiration for
his work.
“I take a lot of pictures that I incorporate into my wildlife
paintings,” Turenne said.
Samples of Turenne's work can be viewed on his Web site at
wildforlife.net.
Honorable mentions went to J. Byron Test of Guymon; James Sanderson
of Kansas City, Mo.; Daniel Allard of Pataskala, Ohio; and Douglas Walpus of
Hartsville, Tenn.
“We received some great entries in this year's contest and had the
public's help in picking the winning artwork,” said Micah Holmes, information
supervisor for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. “The entries
were on display at the
Duck stamp sales help finance many projects that benefit ducks and
geese. Since the duck stamp program began in 1980, thousands of acres of
waterfowl habitat have been enhanced and restored through duck stamp revenues.
Entries were judged on anatomical accuracy, artistic composition and
suitability for printing. The winner and honorable mentions also will appear in
a future issue of Outdoor Oklahoma magazine.
A selection of waterfowl stamp art from previous years is currently
on display in the lobby of the Wildlife Department headquarters located at 1801
N. Lincoln, in
Prints of previous winning waterfowl artwork can be purchased at
www.wildlifedepartment.com
Turenne, stamp winner
Trout season at OKC pond offers outdoor entertainment for the family
Enjoying a unique fishing trip requires only a few hours after
school or work for Oklahoma City residents looking for entertainment for the
whole family. Metro anglers have a trout fishing honey hole in their own
backyard at Dolese Youth Park Pond in northwest
Part of the state's Close to Home fishing program, the Dolese trout
season is made possible through a cooperative partnership between the Wildlife
Department and the
Over the course of the season, (open through Feb. 28), rainbow trout
will be stocked regularly in the pond, located north of NW 50th and a half block
west of Meridian Ave.
Trout are provided through generous donations from a local sponsor
and BancFirst. These funds are crucial in providing the necessary match for
“BancFirst's donation is matched with sport fish restoration dollars
through the Wildlife Department to supply the trout for this popular local
program,” said Jeff Boxrucker, assistant chief of fisheries for the Wildlife
Department. “We couldn't do it without their support, but thanks to their help
we can offer metro anglers this affordable, entertaining source of recreation
that doesn't require a lot of planning.”
The “Close to Home” fishing program provides fishing areas that are
often just a short drive away from urban locations, saving anglers time and gas
money. In addition, it allows parents and children to fish together after school
or on a busy weekend.
“The ‘Close to Home' fishing program is a unique way to offer
angling opportunities to even the most urban
According to Bob Martin, fisheries biologist for the
Anglers should have success using 4- to 6-pound test line equipped
with a slip sinker and small hook. Along with powerbaits, choice baits include
corn, worms, small spinners, jigs and spoons.
“We're stocking rainbow trout that range from nine to 24 inches,
with 90 percent ranging from nine to 14 inches,” Martin said.
Martin said that, in years past, Dolese has seen up to 18,000 hours
of angling a year. Martin also said the Dolese trout season attracts returning
anglers as well as first-time anglers each year, and successful anglers have
reported satisfaction with the size and taste of trout they have caught.
There is a daily limit of six trout per person during the Dolese
Park Pond trout season. In addition, angling is permitted from the bank only,
and each angler may only use one rod and reel while fishing for trout. Trout
caught and placed on a stringer or otherwise held in possession cannot be
released. Catch-and-release angling is allowed all day long during the Dolese
trout season, but once a fish is kept, such as put on a stringer or in a basket
or bucket, it cannot be released and counts toward the angler's daily limit of
six trout. Regulations for other species that may be caught at Dolese are
available in the current “Oklahoma Fishing Guide” or online at
wildlifedepartment.com.
Those fishing for trout at Dolese must purchase an annual state
fishing license and a fishing and hunting legacy permit unless exempt. In
addition, an Oklahoma City Fishing Permit is required for anglers ages 16-61
unless exempt. No state trout license is required. For more information about
trout fishing at Dolese and other Close to Home fishing opportunities, contact
the city's H.B. Parsons Fish Hatchery at (405) 755-4014, or visit the Lakes and
Fishing page of the city's Web site at okc.gov.
For more information on the “Close to Home” fishing program, log on to
wildlifedepartment.com.
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