Deer gun season brings families together

            Since 1933, deer gun hunters have been making their way into the woods and fields of Oklahoma for a tradition as deeply rooted as any in the state. Every year a huge portion of Oklahoma's 356,257 licensed hunters join family members and friends for the opening day of deer gun season, and this year looks to be no different, with opening day slated for Nov. 21.
            “The opening day of deer gun season is the biggest day of the year for hunters in Oklahoma,” said Nels Rodefeld, chief of information and education for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. “Not only that, it's a big day for families, friends and loved ones who come together for a pastime that brings them close to each other and closer to nature.”
            While deer hunting is a time for fun, family and the outdoors, it's also important to realize the critical role that hunting plays in wildlife conservation across the state. In fact, Oklahoma's record of restoring deer populations and other species of fish and wildlife and protecting natural habitat can be largely credited to the millions of dollars generated by the state's sportsmen and women.
            The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation is the state agency responsible for managing fish and wildlife. The Wildlife Department receives no general state tax dollars and is supported by sportsmen through the sale of hunting and fishing licenses. Additionally, for each hunting gear purchase, a portion of the money is returned to state fish and wildlife agencies for conservation efforts. Through the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, passed in 1937 at the request of the hunting and shooting sports enthusiasts, special excise taxes on hunting gear have contributed billions of dollars for wildlife conservation.
            In the early part of the last century, when deer populations were down to just a few hundred animals, hunters and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation took up the call to once again have healthy deer populations across the state. Part of this conservation effort began with the historic deer trap-and-transplant projects of the mid-1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s. Today, Oklahoma can boast having deer in every county and a whitetail population in excess of 500,000 animals. Hunters have generous harvest limits and expansive opportunities statewide for hunting deer.
            For more information about Oklahoma's deer season, consult the current “Oklahoma Hunting Guide,” or log onto wildlifedepartment.com.
 
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