Page 76 - 2020 - 2021 Oklahoma Hunting & Fishing Regulations

REPTILE & AMPHIBIAN REGULATIONS
R E P TI L E & AM P H IB I A N R E G U LA TI O N S

License Requirements exempt, may sell lawfully-taken rattlesnakes Legal Means of Taking
Any person while in the act of taking or at- only to those individuals holding a commercial It is unlawful to introduce, deposit, place
tempting to take reptiles and amphibians or or noncommercial wildlife breeders license dur- or drain any deleterious, noxious, toxic or pe-
possessing reptiles or amphibians must first ing open season. A commercial wildlife breed- troleum based substance into or around any
possess: ers license is required of all who buy and resell underground dens or rock crevices for the pur-
1. Any resident or nonresident hunting license, live rattlesnakes. pose of taking reptiles or amphibians.
unless otherwise exempt, for land-dwelling The method of taking legal water turtles and
reptiles or amphibians, with the exception 5-Day Rattlesnake Permit aquatic salamanders for commercial purposes
of (3) and (4) of this paragraph. Any person hunting, pursuing, trapping, and the taking of bullfrogs is restricted to pro-
2. A resident or nonresident fishing license, harassing, catching, killing, taking, or attempt- visions in the current statutes and regulations.
unless otherwise exempt, for water-dwelling ing to take in any manner any species of rat- With the exception of water turtles and aquatic
reptiles or amphibians, with the exception of tlesnake during an organized rattlesnake hunt- salamanders taken for commercial purposes
(3) and (4) of this paragraph. ing event or festival must have a rattlesnake (when licensed) and all legal species of frogs,
3. A commercial turtle harvester license for permit, unless exempt. all other reptiles and amphibians may only be
legal water-dwelling turtles if the taking or Persons with a valid hunting license (see taken by hand or any other legal means.
possession is for commercial purposes. Note: page 44) are exempt from the rattlesnake permit.
Not all bodies of water are open for com- Permits are available online at wildlifede- Commercial Harvest
mercial harvest. partment.com, by calling (405) 521-3852, or at
4. A commercial resident or nonresident any hunting or fishing license dealer. It shall be unlawful to engage in any com-
minnow dealers license for legal aquatic mercial activities involving any species or sub-
salamanders if the taking is for commercial species, if more than one (1) exists, of reptiles
purposes. or amphibians collected from the wild that are
indigenous to or whose range extends into Okla-
Bullfrogs may be taken with hook and line, homa, except for provisions for rattlesnakes,
gig, spear, bow and arrow or other methods ex- water turtles and aquatic salamanders (Necturus
cept firearms under the resident or nonresident wildlifedepartment.com and Ambystoma, except Ambystoma talpoideum)
fishing license. Bullfrogs may be taken with and Ambystoma annulatum.
firearms under the resident or nonresident
hunting license. Commercial &
Persons possessing a current resident or Noncommercial Breeding
nonresident hunting license, unless otherwise
All persons so licensed for captive breeding
of reptiles and amphibians must keep detailed
breeding and hatching records in addition to
those records already required by law.
The Director may make exceptions for edu-
Rattlesnake Dates cation or research purposes to holders of Okla-
& Daily Limits homa scientific collector’s permits for reptiles
and amphibians.
Mar. 1 - June 30.
The most up-to-date with no daily limit: prairie rattlesnake, western Possession of American
The following reptiles are legal to harvest
regulations online. diamondback rattlesnake, timber rattlesnake Alligators
It is unlawful to possess an American alligator.
and massasauga.
Other Reptile Dates Amphibian Dates, Areas,
& Daily Limits Legal Species
There is a statewide closed season on the & Daily Limits
following reptiles: Texas horned lizard, de- There will be a statewide year-round open
sert side-blotched lizard, checkered whiptail, season for all amphibians except for the follow-
American alligator, western chicken turtle, ing salamanders that have a statewide closed
northern map turtle, wandering garter snake, season: Sequoyah slimy salamander, Kiamichi
gulf crayfish snake, alligator snapping turtle, slimy salamander, western slimy salamander,
earless lizard, roundtail horned lizard and Rich Mountain salamander, Ozark zigzag sala-
western mud snake. mander, four-toed salamander, grotto salaman-
All other reptiles, excluding rattlesnakes, der, Oklahoma salamander, cave salamander,
have a year-round season. The limit is six (6) mole salamander, ringed salamander, Ouachita
per day or in possession for each species.
dusky salamander and three-toed amphiuma.
Aquatic frogs (except bullfrog and crawfish
Nuisance Reptiles frog), Woodhouse’s toad and aquatic salaman-
Nothing prohibits the control of reptiles ders of the genera Necturus and Ambystoma (ex-
other than those listed as endangered or threat- cept mole and ringed salamander) have no limit.
ened, by landowners, lessees, or occupants of The daily limit and possession limit for bull-
such land when such reptiles are creating a frogs is 15. It is illegal to sell bullfrogs or ship
nuisance. them out-of-state at any time. Bullfrogs may not
be taken in the Wichita Mountains WR.
The limit for crawfish frog and all other species
of amphibians, except those listed as closed, is
four (4) per day or in possession of each species.

74 2020-2021 OKLAHOMA HUNTING & FISHING GUIDE