Page 44 - Outdoor Oklahoma Magazine Mar-Apr2023

ODWC Hosts Legislators on Educational Outings

WILDLIFEDEPARTMENT.COM

Each year, a Wildlife Department crew offers a fish fry for lawmakers at the State Capitol as an enjoyable way to discuss issues that affect wildlife conservation.
ODWC HOSTS LEGISLATORS

ON EDUCATIONAL OUTINGS

Every year, the Oklahoma Legislature typically considers tees have experience as ODWC constituents, spending
several bills that directly impact either the management time hunting and fishing. And often many have experi-
of the state’s fish and wildlife, the Oklahoma Department ence with habitat management on their personal proper-
of Wildlife Conservation that oversees that management ties. However, few legislators have in-depth knowledge
(ODWC), or the Department’s constituents (often hunters of the critical and unique funding model of the Wildlife
and anglers). Department, landscape-level wildlife management, and
Bills are proposed for various reasons, sometimes by management of populations vs. individual animals.
ODWC and sometimes by legislators or their constituents While non-expert constituents can offer helpful per-
who ask them to propose legislation. spective and dialogue about proposed legislation, it’s also
Of the 149 Oklahoma legislators, there are many who important that experts with ODWC provide legislators with
can provide expert-level knowledge on many topics such context for legislation they propose or vote on, and pro-
as education, healthcare, etc. But few have expert-level vide understanding of ODWC’s operations so legislators
knowledge on wildlife management. can determine the impact of proposed legislation before
Many appointees to the Legislature’s wildlife commit- casting a vote.

42 OUTDOOR OKLAHOMA