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OKLAHOMA WILDLIFE CONSERVATION FOUNDATION SPOTLIGHT

Patriot Airboat Joins ODWC Fleet

Thanks to Generous Donation

At their Nov. 6, 2023, regular
meeting, the Oklahoma Wildlife DON P. BROWN/ODWC
Conservation Commission
accepted the generous dona-
tion of a Patriot Airboat
from the Oklahoma Wildlife
Conservation Foundation
(OWCF).
The airboat addition was
made possible thanks to a
generous donation from John and Deborah Hale and their Red shallow-water areas.
Rock Ranch (Redrockranchok.com), according to OWCF Executive “Today’s airboat donation provides much-needed equipment
Director Rick Grundman. to support Oklahoma’s Game Wardens who protect our wildlife
The 700-hp airboat will be an invaluable tool for the Law and the peace across our great state. The airboat joins other
Enforcement Division of the Wildlife Department, Grundman said. It Foundation donations for Oklahoma Game Wardens like self-in-
will operate primarily in the Arkansas River system in northeastern flating personal flotation devices and duty ammunition.
Oklahoma but also statewide when needed. The airboat brings to “If you support conservation, fishing, and hunting in Oklahoma,
three the number of airboats now in use by ODWC. please consider making a donation to the Oklahoma Wildlife
“OWCF was able to purchase a law enforcement airboat for Conservation Foundation, so we can continue to help Oklahoma’s
Game Wardens to protect game and people in Oklahoma’s wildlife and wild spaces.”

DON P. BROWN/ODWC

Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commissioners gather to inspect a Patriot airboat donated to ODWC’s Law Enforcement Division by the Oklahoma
Wildlife Conservation Foundation. Front row, from left, are Commissioner Mark Mabrey, Commissioner Tim Diehl, ODWC Interim Director Wade Free,
Commissioner D. Chad Dillingham, Commissioner John P. Zelbst, Commissioner Leigh Gaddis, Commissioner Jess Kane, Commissioner Rick Holder,
and Commissioner James V. Barwick. In the airboat, from left, are Game Warden Stephen Paul, Law Enforcement Assistant Chief Lt. Col. Wade Farrar,
ODWC former Director J.D. Strong, OWCF Executive Director Rick Grundman, and Law Enforcement Chief Col. Nathan Erdman.

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