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Complete Transparency

We hold dear our responsibility to manage and protect YOUR fish and wildlife, so we want YOU to know how to be actively engaged in important wildlife management decisions.

2020 A YEAR IN REVIEW

ODWC Strategic Plan 2019 - 2024

Fish biologist helping teach bird identification at Wildlife EXPO.

What personal information does ODWC collect on the Go Outdoors Oklahoma system?

ODWC collects the following personal identifiable data as part of your Go Outdoors Customer Account: - Name - Date of Birth - Last four digits of Social Security Number - US or Non-US Driver’s License Number - Passport (not required with Driver’s License) - US Travel VISA (not required with Driver’s License) - Green Card (not required with Driver’s License). Go Outdoors Oklahoma is the approved and authorized provider of online fishing and hunting licenses for the state of Oklahoma.

How is this information stored on the Go Outdoors Oklahoma system?

ODWC’s vendor, Brandt Information Services, protects all personal information in accordance with State of Oklahoma Information Security policies, procedures, guidelines (as applicable) found at: https://www.ok.gov/cio/documents/InfoSecPPG.pdf. The Go Outdoors Oklahoma system is supported by Brandt’s cloud hosting service provider, Rackspace, with their managed security system. This is the highest level of commercially available security in the U.S. Redundant High-Availability Cisco Firewalls for failover are included and are dedicated to prevent unauthorized system access or intrusion.

With whom does ODWC share this personal information?

ODWC shall keep license applicant and holder information confidential, as outlined in O.S. 54, Sec. 24A.23 below:

§51-24A.23. Department of Wildlife Conservation - Confidentiality of information relating to hunting and fishing licenses – Exceptions – Disclosure of antler descriptions. A. The Department of Wildlife Conservation shall keep confidential the information provided by persons, including the name and address of the person, applying for or holding any permit or license issued by the Department, to the extent the information individually identifies the person. The Department may use the information for Department purposes or allow the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to use the information for survey purposes only. The Department shall allow any public body to have access to the information for purposes specifically related to the public body's function. B. The provisions of subsection A of this section shall not apply to information provided by persons applying for or holding a commercial hunting or fishing license. C. The provisions of subsection A of this section shall not apply to information voluntarily provided by persons for promotional purposes by the Department. D. Based upon the information required to be submitted through the electronic game harvest check system for harvested deer, the Department shall publicly disclose, in a timely manner, online or in published listings, by county of harvest, an antler description of each deer harvested and the name of the hunter who harvested the deer. The hunter shall be allowed to choose when entering the harvest information whether or not the name of the hunter is released. The Department shall not release the name of the hunter if the hunter elects not to release that information. Added by Laws 1996, c. 32, § 1, eff. July 1, 1996. Amended by Laws 2013, c. 288, § 2, emerg. eff. May 15, 2013.

Federal Funding Sources

The Oklahoma Department Department of Wildlife Conservation receives federal funds from a variety of different sources. See the 2021 Schedule of Federal Financial Assistance

The following sources of federal funding received by the Wildlife Department are top priority, as no other entity is eligible to receive these funds:

  • USFWS Wildlife Restoration Program & Enhance Hunter Education and Safety Program
  • USFWS Sport Fish Restoration Program
  • USFWS State Wildlife Grants
  • The Wildlife Department receives other federal funds on a regular basis, also of high priority:
  • USFWS Partners for Fish and Wildlife
  • USFWS Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund
  • USFWS Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance (Aquatic Nuisance Species)
  • Bureau of Reclamation - McGee Creek Project
  • NRCS Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program
  • NRCS Agricultural Conservation Easement Program

The lowest priority of federal funds received by the Wildlife Department are those not available every year, and when available are in relatively small amounts, such as those offered through the US Forest Service Partnership Agreements or the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. 

The Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) programs are tremendous examples of true partnership programs between private industries, state governments, the federal government and the hunters, anglers and boaters. The manufacturers of firearms, ammunition, bows and arrows, rods, reels, fishing tackle and fish finders pay an excise tax (3-12.4%) at first sale. Additionally, gasoline fuels are taxed and a portion of those dollars from motorboats and small engines are dedicated to the Sport Fish Restoration Program. The federal government collects these taxes and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service administers and disburses these funds to the state fish and wildlife agencies. Hunters, anglers, shooters and boaters ultimately pay these taxes through the purchase of products. It is these same people who benefit from these funds as the states must spend the money on sport fish and wildlife habitat restoration/development, population management, user access and facilities and education. More information about WSFR grant programs can be found at https://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/Subpages/GrantPrograms/GrantProgramsIndex…

WSFR funds are used by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation for:

  • purchasing fish and wildlife lands and waters
  • developing lakes, wetlands and other fish and wildlife habitat
  • constructing fish hatcheries, research laboratories and user facilities
  • operating and maintaining wildlife management areas, shooting ranges, fishing lakes and access areas for the optimum use by the public
  • constructing boating access facilities such as boat ramps, docks, parking lots, restrooms and fish cleaning stations
  • surveying and managing fish and wildlife populations
  • training volunteer instructors and educating young hunters, archers and anglers in safe firearms handling, archery instruction, water safety, fish and wildlife resources, ethics afield and introductory hunting and fishing techniques.

There are a number of actions required by the Wildlife Department in order to receive federal funds. These include submission of grant packages, performance and financial reporting, and participation in regularly scheduled audits. In addition, grant activities must be in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, National Historic Preservation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act,the Civil Rights Act, and other federal laws and regulations. In order to receive WSFR funds, the Wildlife Department must annually certify the number of paid hunting and fishing license holders, annually certify that grant funds were spent within WSFR requirements, and the State of Oklahoma must pass and maintain “assent legislation” ensuring the conservation of fish and wildlife, and prohibiting the diversion of hunting and fishing license fees for purposes other than the administration of the Wildlife Department. Individuals and lawfully recognized business entities must comply with the appropriate federal code of regulations when receiving federal funds from the Wildlife Department.

Outside of minimal administration expenses, there are different costs associated with acquiring funds for different programs. The highest is the NRCS Agricultural Conservation Easement Program which requires a 50% non-federal cost-share match. The State Wildlife Grants program requires a 35% non-federal cost-share match. A 25% non-federal cost-share match is required for most WSFR grants, Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation grants, and Fish and Wildlife Management Assistance grants. No non-federal cost-share match is required for most grants through the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program, Bureau of Reclamation (McGee Creek) and the NRCS Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program.