Page 2 - 2020 Jan/Feb Outdoor Oklahoma

Panoramas

aura McIver hunts quail every fall in Okla- 567 parcels across more than 150 million acres set aside
homa, and this year she had more places to conserve the nation’s fish and wildlife.
to do that. McIver is one of more than As the 26th president said, “We have fallen heirs to
L1.4 million hunters and anglers who spend the most glorious heritage a people ever received, and
more than $3 billion across the state each year pursuing each one must do his part if we wish to show that the

their outdoor passions. nation is worthy of its good fortune.”
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Oklaho- For generations, this heritage has been safeguarded
ma Department of Wildlife Conservation have worked in a conservationist ethic championed by outdoorsmen
closely together as part of a nationwide and women. Hunters and anglers have
effort to expand hunting and fishing long been the biggest supporters, by far, of
opportunities on federal public lands. programs to help maintain wildlife popu-
In southwestern Oklahoma, 53,000 lations and protect their habitat.
acres in Wichita Mountains National And we know their participation will
Wildlife Refuge is now open to water- remain essential to bolstering the “glorious

fowl, coyote, wild turkey and feral hog heritage” of our nation’s rich wildlife leg-
hunting for the first time. acy. It is our hope that the new expansion
Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, in of these activities encourage more people
eastern Oklahoma, provides wild turkey to become involved in outdoor activities.
and feral hog hunting for the first time on more than There’s no better way for you to take part in this
16,000 acres. Also in eastern Oklahoma, Tishomingo heritage than to get outside with your shotgun or a
National Fish Hatchery formally opened fishing on fishing rod. Now Oklahomans have more opportu-

Pennington Creek. nities than ever before thanks to the U.S. Fish and
And there are new or expanded opportunities at five Wildlife Service and the Oklahoma Department of
other national wildlife refuges across the state includ- Wildlife Conservation.
ing goose hunting at Deep Fork NWR, youth turkey
hunting at Little River NWR, deer hunting at Ozark
Plateau NWR, turkey hunting at Salt Plains NWR and
dove hunting at Washita NWR.
In many ways, these expansions represent a symbol
of gratitude to hunters and anglers. In 1903, Theo-
J.D. Strong
dore Roosevelt — an avid outdoorsman — created the
Director, Oklahoma Department
National Wildlife Refuge System, now a network of of Wildlife Conservation

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