Deer gun season to possibly increase in 2020.

[Parks 788]

So, considering what Dennis and '4570 said above and this is for the benefit of the commissioners and not to benefit the deer/wildlife or the general public; here is my question. If these commissioners are appointed by the governor is it possible to have a statewide ballot initiative, or whatever its called, and have the residence vote to make the commissioners an elected position over an appointed position?

 

[Shadowrider]

So, considering what Dennis and '4570 said above and this is for the benefit of the commissioners and not to benefit the deer/wildlife or the general public; here is my question. If these commissioners are appointed by the governor is it possible to have a statewide ballot initiative, or whatever its called, and have the residence vote to make the commissioners an elected position over an appointed position?

Don't know, but I would think so.

However, it may be a stretch to get the required signatures with so small a percentage of the population being hunters these days. Fair, outdooor shows, gun shows, etc. would get some. But I'm not sure you could get close to 90k. That's about what it took for Rep. Lowes repeal CC initiative which fell pretty short. Interesting idea though.

 

[PBramble]

If it's truly about number of deer killed, then the smart money is on removing the 9 day limit on WMAs. That's the biggest reason you see the second week decline, IMO. Most public land is closed. For those who talk about seeing people with little bucks who should have let them go, I'm a meat hunter, I don't care about antlers. Since the restriction on ML hunting says I can only shoot a buck on the first two or three days (and that's the time I have to hunt), I'm putting down the first one with more than three inches on either side. Where this doesn't make sense to me is I have to pass on the doe herd that walks by when I'd rather have one of them. I don't have private places to hunt nor can I afford leases, so I hunt public land. Hell, my vacation request for deer season this year got denied, so I only had 2 days to hunt it. I see no benefit to us public land hunters, so I'll be against lengthening the season.

 

[meatGrinder]

I agree with PBramble. If it's all about deer numbers coming down, then why not extend open gun WMAs to the full season? I'm sure it's a non issue for those who hunt private, but like PB I hunt public 95% of the time.

What's the thinking behind the 9 day WMA thing anyway?

 

[Oklahomabassin]

I agree with PBramble. If it's all about deer numbers coming down, then why not extend open gun WMAs to the full season? I'm sure it's a non issue for those who hunt private, but like PB I hunt public 95% of the time.

What's the thinking behind the 9 day WMA thing anyway?

Public land is only 3% of the land in Oklahoma but accounts for 6% of the harvest. I think they are probably trying to manage the resource at a healthy level on public land and not decimate the population.

 

[meatGrinder]

Public land is only 3% of the land in Oklahoma but accounts for 6% of the harvest. I think they are probably trying to manage the resource at a healthy level on public land and not decimate the population.

I'm sure you're right Bassin, just curious what the ODWC mindset is. My thought, and I could be wrong, is that the 16 days would be hunted by roughly the same amount of hunters while still having the same amount of tags alloted. So, yeah, it would probably be a wash.

Curious that Love Valley and Hickory Creek are are two of the few only WMAs that are open the full 16 days and their harvest numbers, according to the big game reports, are very low.

 

[dennishoddy]

I agree with PBramble. If it's all about deer numbers coming down, then why not extend open gun WMAs to the full season? I'm sure it's a non issue for those who hunt private, but like PB I hunt public 95% of the time.

What's the thinking behind the 9 day WMA thing anyway?

Quail hunting

 

[meatGrinder]

Good call Dennis. I didn't even think of that.

 

[PBramble]

So reading the proposed regulations, it seems the 9 day limited is lifted. they will extend the gun season to include all but the last 7 days of the season. I'm actually good with that, but wish it included the full season. I see on Packsaddle they want does killed, but only open the last two days of the season to antlerless. Those are probably the least likely days that anyone will be there, so the take will be low. I still don't agree with some of the restrictions, but I'm not a wildlife biologist so I don't get to make the rules.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

I'm sure you're right Bassin, just curious what the ODWC mindset is. My thought, and I could be wrong, is that the 16 days would be hunted by roughly the same amount of hunters while still having the same amount of tags alloted. So, yeah, it would probably be a wash.

Curious that Love Valley and Hickory Creek are are two of the few only WMAs that are open the full 16 days and their harvest numbers, according to the big game reports, are very low.

Jerry Shaw one of the ODWC biologist said the 9 day season on some WMA is to prevent over harvest.