Outdoors: New year, new proposals
State wildlife officials ready to present new ideas
By Ed Godfrey
Comments 
4
Published: January 11, 2009
State wildlife officials are taking another shot at opening a bear hunting season.
Allowing bear hunting in Latimer, Le Flore, McCurtain and Pushmataha counties tops the list of proposed hunting and fishing regulation changes for 2009. While the bear season is likely the most controversial, other significant proposals involve antelope and elk hunting and fishing for blue catfish. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation is holding public hearings around the state this week to discuss the issues and get input from sportsmen. State wildlife officials wanted a bear hunt last year, but couldn’t get it passed in the state Legislature. Lawmakers would have to vote to create a black bear hunting license before the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission could approve any hunting season. Last year’s bill passed a wildlife committee but never made it to the floor for a vote by the full body of lawmakers. Richard Hatcher, assistant director of the state Wildlife Department, expects more support this time around. "We wouldn’t be trying it again if we thought it was just going to die again,” he said. State wildlife officials are once again suggesting a season where no more than 20 black bears could be harvested. The black population in southeastrn Oklahoma is etimated at around 500. The bear season would open at the same time as deer archery season and run through deer muzzleloader season. Use of dogs and baiting on public land would be prohibited. Hatcher said research shows that the population of black bears is growing by about 11 percent each year and their range is expanding. "We got a resource that can sustain a limited hunt and we want to provide that opportunity to our sportsmen,” he said. In addition, nuisance calls about bears are increasing, he said. More bears are getting into trailer homes and travel trailers, looking for food, and more are wandering into campsites and towns, he said. "It’s time to start limiting the expansion of the population,” Hatcher said.
Related Topics:
Sports, Nature and the Environment, Wildlife, Big-Game Hunting, Hunting and Fishing, Hunting, Deer and Elk Hunting, Mammals, Bears
Prev
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online
Thank you for joining our conversations on newsok. We encourage your discussions but ask that you stay within the bounds of our terms and conditions. Please help us by reporting comments that violate these guidelines. To review our rules of engagement, go to Commenting and posting policy.
Log in below or sign up (it's free).