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Southeast
Oklahoma land access continues; private land
elk season continues to expand
At its May meeting, the Oklahoma Wildlife
Conservation Commission voted to accept a new agreement between the Oklahoma
Department of Wildlife Conservation and Weyerhaeuser Company for land use in the
Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area in southern McCurtain County.
The Department’s 10-year lease term with Weyerhaeuser is expiring in
May, and under the new agreement, just over 250,000 acres at a lease cost of 50
cents per acre will be included in a three-year lease.
Just as in the past, a Land Access Permit will be required of users.
The cost of that permit, however, will increase Aug. 1 to help cover the cost of
the new lease. Oklahoma residents ages
18-63 are required to purchase the annual Land Access Permit, which will be
available for $40 at any vendor that sells hunting and fishing licenses. A
three-day non-hunting and non-fishing permit will be available to Oklahoma residents for
$10. A non-resident permit will be $85 per year, with no exemptions.
Additionally, ATV use will only be allowed during deer season and
only by licensed deer hunters and under certain regulations. A complete list of
the new ATV regulations can be viewed on the Wildlife Department’s Web site at
wildlifedepartment.com.
Although Weyerhaeuser manages its properties primarily for timber
production, officials with the company say its relationship with the Wildlife
Department has been beneficial to the Three Rivers WMA area, resulting in less
incidence of wildfire, unauthorized access and littering as well the opportunity
for quality hunting and fishing.
“This new agreement solution is positive for all parties involved —
Weyerhaeuser, the Wildlife Department and the sportsmen,” said Matt Williams,
Weyerhaeuser timberland manager in Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Richard Hatcher, assistant director of the Oklahoma Department of
Wildlife Conservation, said the encouraging thing about the new agreement is
that both the Wildlife Department and Weyerhaeuser are very committed to
maintaining the strong tradition of public hunting and fishing in the area.
“This area is a large contiguous area that will continue to allow us
to focus our resources and management efforts,” Hatcher said. “Every dollar
brought in from the Land Access Permit goes right back into the area, whether to
pay the lease or manage the property.”
Other business at the Commission’s May meeting involved elk hunting
in southwest Oklahoma. Following last month’s decision to
increase elk hunting opportunities on Oklahoma’s private lands in the southwest part
of the state, the Commission voted this month to expand opportunities even
further.
The Commission recognizes the free-ranging elk on lands east and
west of SH 115 in Kiowa, Comanche and Caddo counties as two independent elk
herds — the Granite herd to the west of the highway, and the Slick Hills herd to
the east of the highway. According to Alan Peoples, chief of wildlife for the
Wildlife Department, the Slick Hills elk herd has nearly doubled in recent
years, and suitable elk habitat in that area is limited.
The Commission proposed emergency rules to increase the bag limit on
elk that can be taken on private land in Caddo, Comanche, and Kiowa counties.
Last month, the Commission approved more days to hunt elk, whereas this month
they increased the season limit to two elk on lands east of SH 115, one of which
must be a cow elk. The decision also simplifies the licensing process for
hunters. Hunters can now purchase an elk license anywhere that sells hunting
licenses but still must carry written permission from the landowner while in the
field.
Peoples said at last month’s Commission meeting
that landowners in the affected counties revealed a desire to harvest
more elk and to limit depredation problems caused by elk in agricultural areas.
In other business, the Commission approved a resolution placing a
three-year moratorium on commercial turtle harvest in state waters.
“We feel we don’t have enough information about the impact of
commercial turtle harvest in public waters to justify the current system,” said
Barry Bolton, chief of fisheries for the Wildlife Department. “This resolution
will give us time to better understand the impacts this practice could have on
the resource. In the meantime, turtle harvest for private use will continue
without a change in regulations.”
Commercial harvest will continue to be permitted on private land
waters, such as farm ponds.
The Commission also recognized Scott Webb, wildlife technician at
Sandy Sanders WMA, for 20 years of service to the Wildlife Department.
The Wildlife Conservation Commission is the eight-member governing
board of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The Wildlife
Commission establishes state hunting and fishing regulations, sets policy for
the Wildlife Department and indirectly oversees all state fish and wildlife
conservation activities. Commission members are appointed by the governor and
confirmed by the Senate.
The next scheduled Commission meeting is set for 9 a.m. June 2 at
the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation headquarters (auditorium),
located at the southwest corner of 18th and
North Lincoln, Oklahoma
City.
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