Page 9 - 2021 JAN/FEB Outdoor Oklahoma Magazine

Wildlife Manage- WHY IT’S THE LAW
ment Area.
The three offi-
cers found several
subjects unlawful-
ly camped on the “It shall be unlawful to place and/or hunt
WMA using a sto- over bait on lands owned or managed by the
len travel trailer,
possessing large Department of Wildlife Conservation, including
quantities of marijuana, methamphetamine, and drug para- Corps lands. … ‘Bait’ shall mean the placing,
phernalia. Numerous charges were filed, and the three suspects exposing, depositing, distributing, or scattering
were booked into the Rogers County jail. of shelled, shucked or unshucked corn, wheat or
Also, Game Warden Carlos Gomez, based in Tulsa County,
located two stolen trucks while on routine patrol during the last other grain or other feed.”
weekend of the season.
These encounters illustrate how a Game Warden’s work is 2020-21 Oklahoma Hunting and Fishing
rarely routine and not always just about hunting and fishing. Regulations Guide, page 78.

No two days are the same for the members of the Thin
Green Line! That was definitely true recently for Game War- If you are a deer hunter, you’ve no doubt seen that mon-
den Lt. Max Crocker, based in Texas County. ster buck that was taken under a corn feeder on private
Crocker was notified of a black bear cub that had climbed a land. So, you’re wondering, can I use bait on public land?
power pole in the Felt area of Cimarron County. The Wildlife The answer is NO.
Department worked with Tri County Electric to get the elec- We see the question all the time on social media: Why
tricity turned off. Then they were able to use a bucket truck to can’t we bait on public land when it’s perfectly legal on
coax the young bear from top of pole back to ground. Crocker private land? Some may think it has to do with chronic
reported that the cub hit the ground running! wasting disease (CWD). Others may think that ODWC just
doesn’t want them to have a successful hunt, or that the
(Reports from the Oklahoma Game Wardens Facebook page.) agency is just mean-spirited. Not so. Bait on a public area
is more of a “person” issue than an “animal” issue.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Please help make a difference! When violators Imagine you dragged a feeder out to the spot you’ve
break the law, they steal fish and wildlife from you! Report violations been scouting on public land. You did the work. Scouted.
anonymously by calling Operation Game Thief at (800) 522-8039. You Waited. Bought the feed. Saw many happy animals at
could earn a cash reward. your feeder. This has become “your spot.”
Then, on opening morning you arrive at “your spot” to
find someone else hunting at the feeder you worked hard
to maintain. Imagine what could happen next? You and
the other hunter could get into an altercation — not smart
when firearms are around.
This regulation helps curb the likelihood of hunters
claiming a specific spot on public land as theirs only.
Another aspect of this regulation is that it is unnatu-
ral. ODWC’s mission includes managing habitat for the
benefit of the wildlife. Jerry Shaw, Programs Supervisor
for the Department, said artificial bait piles are not a
natural part of deer feeding behaviors. Bait concentrates
animals unnaturally, leading to social stresses within the
deer population. Bait also attracts more predators and
serves as a concentration point for animals, making the
transfer of diseases and external parasites easier. Simply
put, baiting is not part of the natural ecosystem and runs
counter to proper habitat management.
ODWC wants to keep public land as natural as possible
and minimize the possibility of hunter altercations.

Smokey Solis, Information Specialist

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