Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission

Regular Meeting

 

Public Meeting:          Monday, March 1,  2010, at 9:00 a.m.                                                                      

                                    Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation

                                    Auditorium, First Floor

                                    1801 North Lincoln Boulevard

                                    Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

 

                The Commission May Vote to Approve, Disapprove or Take Other Action on Any of the Following Items.  The Commission May Vote to Authorize Public Comment on Any Agenda Item Requesting a Rule Change.

 

1.             Call to Order - Chairman John Groendyke

2.             Roll Call - Sherrie Schluchter

3.             Invocation - Jeff Boxrucker

4.             Pledge of Allegiance - Jennifer Benge

5.             Introduction of Guests

6.             Presentation of Awards - Richard Hatcher, Director

 

              A.            Tenure -  Danny Watson, Wildlife Biologist, Wildlife Division, 20 years; Lewis Jennings, Wildlife Technician, Wildlife Division, 25 years; Wayne Smith, Wildlife Technician, Wildlife Division, 25 years; Wendell Smalling, Warden, Law Enforcement Division, 35 years.

 

7.             Recognition of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Munhollon for Donating their Extensive Taxidermy Collection. Many of the more than 70 Mounts will be Displayed at the Department’s New Conservation Education and Training Center at Arcadia where they will be used in Youth Education Programs  - Nels Rodefeld, Chief, Information and Education

 

8.             Presentation by Mr. William Voelker, Director/Founder of Sia: The Comanche Nation Ethno-Ornithological Initiative - Commissioner Bill Phelps

 

9.             Consideration and Vote to Approve Minutes of the February 1, 2010 Wildlife Commission Meeting

 

10.           Consideration and Vote to Approve the January 31, 2010 Financial Statement - Melinda Sturgess-Streich, Assistant Director

 

11.           Presentation on the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation’s Quail Habitat Enhancement Programs - Alan Peoples, Chief, Wildlife Division, Erik Bartholemew and Doug Schoeling, Biologists in Wildlife Division

 

12.           Consideration and Vote to Approve, Amend, Reject or Take Other Action for Three New Positions (Two Biologist Level Positions and One  Programmer/Data Analyst Position) and to Increase Wildlife Division’s Budget by $168,000 - Alan Peoples

                                These positions will be funded by outside sources and will be contingent upon the continuation of these funds.

 

13.           Presentation on Drummond Flats Wildlife Management Area - Alan Peoples and Alan Stacey, Senior Biologist in Wildlife Division

 

14.           Consideration and Vote to Approve, Amend, Reject or Take Other Action to Increase the Capitol Improvement Budget by $182,000 for Land Acquisition in Garfield County - Alan Peoples

 

15.           Consideration and Vote to Approve, Amend, Reject or Take Other Action on Permanent Rules - Alan Peoples

 

Title 800. Department of Wildlife Conservation

                Chapter 25.  Wildlife Rules

                Subchapter 3. Hunting on Corps of Engineers Land

                800:25-3-2. Areas open to shotgun with pellets and bow and arrow only

                800:25-3-3. Areas open to archery only

                Subchapter 7. General Hunting Seasons

                Part 1. General Provisions

                800:25-7-3. General provisions

                Part 5. Upland Game

                800:25-7-19. Wild turkey - general provisions

                Part 13. Deer

                800:25-7-50. General provisions for deer

                800:25-7-55. Deer-Youth Gun Season

 


                Part 14. Elk

                800:25-7-57. Dates, open areas, bag limit and hunting hours

                Part 15. Furbearers

                800:25-7-60. Dates and legal furbearers

 

Part 19. Season On Areas Owned Or Managed By The Oklahoma Department Of Wildlife Conservation And The U.S. Fish

And Wildlife Service

                800:25-7-87.1. Candy Creek WMA

                800:25-7-92. Chickasaw NRA

                800:25-7-94.4. Deep Fork NWR

                800:25-7-105.5. Hackberry Flat WMA

                800:25-7-140. Sandy Sanders WMA

 

These rules will open some additional Corps of Engineers property to hunting and correct acreage; allow hunters to use telephonic and/or internet based check stations, establish a timeline, and require the confirmation number be provided when transferring harvested big game to another individual; require hunters to add date and time to field tags for elk, deer, and turkey; open youth deer gun season for Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) as published in the hunting guide; extend furbearer season; establish seasons on the new Candy WMA; modify hunting seasons on four WMA’s; and allow buckshot to be used for shooting feral hogs on private lands.

 

                Title 800. Department of Wildlife Conservation

                Chapter 30. Department of Wildlife Lands Management

                Subchapter 1. Use of Department Managed Lands

                800:30-1-4. Camping

                800:30-1-8. Language, disorderly assemblage, noise or other disruptive acts

 

These rules will allow camping by hunters and fishermen on Chickasaw NRA and establish rules to prohibit explosive devices and fireworks on all Department lands.

 

16.           Consideration and Vote to Approve, Amend, Reject or Take Other Action on Permanent Rules - Nels Rodefeld, Chief of Information and Education Division

 

                Title 800. Department of Wildlife Conservation

                Chapter 1. Operations and Procedures

                Subchapter 11. Publications

                800:1-11-1. Charges for workshops, publications and other material

                Subchapter 19. Aquatic Education Rules

                800:1-19-1. Instructors

 

                These rules will establish a price for the new Wildlife Management Area Atlas, which will also include a one year subscription to Outdoor Oklahoma magazine.  This publication has been out of print for a long time and the maps have been available on-line but due to overwhelming public interest, this atlas is being updated and printed.  Additional rule changes in this chapter will streamline the process for certification of Aquatic Education instructors.

 

17.           Consideration and Vote to Approve, Amend, Reject or Take Other Action on Permanent Rules  - Barry Bolton, Chief of Fisheries Division

 

                Title 800. Department of Wildlife Conservation

                Chapter 10. Sport Fishing Rules

                Subchapter 1. Harvest and Possession Limits

                800:10-1-4. Size limits on fish

                800:10-1-5. Bag limits on fish

                Subchapter 3. Methods of Taking

800:10-3-5.  Use of bow and arrow, grabhooks, gigs, spears, and spearguns, snagging, noodling and netting

                Subchapter 5. Area Restriction and Special Fees

                800:10-5-4. Fish sanctuaries

 

                These rules will modify black bass length limits on Birch Lake; require paddlefish anglers to release immediately all paddlefish caught on Monday and Friday require paddlefish anglers to immediately record date and time of harvest of all paddlefish on their paddlefish permit; close snagging on the Grand River from the Highway 412 bridge upstream to the Markham Ferry dam from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. year-round; remove exemption on use of grabhooks for Delaware and Mayes counties and close the Spring River to paddlefish angling by all methods from the Highway 60 bridge upsteam to the Kansas state line.

 

 

                Chapter 15. Commercial Harvest Rules; Aquatic Species

                Subchapter 13. Fishing Guide License

                800:15-13-1. Purpose

                800:15-13-2. License and fee requirements

 

                These rules require all fishing guides to obtain a guide license unless exempt, and to outline certifications needed by operator prior to obtaining the license.

 

                Chapter 20. Restriction on Aquatic Species Introductions

                Subchapter 1. Restricted Exotic Fish

                800:20-1-2. List of restricted exotic species

               

                These rules would permit only triploid grass carp to be stocked in private waters. Diploid grass carp will be allowed for use by licensed aquaculture facilities for specific purposes only.

               

18.           Consideration and Vote to Approve, Amend, Reject, or Take Other Action on Acceptance of Sealed Bids to Lease the Department’s Mineral Interest on 2,598.75 Net Mineral Acres in Atoka County - Kelly Robertson, Lands & Minerals Coordinator

 

19.         Director’s Report including Personnel - Richard Hatcher

 

20.         New Business - Discussion of any matter not known about or which could not have been reasonably foreseen 24 hours prior to the scheduled meeting

 

21.           Announce Date for the April  2010 Commission Meeting. The April Commission Meeting is Scheduled for Monday, April 5, 2010 in Oklahoma City, OK at 9:00 a.m.

 

22.         Adjourn                

 

 

                If you have a disability and need assistance, call 405/521-4660, three days before the meeting