Page 12 - 2019 MAR/APR Outdoor Oklahoma

MIKE KAPLAN/USAF

Hunters harvested 85 black bears total for the 2018 seasons in Oklahoma, setting a new annual harvest record since bear hunting was first allowed in 2009.
RECORD 85 BEARS, OVER 100K DEER HARVESTED

Hunters harvested a record number of black bears in Okla- Dallas Barber, big game biologist for the Wildlife Depart-
homa’s most recent bear hunting season, while the harvest total ment, said that harvest statistics show that many hunters are
for the 2018-19 deer hunting seasons is similar to the number continuing to pass up younger bucks, which is allowing for a
taken the previous year. healthier age structure in the state’s overall deer herd.
Black bear harvest was 85 combined for both archery and “Biologists are starting to see great things in regards to age
muzzleloader seasons. That number was composed of 47 boars structure and trophy potential,” he said. “Oklahoma is slowly
and 38 sows. making a name for itself regarding hunting opportunity as well
Only seven bears (of a 20-bear quota) were taken during as trophy buck opportunity.”
muzzleloader season, with the rest harvested during the bear For hunters wishing to plan ahead, here are the dates for
archery season. the 2019-20 deer hunting seasons as specified in Title 800 of
All bear hunting in Oklahoma is limited to the southeastern Oklahoma’s statutes:
corner of Oklahoma in Latimer, Le Flore, McCurtain and • Deer Archery: Oct. 1, 2019 to Jan. 15, 2020.
Pushmataha counties. However, a rule change proposal is being • Youth Deer Gun: Oct. 18-20 (designated as the Friday, Satur-
considered to open additional areas in the southeast to bear day and Sunday of the weekend before muzzleloader season).
hunting later this year, if approved by the Oklahoma Wildlife • Deer Muzzleloader: Oct. 26 to Nov. 3 (designated to open
Conservation Commission and the governor. the fourth Saturday in October and lasting nine days.]\).
In the 10 years that Oklahoma has offered bear hunting, 467 • Deer Gun: Nov. 23 to Dec. 8 (designated to open the Sat-
animals have been harvested. Oklahoma’s population of black urday before Thanksgiving and lasting for 16 days).
bears is stable at about 2,000, biologists have said. For black bear, Title 800 specifies the archery season and
For the 2018-19 deer hunting seasons, a total of 105,277 deer muzzleloader season dates. For 2019, these seasons will be:
were reported harvested to the Wildlife Department’s online • Bear Archery: Oct. 1-20 (designated to open Oct. 1 and
E-check system. While this number is preliminary and subject close the third Sunday in October).
to change because of duplicate reports, it represents the second • Bear Muzzleloader: Oct. 26 to Nov. 3 subject to quota
consecutive year that the state’s deer harvest has exceeded if one is set (designated to run concurrently with deer
100,000 animals. muzzleloader season).
The final deer harvest for the 2017-18 hunting seasons was For complete hunting license requirements and regulations,
107,914, the largest total since 2012. consult the current Oklahoma Hunting and Fishing Regula-
Notable from the recent deer seasons was that archery tions Guide found online at www.wildlifedepartment.com,
hunters set a record for the number of deer taken for archery in the free Go Outdoors Oklahoma mobile app for Apple or
season: 29,094. Also, participation in muzzleloader season is Android users, or in print across the state anywhere hunting
trending upward. and fishing licenses are sold.

10 Off the Beaten Path

OutdoorOK-2019-March-April.indd 10 2/18/19 9:33 AM