Page 4 - 2019 JUL/AUG Outdoor Oklahoma

Off the Beaten Path

Off the Beaten Path

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RICK HOLDER TAKES WILDLIFE COMMISSION SEAT

Southwestern Oklahoma bank executive Rick with Stockmans Bank in Gould. He’s worked
Holder, 60, of Creta begins serving an eight-year in nearly every position at that bank during
term in July 2019 as a member of the Oklahoma his career. Now he is chief financial officer and
Wildlife Conservation Commission. chairman of the board of Stockmans Bank,
Oklahoma Gov. J. Kevin Stitt appointed Holder with headquarters in Altus and an additional
on April 26. Holder replaces Robert Dan Robbins five locations. He and his brother, Mark, also
of Altus, who served since 2011. District 7 includes have a cow/calf business on their family’s origi-
the counties of Ellis, Dewey, Roger Mills, Custer, nal ranchland first settled by their great-grand-
Beckham, Washita, Kiowa, Greer, Jackson, Har- father in 1898.
mon and Tillman. For many years, Holder has served as a director
“My family has always respected wildlife, and of the Western Oklahoma State College Founda-
we’ve always had that reputation. We’ve always tion, where he works to secure scholarship fund-
been outdoor-oriented, so maybe I can make a ing. He is also a board member of the Harmon
difference,” Holder said. “I’m excited to get started, County Livestock Show and The Bankers Bank
meet the other Commissioners and find out about all the different of Oklahoma City, and he is a past member of the Salvation Army
hunting and fishing opportunities across Oklahoma.” and Lions Club.
He was raised in Altus, and he recalls as a youngster toting his Holder’s wife, Angie, is a physical therapist. They have three sons,
BB gun and tagging along with his father on quail hunts. “Bobwhite a daughter and three grandsons.
quail is my passion. In the ’70s, all we had was quail hunting down The Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission is the
here.” But soon, Rio Grande turkeys and white-tailed deer popula- eight-member governing board of the Oklahoma Department
tions increased in southwestern Oklahoma. of Wildlife Conservation. The Commission establishes state
Holder is an Altus High School graduate. He earned a bach- hunting and fishing regulations, sets policy for the Wildlife
elor’s degree in agricultural economics from Oklahoma State Department and indirectly oversees all state fish and wildlife
University in 1981, and entered the banking industry in 1982 conservation activities.

NEW REGULATIONS GUIDE es this coming year
Some notable chang-
ARRIVING SOON include allowing rac-
coon harvest year-
One highlight of the summer — at least in our book — is the round; expanding the
annual arrival of “our book”: the new Oklahoma Hunting and area open for bear
Fishing Regulations Guide. hunting; and dropping
Actually it is the book for everyone who hunts, fishes or traps the requirement to
in Oklahoma. It is perhaps the most important book that every complete the “record
hunter and angler should reference for the following 12 months. of game” section on
The free Guide will be available in print in mid-July at big game and turkey
license vendors and Wildlife Department offices across licenses, and the
the state. It is already online at wildlifedepartment.com, “record of harvest”
and on the GoOutdoorsOklahoma mobile app for Apple or section on paddlefish permits. Also,
Android devices. three new Wildlife Management Areas have been added to the
Again this year, the Guide has a flip-book format, with hunt- Special Area Regulations section.
ing regulations on one side, and fishing regulations on the other Hunters and anglers are reminded that the annual Guide is
side when the book is flipped over. A middle section contains a summary of Oklahoma statutes in Titles 29 and 800 that per-
Game Warden information and information related to chronic tain to fish and wildlife. It is not a legal document, and people
wasting disease. are responsible for knowing and abiding by state statutes.

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