Page 6 - 2019 NOV/DEC Outdoor Oklahoma

deer hunting when I was 16 with my older brother and
some of his friends. I bought my first bow. It’s just Provided
part of the outdoors. It’s part of our fabric of who we
are as Oklahomans.
What role does the hunting tradition play in
your family?
I’ve got six children, three boys and three girls. My
16-year-old and I, it’s something we certainly enjoy doing
together. He’s a fantastic shot, much better shot than
me. Last year, he killed a big buck, about 250 yards. We
just went elk hunting together. He killed a mule deer and
I got an elk.
It’s so fun to just hang out. Like every father, you want
to find things that you can do with your children. And so
it’s exciting. It’s something that I spent time doing with
my father when I was younger, and now I get to spend
quality time with my children going hunting, as well.
Now my 9-year-old is begging me to take him hunting.
And I bought him a single shot .22, and so now it’s
time to teach him how to shoot that. And then I’ve got
a 5-year-old boy that’s coming up, and hopefully he’ll
enjoy it as well.
Gov. Stitt holds a black bass caught while fishing with his youngest son,
What do you enjoy about hunting, fishing and Houston, and middle son, Remington.
outdoor recreation? The Bassmaster Classic has been held at Grand Lake
You know, part of hunting and fishing is not only several times.
hanging out with your friends and the camaraderie So we’re just trying to tell all these folks that are
that's developed around deer camp, or just getting away into fishing, come experience the great lakes here in
of the city. Even if you don’t harvest an animal, the fun Oklahoma. And really, by promoting that, we’re going
is the experience. The harassing each other, and who’s to cause people to come here, spend their dollars,
going to kill a bigger deer or bear. And the time you get spend money in the restaurants, stay in our hotels, rent
to hang out away from the normal day-to-day of your our cabins, and just experience a great thing. So we’re
job is just really enjoyable for me. advertising that out of state, but we need Oklahomans
And then, being out in nature — it just allows to experience that as well.
everybody to unwind and relax, and you get to
experience God’s creation. The stars, I mean last night You recently had a chance to go snagging for
I was just in awe looking up at the stars. And it was paddlefish. What was that experience like?
a beautiful clear night here in Broken Bow. And just It was a lot of fun. Paddlefish are big prehistoric fish
seeing God’s wonderful creation. We saw this morning that live in our Oklahoma rivers in the eastern part of
just the light coming through the pine trees and kind of the state. I had the opportunity to take my son Drew
the fog as the sun was coming up. Those things are just and one of his friends, and even though we only landed
fantastic. I just want more people to experience that. We one, we had a great time.
know that it’s just who we are as Oklahomans. We love
the outdoors. And I’m just trying to showcase that, lend How do hunters and anglers help rural areas?
my support to everything outdoors.
Tourism is a huge deal for our state. Lt. Gov. Matt
Pinnell is doing a great job of traveling the state
Does the success of the new Oklahoma Fishing promoting tourism. … We are seeing this economy
Trail surprise you?
revitalized because of the tourism dollar. … I brought my
What surprises me is that we haven’t promoted it like wife here, and we rented a cabin here in Broken Bow for
we should up until this point. It’s fantastic. We have to our 21st wedding anniversary. We just had a great time.
continue to utilize and promote to the nation the assets The more we can promote our Oklahoma fishing trail
in our state. and rich wildlife, the better. People are staying in our
The Fishing Trail is something that Tourism rolled hotels, eating in our restaurants, and renting our cabins,
out. You’ll see other states promoting their golf trails. from Broken Bow in the south to Grand Lake in the north
Oklahoma has some of the greatest bass fishing. and all of the rivers in between. In the Panhandle and

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