Page 6 - 2019 JAN/FEB Outdoor Oklahoma

Game Bag

A COLLECTION OF LETTERS TO THE WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT
We’d like to hear from you! Send your letters to Outdoor
Oklahoma Letters, P.O. Box 53465, Oklahoma City, OK 73152,
or send e-mail to donald.brown@odwc.ok.gov.

Dear Wildlife Department,
I was the lucky person to be selected for a controlled elk hunt in
the Cookson Hills Wildlife Management Area. I scouted the area
several times before my hunt dates of Oct. 27-28. Technician Colby
Farquhar and Biologist Curt Allen provided encouragement for
this novice elk hunter.
After applying for the elk hunt for the last several years, about
35 or 40 years, I wanted to have a good hunt. After all, this is a
once-in-a-lifetime controlled hunt. As Eva’s father, her essay was my reward. But beyond that, I
I saw several elk while scouting the area. I did both driving the hope that other dads and mentors will find encouragement from
management roads to see likely areas and a fair amount of boots her essay and see the potential impact we can have in the lives of our
on the ground. I basically discovered three locations in which I was kids. These kids, by the way, are our next hunters, conservationists,
confident to hunt. In all three locations I spotted elk and was able parents, teachers, and decision-makers. So it’s our responsibility to
to ease out of the hunt area without disturbing the elk. train them in what’s right.
On the morning of the elk hunt, my son-in-law, Jared Sposato, Now coming full-circle, this weekend we’ll head back to that
and I started for my first hunt location. Then we saw a herd of elk same tree stand in Tillman County where her essay began and
away from where we were planning on hunting. We stalked them continue the story. I hope you will continue your story, too.
for about two hours before giving up on that herd. We returned Spencer Aycock
to my first pick of locations, but we were curious about the other
areas that I liked. After checking out the other areas, we returned
to my first choice. Dear Law Enforcement Chief Bill Hale,
Slowly the elk started coming into a nearby field. Gradually I would like to take this opportunity and express my sincere appre-
some young elk and cows came very near us. I was fortunate ciation for the exceptional assistance I received from your Game War-
enough to harvest a fine 6-by-6 bull elk. den Joe Alexander. As a result of being relatively new to deer hunting,
I would like to thank the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife I contacted Alexander to obtain his assistance and guidance. Not only
Conservation for having the controlled hunts. I would also like did he answer my flood of questions but took the time to meet with me
to thank Technician Farquhar and Biologist Allen for their help in person to discuss hunting opportunities at Copan Lake. I was truly
before and after the hunt. I would also like to thank my nonhunting impressed with both his genuine desire to assist me in having a great
helper, my son-in-law, Jared. hunting experience and his willingness to help in any way possible;
Ralph Ward such service oriented people are often difficult to find.
Alexander has certainly earned my profound respect and sincere
appreciation, as I did not anticipate receiving such exceptional
Dear Wildlife Department and Oklahoma Station- assistance and support. Though to him it may have seemed like a
Safari Club International, simple act or part of the job, it impacted my life and I now plan to
Thank you so much for your generosity and the opportunities introduce my two boys to hunting in the future.
you provide our youths through the Creative Writing Competition. Nathan Cragun
This past weekend was the culmination of events offered to my Manager, CEAT Online Learning
daughter, Eva Aycock, as a contest awardee. In addition to being Oklahoma State University
published in each respective organization’s newsletter and maga-
zine, honored at the annual Oklahoma Station-SCI Banquet, pro-
vided a membership to SCI and being sponsored for a week at the Dear Wildlife Expo Coordinator Rhonda Hurst,
Outdoor Texas Camps, she finally made a cold and very wet hunt On behalf of Oklahoma State Parks, thank you and your agency
on the Circle P Pogue Ranch near Stringtown. She now has a nice so very much for welcoming our participation in the Wildlife Expo.
ram that we will have finished as a European mount and memories The Expo is such a great event with both immediate and long-term
of those experiences that will last a lifetime. benefits. The satisfaction that you receive is certainly one import-
I would also be remiss if I did not thank Eva’s teacher and essay ant measure of the event’s significant impact.
contest school sponsor, coach Frank Blair at Owasso’s Eighth-Grade For State Parks, the Expo is so very important as it provides us with
Center. There is a special and powerful place that teachers and coach- an opportunity to acquaint Oklahomans with some of our state’s eco-
es have in the lives of our children, and we are lucky to have him. logical diversity. As well, there’s no substitute for making face-to-face

4 Off the Beaten Path

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