At its regular August meeting, the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission accepted a $50,000 donation for a recent land purchase.
During the meeting Laura McIver, a regional representative with Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever, presented the Commission with a $50,000 donation towards a recent land acquisition at Drummond Flats Wildlife Management Area.
Justin Cooper, state director of USDA Wildlife Services, gave an update on the Feral Swine Control Program in Oklahoma.
Most of the meeting was spent recognizing award winners from within the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The annual awards recognize outstanding employees throughout the agency. Those award winners included:
Aaron Dossey, pictured above, received the 2025 Wildlife Division Technician of the Year award. Dossey was hired as a wildlife technician in 2014 and is now stationed at the Ouachita Wildlife Management Area. In his role, Dossey has established a strong relationship with the local community, is a priceless asset to equipment repair challenges and has managed bear harvest check-in day and night. His supervisor says Dossey’s work ethic and attitude are priceless to the agency.
Jay Rouk was recognized as the 2025 Wildlife Biologist of the Year. Hired in 2013 as the Oklahoma National Archery in the Schools Program coordinator, Rouk is now the central region senior biologist. In 2025, he assisted with several events, including the OKNASP shoots and hosting a beginner waterfowl hunting course at Okmulgee WMA. Rouk was present to assist at every significant controlled burn in the central region and conducted burns on more than 2,800 acres of Okmulgee WMA and more than 1,700 acres of Deep Fork WMA.
Ethan Lovelace received the 2025 fisheries division Professional of the Year award. Hired in 2017, he was promoted to fisheries biologist of Blue River Public Fishing and Hunting Area in 2022. In 2025, Lovelace oversaw significant infrastructure improvements at Blue River, including a challenging box culvert project that restored a crossing impacted by historic flooding. He also led efforts to promote large-scale controlled burns and other habitat improvements that led to a record deer harvest in the area in the 2025 season.
Blaine County Game Warden Jaylyn Flynn received the Shikar-Safari Club International Game Warden of the Year award. In 2025, Flynn’s investigations especially targeted guide services exploiting wildlife and fish. His hard work exposed three guides services for hunting waterfowl over bait, two fishing guides operating without the proper license and more. He is also involved in the community, assisting in conducting mock interviews for students at Southwestern State University, assisting the University with their entrance interviews to their COPs program and was also the Wildlife Department Youth Camp Director this year.
Jeff Pennington, regional wildlife supervisor for the central region, received the 2026 Spirit of ODWC award. He works alongside his team fighting invasive species and improving habitat and is always ready to pitch in where needed. ODWC Director Wade Free said Pennington has never been shy of hard work and “portrays the true spirit of ODWC in everything he does.”
The Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission is the eight-member governing board of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The Commission establishes state hunting and fishing regulations, sets policy for the Wildlife Department, and indirectly oversees all state fish and wildlife conservation activities. Commission members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Oklahoma Senate.
The next regular Wildlife Commission meeting is set for Sept. 8 at the John D. Groendyke Wildlife Conservation Building, 1801 N. Lincoln Blvd. in Oklahoma City.