Oklahoma department of wildlife and oksci
The ODWC and Oklahoma Station Safari Club International work together on MANY projects and levels. Below are some of those projects both past and present as well as some updates from our valued counterpart in the Oklahoma outdoors.
Lance Meeks from ODWC Speaks at OCSCI Dinner outlining current projects OKSCI and ODWC are working on, gives an outlook for this years hunting seasons (you will be surprised at what he has to say, and gives a road map of ODWC projects that will take Oklahoma into the most stable future possible for our Outdoors world) Click here for is spectacular presentation.
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ODWC and OKSCI Team up for the Annual Creative Writing Competition. This Months Safari Trails has last years hunt as the cover story which can be found Here. See full rules and more details on the ODWC Website Here.
Theme: Students must use the theme, Hunting: Sharing the Heritage, Archery: What I like about Archery in the Schools and Bowhunting or the concept of the theme to develop an expository essay or short story.
And the Prizes? Check out the killer list below, kids, fire up those pens and write away. This year, we at OKSCI will be putting all of the top 25 winners into a publication for our site! Approval Pending :)
- In the 11-14 age category: One boy and one girl will receive a scholarship for the Apprentice Hunter Program during the summer of 2011 at the YO Ranch, Mountain Home, TX. The Oklahoma Station of Safari Club International will reimburse the winners travel expenses up to a maximum of $500 per Essay Contest Winner.
Apprentice Hunter Program Information:
Safari Club International’s Apprentice Hunter Program is a unique,
hands-on course designed for girls and boys aged 11-14. The program
covers such diverse topics as history of hunting, the ethical basis
of modern sport hunting, wildlife management, field identification,
tracking and interpreting sign, game cooking and the SCI Sportsmen
Against Hunger Program. There are three sessions, each one week
long, during the summer of 2011.
- In the 15-17 age category: One boy and one girl will go on a guided antelope hunt in New Mexico. Winners in this category must comply with all requirements of New Mexico game laws for the 2011 hunting season. The Oklahoma Station of Safari Club International will reimburse travel expenses up to a maximum of $500 per Essay Contest Winner.
The four statewide winners and their legal guardians will be invited to Oklahoma City to attend an awards ceremony in March. In addition, the top 25 essay entrants will receive a one-year youth membership to Safari Club International. Transportation to New Mexico and Texas: Oklahoma Station Chapter will reimburse trip travel expenses up to a maximum of $500 per Essay Contest Winner. The four state winners’ entries will be printed in the Oklahoma Station Chapter Safari Club International December Newsletter “Safari Trails”. Printing makes the essays eligible for consideration in the Outdoor Writers Association of America Youth Writing Contest. Essays may also be printed in Outdoor Oklahoma magazine.
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The ODWC has a new Weekly Wildlife News Email system. Below is a snippet from the latest one and HERE is the link to sign-up to get your own copy.
Current rut activity at a glance
Deer gun season at a glance
No hunter ed is no problem for most Oklahomans who still want to
hunt this weekend
Hunters making a difference for the hungry
Outdoor Calendar
Fishing Report
Waterfowl Report
Current rut activity at a glance
Deer rifle season kicks off Saturday, Nov. 19, and
promises as usual to be the biggest day of the year for hunting in
Oklahoma.
With 63 percent of last year’s total deer harvest
coming from Oklahoma’s rifle hunting seasons, it accounts for the
greatest portion of deer taken by hunters. Surveys indicate that
last year, more than 156,000 hunters took part in the 16-day regular
deer gun season alone, and when taking into account the youth deer
gun and holiday antlerless deer seasons, that number jumps to nearly
204,000.
Preliminary harvest numbers from muzzleloader season
show that the current state harvest is similar to what it was this
time last year, with physical deer check stations down slightly over
30 percent in the number of deer checked, and the Oklahoma
Department of Wildlife Conservation’s online check station up by
about 34 percent in the number of deer checked.
“We are on par with last season,” said Jerry Shaw, big
game biologist for the Wildlife Department. “While many feel we are
off to a slow start, we are tracking pretty closely with last year’s
data.”
In anticipation for what is hopefully another great year
for deer hunters, personnel with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife
Conservation are offering information just in time on current
rutting activity in regions across the state. The rut, or deer
breeding season, is a biological process that typically occurs
around mid November. Deer activity during the rut picks up but the
amount of activity can be influenced by a host of factors such as
day length, temperatures, moon phase and herd condition.
NORTHWEST
The northwest region of Oklahoma is famed for its
excellent deer hunting — not to mention big deer — and biologists
believe opening weekend will be timed well with rutting activity.
Drought has had an impact on food and water availability
in the region. All spring and summer food plot plantings on
northwestern wildlife management areas failed, and water and food
availability in the region is limited. However, fall food plots on
WMAs and wheat fields in the area appear to have benefited from
recent rains and are reportedly in fair condition.
According to Steve Conrady, northwest region wildlife
supervisor for the Wildlife Department, rut activity in the
northwest region is “fairly consistent” year to year, and most
reports so far indicate that only the early stages of rutting
activity have occurred. These signs include immature bucks sparring
and chasing unreceptive does, and increased activity at scrapes.
“The general consensus is that the deer rut will be very
near the peak by opening weekend of deer gun season,” Conrady said.
According to Eddie Wilson, Wildlife Department
biologists stationed at Cooper and Ft. Supply WMAs, the deer rut in
his area “usually kicks off somewhere between Nov. 15-20.”
“With the dark of the moon coinciding with opening
weekend, hunting should be good,” Wilson said.
According to Weston Storer, biologist stationed at
Beaver River, Optima, Rita Blanca and Schultz WMAs, the Panhandle
has received some needed rain, but forage is limited. Storer said
young bucks are showing early rutting activity.
“On Nov. 10, in the middle of the day, a buck destroyed
both my archery targets in my backyard,” said Storer, who expects
the rut to be in “full swing” by the opening weekend of gun season
on Beaver River WMA.
According to bowhunters using Canton WMA during the
weekend of Nov. 12-13, deer movement has continued to remain “very
slow,” with most deer activity taking place during the last hour of
legal shooting light. Kyle Johnson, biologist stationed at Canton,
said rattling has drawn attention from young bucks, and scrapes are
being actively visited after shooting hours.
“At this point, it looks favorable that at least the
early part of the deer gun season should be very good for rut
activity,” Johnson said.
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