Waterfowlers enjoy the good life with new opportunities this season

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Oklahoma waterfowlers will be able to hunt pintails and canvasbacks throughout the entire waterfowl season this year as well as take an additional wood duck as part of their daily limit of six ducks.
            The dates and limits for the 2009-10 waterfowl and sandhill crane hunting season were set by the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission at its August meeting.
            Since 2003, pintails and canvasbacks have had a shorter season within the overall regular duck season was open, though dates for the two did overlap for some. This year, hunters will be able to take pintails and canvasbacks throughout the entire waterfowl season.
            Additionally, last year a hunter’s daily limit of six ducks could not include more than two wood ducks, whereas this year a hunter can harvest up to three per day as part of their six-duck limit.
            Aside from these two expanded hunting opportunities, the waterfowl seasons will be same as last year, with adjustments made to calendar dates.
            “We’re living the good life,” said Mike O’Meilia, wildlife research supervisor for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, in reference to the opportunities that waterfowl hunters enjoy in the state. “This will be the 14th year in a row we’ve had a liberal Adaptive Harvest Management regulations package, so somebody’s doing something right.”
            In zone 1 (most of northwest Oklahoma), the first half of the duck season will run Oct. 24 through Nov. 29, with the second half beginning Dec. 12 and running through Jan. 17, 2010. Youth waterfowl hunting days in zone 1 will be Oct. 10 and 11.
            In zone 2, the duck season will run Nov. 7-29 and Dec. 12 - Jan. 31, 2010. Youth waterfowl hunting days in zone 2 will be Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.
            Panhandle counties will offer the longest duck season, running Oct. 10 through Jan. 6, 2010. Youth waterfowl dates for the panhandle will be Oct. 3-4.
            Hunters will be allowed a daily limit of six ducks combined, no more than five of which can be mallards. Of those, only two mallards may be hens. No more than three wood ducks, two scaup, two redheads, one pintail and one canvasback may be included in the daily limit. The daily bag limit for mergansers is five, of which no more than two may be hooded mergansers. The daily bag limit for coots is 15.
            The statewide Canada goose season will run Oct. 31 through Nov. 29 and Dec. 12 - Feb. 14, 2010. The daily limit is three birds.
            The season for white-fronted geese will run Oct. 31 through Nov. 29 and Dec. 12 - Feb. 5, 2010. The daily bag limit is one.
            The regular season for light geese (snows, blues and Ross’) will run Oct. 31 through Nov. 29 and Dec. 12 - Feb. 14, 2010. The daily bag limit is 20.
            Sandhill crane season will be from Oct. 24 – Jan. 24, 2010, west of I-35 only. The daily limit is three birds.
            Hunters who wish to participate in the waterfowl season must have a resident or non-resident hunting license, a 2009-10 Federal Duck Stamp, and unless exempt, a 2009-10 Oklahoma Waterfowl License and a Harvest Information Program Permit. The federal duck stamp is available at U.S. Post Offices. Hunters pursuing sandhill cranes must also purchase a separate sandhill crane hunting permit.
            Hunters should consult the “2009-10 Waterfowl Hunting Guide,” available in late September at hunting and fishing license dealers statewide, for complete hunting regulations and license requirements.
            The Commission also heard a presentation from Barry Bolton, chief of fisheries, and Jeff Boxrucker, assistant chief of fisheries for the Wildlife Department, on the repair of American Horse Lake dam and spillway, which was heavily damaged by rainfall from Tropical Storm Erin in 2006 along with access roads to the lake. Rain came so fast that it flowed over the top of the dam an estimated two feet or more. Damages were estimated at more than $250,000, based upon contracting out the repair work. All renovations were performed by Wildlife Department employees, which ultimately saved sportsmen thousands of dollars for other conservation efforts.
            “We decided to rely on our lake maintenance crew to do the work, partially as a cost saving method, but I think more importantly for the skill level that these folks possess. We feel like we’ve got a crew that can operate equipment and fix and construct the types of things we need to have constructed better than we can hire it out to be,” said Boxrucker.
            Repairs were extensive, including spillway and seepage repair, the addition of an emergency spillway, drainage repair, adding benches on the dam, and other major renovations.
            American Horse Lake is one of 15 Wildlife Department-owned and managed lakes across the state, ranging from as small 30 acres to more than 260 acres. Several of these lakes were constructed nearly a half-century ago.
            “Unfortunately, as these lakes age, the fishing can decline and even fishing access can decline,” Bolton said. “So, this last year I challenged our fisheries supervisors to make our Department lakes showplaces.”
            Bolton said that would involve habitat work and other projects to that would classify the lakes as “true fishing destinations.” Along with American Horse Lake, the Wildlife Department has completed work at Lake Vincent in western Oklahoma. Improvements to Lake Vincent included completely re-establishing the fishery by draining the lake, adding and enhancing existing fish habitat, rebuilding a boat ramp, adding riprap, repairing water control structures, improving access, and deepening shorelines for better angling. As with repairs to American Horse Lake, the Wildlife Department relied heavily upon the skill of its own lake maintenance crew for renovations at Lake Vincent.
            The Wildlife Department’s Fisheries division will turn its attention to Evans Chambers Lake in Beaver County in the near future.
            In other business, Commission Chairman John D. Groendyke announced his appointment of four committees that will be involved in several key areas of Department focus to help ensure effective wildlife management. The Legislative subcommittee is chaired by District 6 Commissioner Bill Phelps and members will include District 5 Commissioner Ed Abel, District 1 Commissioner David Riggs and District 4 Commissioner Harland Stonecipher. The Lands, Policy and Programs subcommittee is chaired by District 3 Commissioner Mike Bloodworth, and members will include Commissioners Abel and Phelps as well as District 2 Commissioner Bruce Mabrey. The Finance subcommittee is chaired by Commissioner Mabrey, and members include District 7 Commissioner Mart Tisdal and Chairman Groendyke. Finally, the Energy and Natural Resources subcommittee is chaired by Commissioner Tisdal, and members include Commissioners Bloodworth and Riggs.
            The Commission also recognized Joe Adair, District II chief of law enforcement, for 35 years of service to the Wildlife Department; Greg Summers, fisheries research supervisor, for 35 years of service; Barry Bolton, chief of fisheries, for 30 years of service; and Melinda Sturgess-Streich, assistant director of Administration, for 20 years.
            The Wildlife Conservation Commission is the eight-member governing board of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The Wildlife 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 Senate.
            The next scheduled Commission meeting is set for 9 a.m. Tues., Sept. 8 at the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation headquarters (auditorium), located at the southwest corner of 18th and North Lincoln, Oklahoma City.
 
 

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