Oklahoma hunters may find their favorite hunting grounds a little less crowded this fall as new legislation is moving towards better regulation of public lands for the upcoming season.
More and more states are tightening up on the issue of overcrowding on public lands these days. Oklahoma is the latest to make a move with their bill (Senate Bill 448) designed to regulate nonresident hunters on state wildlife management areas.
The bill was recently signed into law by Gov. Kevin Stitt requiring nonresident hunters to obtain written authorization from the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission before hunting.
In addition to this permission, plus the standard nonresident hunting license fees, successful applicants will also pay a permit fee of up to $100.
But that still won’t guarantee an opportunity for nonresidents to hunt. The new plan is built on a lottery-style system for nonresident hunters to help control hunter numbers and access to various hunting areas.
According to Rep. Jim Grego, one of the bill’s sponsors, this will greatly help in the effort to limit overcrowding on public lands.
“This just allows the Wildlife Conservation Commission to know who is hunting in the areas they maintain,” he said. “If they have more hunters than can be managed at one time, this allows the commission to establish a lottery system.”
“The passage of Senate Bill 448 marks a significant step forward in safeguarding Oklahomans’ access to our state’s wildlife management areas,” said Sen. Warren Hamilton, another sponsor of the bill.
“This legislation prioritizes the rights of our citizens while continuing to welcome visiting outdoorsmen from other states through the lottery system and permitting process outlined in this bill.”
What do you think? Is this a good move for Oklahoma? Should other states follow their lead?
Comment below, and let us know what you think.
