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The regular muzzleloading deer season, scheduled to run Oct. 28 through Nov. 5, could be postponed if weather conditions do not improve, according to officials with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
With the state on alert from recent wildfires, Wildlife Department officials met Tuesday, Oct. 3, with forestry officials from the State Department of Agriculture to discuss current conditions and weather predictions for the remainder of the month. Based on that meeting, the Wildlife Department has established an evaluation date that, depending on weather conditions and relative risk of wildfires, could lead the agency to recommend postponing the primitive firearms deer season.
Wildlife officials would make recommendations for postponing the season to the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Wildlife Department^s governing body. The Commission could postpone the hunt by emergency order.
“Obviously this is a very serious situation, and we will be monitoring conditions daily,” said Nels Rodefeld, Wildlife Department spokesperson. “Hunters are often the first line of defense in reporting problems like wildfires in rural areas, but without significant rainfall or a change in the weather pattern, consideration may be given to adjusting the season because of the extreme conditions.”
Rodefeld added that the agency has established the following monitoring and evaluation process that will be used to assess conditions as the season draws near:
1. If the extreme fire hazard conditions persist through Wed., Oct. 18, Wildlife Department personnel will meet with State Forestry Department specialists and National Weather Service meteorologists to evaluate the potential fire danger for the upcoming weeks.
2. Depending on the forecast and results of the discussions with Forestry officials, the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission may meet as early as Friday afternoon, Oct. 20, at the Wildlife Department^s headquarters in Oklahoma City to consider an emergency order to postpone the season.
3. If the regular primitive firearms season is postponed, Department officials will recommend the nine-day season be rescheduled for a nine-day period to fall between mid-December and mid-January, with bag limits and antlerless hunting days the same as would have been in place during the regularly scheduled season dates. Due to the lower anticipated hunter participation and subsequent reduced harvest resulting from moving the muzzleloader season to mid December, the Department also will recommend some type of additional hunting opportunities, possibly an antlerless only hunt around the Christmas or New Year^s holidays. During this type of special season, hunters may be restricted to hunting only antlerless deer, but could be allowed to hunt with any unused antlerless modern firearms or antlerless primitive firearms deer permit.
Department officials hope this additional opportunity would help compensate for the anticipated harvest reduction from postponing the primitive firearms season. Last year, muzzleloader hunters harvest more than 13,600 bucks and 3,500 does during the regular nine-day season. In terms of herd management, the muzzleloader harvest annually represents an average of 20-25 percent of the total statewide deer harvest.
“We recognize that this could dramatically impact the schedules of more than 100,000 primitive firearms deer hunters, but in light of severity of current conditions we felt it only appropriate to create a contingency plan for muzzleloader season,” Rodefeld said. “Hunters will be notified of all the latest developments through their local media outlets and through immediate postings on the Department^s website – wildlifedepartment.com.
“Right now we^re focused on muzzleloader season because it is the next major season opener, but conditions could dictate that other adjustments be made as the fall progresses. We certainly hope conditions improve, and would encourage everyone to pray for a change in the weather pattern.”
Uploaded: 10/15/2000
Uploaded: 10/15/2000