What’s worse? Hogs or hunters?
An Oklahoma corn field ravaged by wild hogs
Oklahoma landowners apparently worry more about wild hunters than wild hogs.
Two months ago the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry established an online directory in an attempt to connect hunters and trappers with landowners who are having problems with feral hogs.
“We were hopeful we would have a good pool of both,” said Blayne Arthur, associate commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Agricutlure, Food and Forestry.
Instead, she is surprised by how many hunters and how few landowners have signed up for the registry. More than 500 hunters and trappers have signed up for it but only one landowner.
The damage being caused by feral hogs in Oklahoma hasn’t been overstated. The wild pigs are causing severe economic losses to ranchers and farmers. Oklahoma landowners just don’t seem to trust hunters.
The agency constantly hears from landowners about feral hog problems but most would rather call hunters on their own rather than make their contact information publicly available, Arthur said. And some landowners are reluctant to sign up because of bad experiences with hunters in the past, she said.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise. Irresponsible hunters who don’t shut gates, damage and litter another man’s property always have eliminated hunting opportunities for others. Even worse are the trespassers and poachers that Oklahoma landowners often have to battle.
That problem has been so bad that a group of landowners in southern Oklahoma in 2007 formed the Oklahoma Wildlife Management Association. The group has successfully lobbied state lawmakers to pass stiffer penalties for trespassing effective this month.
Not only does trespassing and poaching result in landowners denying hunting opportunities to all, but it even discourages them from maintaining or managing wildlife on their land, said Mike Porter, wildlife and fisheries consultant with the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation in Ardmore.
“Trespassing and poaching are two of the greatest impediments to wildlife management on private land,” he said.
The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry issued another news release Monday hoping to persuade more landowners to sign up for it feral swine registry, pointing out that Oklahoma laws limit the liability of landowners when people are invited on their land to hunt.
The agency also suggested that landowners require hunters to sign a written release covering the type of activities that will take place. But it appears that persuading them to add their names to the registry is going to be a tough sell.
Even if landowners don’t want to sign up, at least they will have an extensive list of hog hunters and trappers they can call to help rid them of the feral swine, Arthur said
“No question it is a great resource for landowners who want to reach out to hunters and trappers,” she said. But how many of them will?
A real hunt?
Gov. Mary Fallin with the 1,000-pound bull elk she killed Nov. 20 on the Wildcat Springs Ranch near Stonewall.
I got an angry e-mail Monday from reader Kirt Curell about Sunday’s photo of Gov. Mary Fallin and the elk that she killed on the Wildcat Springs Ranch, a 6,800-acre high fence hunting area near Stonewall.
“A high fence, canned hunt, is in no way representative of a hunt in anyway,” Curell wrote. “I’m sure she was trying to connect with the outdoors men and women. When in fact that is exactly the kind of junk that is killing our tradition.
“Shooting an animal confined within a high fence, I don’t care how many acres, is not fair chase. If you think my beliefs are flawed then so are the Boone and Crockett clubs and tens of thousands of their members.
“The B&C club does not condone high fence hunting and will not accept any animal killed within them. If anything it was an elk shoot not an elk hunt. Do not disgrace true hunters and fisherman with this junk.”
It’s true that Boone & Crockett will not accept any entries from commercial hunting ranches. The question in this case is whether The Oklahoman should publish any photos from them.
I don’t necessarily disagree with Curell’s argument against high fence hunts, although I think it does depend on how big the cage is.
And are commercial hunting areas more unethical than shooting a wild deer that has been baited with corn? It’s all in the eye of the beholder.
I’m not a fan of high fence areas and have debated the ethics of them in previous stories in the newspaper.
Maybe I’m sitting on a high fence here, but I’ve decided not to exclude publishing trophy photos from them simply because they are legal operations in Oklahoma, governed by regulations of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
Frankly, whether I publish a trophy photo from a hunter depends more on the quality of the photo than anything else. I get so many hunting photos that are either distasteful or of poor quality.
In this case, it was a good photo and it was the governor. As I told Curell, people can be their own judges of her hunting ethics.
He didn’t like it which is perfectly okay with me.
Arbuckle Lake meeting
Allen Gifford of Davis caught this 14 pound, 8 ounce largemouth bass in 2008 at Arbuckle Lake. It is the third biggest largemouth bass ever caught in Oklahoma.
Anglers who frequent Arbuckle Lake may want to attend a meeting Dec. 6 at the Chickasaw National Recreation Area near Sulphur.
Biologists from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation will be discussing its five-year management plan for the lake and discuss other issues.
The public meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the Travertine Nature Center auditorium. The public is encouraged to attend and provide feedback on the plan and visit with biologists about fishing at the lake.
“Angler opinions are important when developing management plans,” said Matt Mauck, south-central fisheries supervisor for the Wildlife Department.
Lake of the Arbuckles in Murray County has been on of the state’s hottest bass fishing lakes in recent years. Since 2008, it’s produced three largemouth bass weighing more than 12 pounds each, including a lake record 14 pound, 8 ounce fish, the third biggest bass ever caught in Oklahoma.
Goose numbers high
Recent cold fronts have pushed more geese into western Oklahoma
From the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation:
Biologists with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation are urging waterfowl hunters to “think geese and cranes” between now and Nov. 27 as large numbers of early migrants have flocked into southwest and western portions of the state in the last five to seven days.
“People may not be thinking about geese and cranes yet, but we are encouraging hunters to take advantage of the opportunity while they are here. Typically, most of these early migrants don’t hang around long but move on to their wintering grounds further south,” said Josh Richardson, migratory game bird biologist for the Wildlife Department.
There is good reason for waterfowl hunters to take advantage of the large numbers of migrants while they can, not only because the first half of goose season closes Nov. 27 — not to reopen again until Dec. 10 — but also to help farmers in the region who have already been impacted by record drought conditions which may have delayed planting of their winter wheat.
“Young wheat that has not yet reached the tillering stage is more vulnerable to damage by birds pulling up the plant. It is when large numbers of these birds are allowed to concentrate for long periods of time on specific fields that we start seeing impacts to crops like winter wheat.
“We always encourage the use of hunting to help minimize the impact of geese and cranes using private agricultural land,” said Richardson.
Winter wheat fields are prime spots for finding migrants right now, since they are utilized as a green food source for birds flying to and from limited water sources. The refuge portion at Hackberry Flat Wildlife Management Area is one of the few places holding water now in southwestern Oklahoma, and large numbers of geese and cranes are being observed there.
Hunters should obtain permission from local landowners whose properties are near these limited water sources
Richardson said he expects that hunters all across western Oklahoma should have good success if they scout agricultural areas and obtain landowner permission in areas where they find birds.
To hunt geese, hunters need a hunting license, an Oklahoma waterfowl license (unless exempt) and a federal duck stamp. In addition, all migratory bird hunters must carry an Oklahoma Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (HIP) permit. Permits are available anywhere hunting licenses are sold for $3 or for free online at wildlifedepartment.com.
Sandhill crane season remains open until January 22. To hunt sandhill cranes, hunters need a hunting license, a HIP permit and a federal sandhill crane permit that is available for $3 from license vendors or at wildlifedepartment.com.
The Rut Report
Oklahoma's 16-day deer gun season opens Saturday.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation issued the following region by region report Wednesday on deer rutting activity in the state.
NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA
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.
NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA
Rutting activity in the northeast region may be more underway than in the northwest, with reports that bucks of all age classes “are chasing hard.”
According to Craig Endicott, northeast region wildlife supervisor for the Wildlife Department, the rut may already be reaching its peak, but breeding activity will likely remain strong through the first week of rifle season.
“Movement of deer is on the rise, with bucks chasing does throughout the day,” Endicott said. “Most movements have been observed in areas with good food availability.”
Endicott expects deer activity to continue to pick up with the onset of coming cold fronts, rain and cooler temperatures.
“Hunters should be patient and stay in the woods as long as they can,” Endicott said. “Bucks will be cruising all day looking for that first receptive doe. Remember to scout. Look for good food sources, especially acorns, which can be in short supply. Locate some good trails to set up on that have seen very recent use.”
Endicott said successful public lands hunters are those who spend lots of time scouting.
“There is good hunting on the WMAs, but with the high usage associated with these areas, hunters need to scout for some less used corners and back areas. Try targeting bedding areas that will hold does and keep an eye out for signs of buck activity such as rubs and scrapes. Rutting on WMAs is really gearing up. Remember, be patient and spend time in the woods or on the stand. If you are hoping to harvest a mature buck, let the young ones pass.”
SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA
“If it keeps going the way it is, gun season is going to hit it right on the nose,” said Joe Hemphill about the rut in southeast Oklahoma.
Hemphill, southeast region wildlife supervisor for the Wildlife Department, said controlled hunts at McAlester Army Ammunition Plan have had smaller harvest numbers this year than in years past, and said there has yet to be much buck activity in the region.
Hemphill suspects the extended period of high heat at the end of the summer may have “backed everything off,” but he did say that despite the heat and drought, food sources are available.
“There are remarkably more acorns than you would think,” he said, adding that hunters who find acorns or good water sources may be in luck.
With opening day just two days away, rutting activity may be timed just right for southeast region hunters.
SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA
The rut is beginning to build in intensity, according to Rod Smith, southwest region wildlife supervisor for the Wildlife Department.
“In the past few days, bucks apparently in search of does have been observed during daylight hours,” Smith said. “Since the deer rut appears on the upswing, we may experience near peak rut conditions during the opening week of deer gun season.”
Smith said availability of native food sources for deer have been abnormally low, but like in other regions, recent rains have increased the availability of certain fall food sources. Still, areas with agricultural crops may be a good place for hunters to start.
Deer have also been underweight compared to normal, which Smith said could be contributing to later-than-normal rutting activity, along with warmer weather during the first part of November.
“Because the rut is just now getting ‘into the swing,’ hunters should look for new scrapes and other sign that could appear at any time,” Smith said, adding that “hunters should revisit areas that may not have had much sign a week or two ago.”
With most of the region still in the “exceptional” or “extreme” drought category, Smith said deer distribution might appear different than in years when there is no drought.
Recent rain has resulted in winter wheat germination and growth in food plots on WMAs in the region.
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
Like in some other parts of the state, reports from hunters and Wildlife Department personnel in the central region indicate the rut is slightly behind the “normal” schedule.
“Rutting has picked up the second week of November, with some bucks seen chasing does and an increase in the number of road kill deer,” said Jeff Pennington, central region wildlife supervisor for the Wildlife Department. “It appears that opening weekend of deer gun season will occur at or very near the peak of the rut.”
Pennington said 2011 drought conditions had a negative effect on food production in the region, but that overall deer activity has been higher this fall due to the associated nutritional stress.
“Despite the terribly dry conditions, patchy portions of the region produced a surprising number of acorns,” Pennington said. “Locations that still have good acorns will be prime hunting spots during gun season as drought-stressed deer try to replenish energy reserves. While the region is still in drought status, there have been sufficient fall rains in most areas to get wheat fields up and growing. In areas with no acorns, deer are already heavily using these fields.”
While drought is never considered good for wildlife, Pennington did say the drought limited the height of grasses and other vegetation, which could increase hunter visibility this year.
“If the weather cooperates, I look for the 2011 gun season to provide excellent hunting conditions in the central region due to the late peak of the rut, the limited food availability, and reduced cover,” Pennington said.
Deer gun season nears
Donna Lambeth shot this buck in western Oklahoma near Carter during the blackpowder season that scored 164 6/8.
The rut appears to be heading into full swing across Oklahoma with bucks seeking and chasing does as deer gun season is set to open on Saturday.
State wildlife officials predict the peak of the rut will occur during the opening days of deer gun season in many parts of the stae.
If history repeats itself, more deer will be killed on Saturday in Oklahoma than any other day of the year.
Typically, the first day of the deer gun season will see more deer checked in by hunters than on any other day of the 16-day gun season, which accounts for the majority of the deer harvest.
Last year, more than 156,000 hunters participated in the deer gun season. More than 204,000 participated in all seasons combined and checked in 109,314 deer, the fourth most in state history.
To date, Oklahoma’s deer harvest is slightly down from last year by about 600, said Micah Holmes, spokesman for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
Predictably, more hunters are checking in their deer online this year. This is the third year the Wildlife Department has allowed the online option at http://www.wildlifedepartment.com for check in and the number of hunters taking advantage of it has risen each year.
The Oklahoma counties where hunters check in the most deer remain almost the same every year. Osage County has been the top producing county the past four years. Last season 4,025 were checked in from Osage County.
Following Osage is Cherokee (3,517 deer) and Pittsburg (3,073) counties, which have alternated between the No. 2 and No. 3 spots the past three years. Pushmataha (3,027) and Le Flore 2,890) County were fourth and fifth last season.
Rounding out the top 10 are Atoka (2,751), McCurtain (2,520), Sequoyah (2,236), Craig (2,281) and Roger Mills (2,094).
Pushmataha also is home of the top two typical bucks (194 0/8 and 191 4/8) taken in Oklahoma, both killed in 2007 during the rifle season. The non-typical record is 248 6/8 taken in Tillman County in 2004 during the rifle season.
Hunters who do not want their deer meat can donate it to needy families through the Hunters Against Hunger program. The Oklahoma Hunting Guide contains a list of meat processors that participate in the program as does the Wildlife Department’s website. Or call the Wildlife Department at 521-4660 for more information.
Trout fishing resumes on Lower Illinois
Anglers once again will be able to fish for trout in the Lower Illinois River as the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation will resume stocking the river near Gore with trout beginning Wednesday.
“We have water again to be asked to be released (from Lake Tenkiller) for management of the trout stream and we have done so,” said Jim Burroughs, east-central fisheries supervisor for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
Wednesday is a normal stocking date for the river. State wildlife officials also will add extra rainbow trout into the river on Friday then return to their normal bi-monthly stocking of fish beginning Nov. 30.
The agency quit putting trout in the river in late September because of a lack of water and poor water quality. However, recent rainfall and runoff have raised Lake Tenkiller to its normal level and the Wildlife Department can now resume using water that has been donated to them by Sequoyah Fuels.
Burroughs said water oxygen levels also improved in the lake in the last 10 days. “The better do’s (dissolved oxygen) with a little bit of sustained flows from our releases we feel like we can start stocking and have hopes the fishery is going to make it,” he said.
All of the water stored in Lake Tenkiller is allocated for hydropower or municipal and industrial water supply. The trout fishery is not entitled to any of it, unlike the situation on the state’s other year-round trout stream, the Lower Mountain Fork River in McCurtain County.
When needed, the Wildlife Department must borrow water from Sequoyah Fuels for the Lower Illinois trout fishery.
When it stopped the trout stockings, the Wildlife Department had borrowed all the water it could.
However, the recent rainfall reset the water storage allocations for all water supply holders, including Sequoyah Fuels. So once again the Wildlife Department can ask the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to release water from Tenkiller Lake as needed to sustain the trout fishery. At least until the agency runs out of water again.
A huge rainbow from the Blue
Ted Meador of Denton, Texas caught this 10-pound, 4-ounce rainbow trout in the Blue River during the Blue River Veteran's Day Trout Derby.
Barry Shrader of Sulphur reported that it was a tough weekend of fishing for everyone in the Veteran’s Day Blue River Trout Derby because of the muddy water conditions, but one Texas fly fisherman caught a dandy.
Ted Meador of Denton, Texas, landed a 10-pound, 4-ounce rainbow on a bugger that would have tied a state record except it doesn’t count because the trout for the derby was not stocked by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, but by derby organizers.
The state rainbow trout record is 10 pounds, 4 ounces. It was caught in 1986 from the Lower Illinois River.
The fish in the Oklahoma’s two year-round trout streams are raised in a hatchery too, so I asked Barry Bolton, chief of fisheries for the Wildlife Department, what’s the difference?
Bolton said the difference is that trout derby organizers are buying trophy fish to be caught the next day.
“It doesn’t seem like the thing to do,” Bolton said of certifying those fish as state records. ‘It just seems to go against the concept of the program.”
State wildlife officials stock mostly 9-inch trout with 10 percent more than 14 inches. The state doesn’t stock trophy trout but it’s possibly one could grow to trophy-size in the year-round trout streams, he said.
A 10 pound, 4 ounce rainbow trout from the Lower Illinois or the Lower Mountain Fork would be eligible for a state record because that fish would have spent most of its life in the wild, Bolton said.
Since the Blue River is only a winter trout fishery and the trout die in the summer, it could never produce a state record, he said.
Shrader is an avid fly fisherman and the Blue River is his home waters. He writes a wonderful blog on his fly fishing adventures called the Prairie Ocean Fly Fisher which you can read at http://prairieoceanflyfisher.blogspot.com/
Last Bass Results
Darren Clinton of Ada and Rick Matthews of Checotah are champions of the 2011 "The Last Bass" tournament.
Darren Clinton of Ada and Rick Matthews of Checotah teamed up to win the annual Lawter & Associates “The Last Bass” tournament Sunday on Lake Eufaula.
The anglers weighed in 12.84 pounds to nip Justin Windsor and Earnie Baxter, both of Noble, who weighed in 12.56 pounds. Clinton and Matthews shared $12,144 for winning the tourney.
The anglers from Noble earned $6,624 for second place. Finishing third was Scott Phillips of Park Hill and Michael Corbett of Wichita, Kan., with 12.36 pounds. Third place paid $3,312.
The big bass of the tournament was a 6.69-pounder that earned Dan Mahaffey and Kip Morrow of Tulsa $8,320. The tournament had 416 two-man teams entered this year.
Olympic Gold Medalist in Oklahoma City
Glenn Eller won gold in the 2008 Olympics
Two members of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit’s Shotgun Team will be putting on a shotgun and shooting exhibition Wednesday at the Oklahoma City Gun Club as part of the FFA Sporting Clays State Championships.
One of the Army shooters, Sgt. Glenn Eller, was a 2008 Olympic gold medalist, one of 23 Olympic medals overall won by members of the US Marksmanship Unit since it was formed in 1956.
A deer and bird hunter, Eller started winning big in 1994 when he became the U.S. National Sporting Clay sub-junior champion.
Eller is from Katy, Texas and was the first American to ever win the junior title in the British Open Sporting Clay competition in 1996. By 1998, he was winning gold and silver medals in the National and Junior Olympic championship.
By 2008, Eller had joined the U.S. Army as a member of the Marksmanship Unit based out of Fort Benning, Ga., and won the men’s gold in double trap at the summer Olympics in Beijing.
The U.S. Army has marksmanship units in several different shooting disciplines which compete in international and Olympic events: shotguns, small bore and air pistols, air rifles and small bore rifles. Plus the unit also has a paralympic shooting team.
In addition, the U.S. Army has a service rifle and service pistol team which competes in national and service matches using the high-powered guns and an action shooting team.
The FFA Sporting Clays State Championships begin at 9:30 a.m. at the shotgun range of the Oklahoma City Gun Club, which is located about four miles north of Arcadia on Hiawassee Road.
