Post by Steve Sutton on Jun 10, 2010 17:12:03 GMT -5
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation will soon offer a new avenue for wildlife enthusiasts to support wildlife conservation.
At its June meeting, the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission established a special use permit that will be required of persons using certain Department-owned lands who do not hold a valid hunting or fishing license. The permit has been designated the conservation passport and will be available in the form of a license that will be sold online at wildlifedepartment.com or anywhere hunting and fishing licenses are sold.
House Bill 2862, by Representative Phil Richardson and Paul Roan and Senator Ron Justice, authorized the Wildlife Conservation Commission to establish the passport on lands owned by the Wildlife Department. The passport was already required at the Blue River Public Fishing and Hunting Area in southcentral Oklahoma.
Many other WMAs offer shooting ranges, camping, hiking, horseback riding, nature trails, wildlife watching and other activities as a result of sportsmen’s dollars used to purchase, enhance and develop those areas primarily used for hunting and fishing.
“We had a number of conservation groups that wanted to have a permit that could help support these public use areas,” said Jim Edwards, assistant director of the Wildlife Department. “And since these properties are bought or managed by sportsmen’s dollars, people that use those properties ought to also pay at least a corresponding amount for upkeep and maintenance.”
The new requirement will go into effect Jan. 1, 2011, at all Wildlife Department owned areas except Blue River, where the passport is already required. The price for the conservation passport is set at $26, which is $1 more than a hunting or fishing license. In addition to saving money on the purchase price, those who opt for a hunting or fishing license will also see their dollars go further in conserving wildlife because of matching federal dollars from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that apply to hunting and fishing license sales but not to conservation passport sales.
Other opportunities to support wildlife conservation in addition to the purchase of a hunting and fishing license or a conservation passport include the purchase of a wildlife license plate, offered through local tag agencies, as well as habitat patches and caps, which feature a range of wildlife artwork and are sold online at wildlifedepartment.com.
In other business, the Commission approved changes to its retirement plan for Wildlife Department employees.
Under the new plan, employees hired after July 1, 2010, will be provided a defined contribution retirement based on their years of service to the Department. For current employees, there will be no changes to the lifetime retirement benefit under their defined benefit plan — a guarantee that promises they’ll receive a specified pension throughout retirement.
The new plan is expected to save millions of dollars and avoid financial troubles before they have a chance to develop, while at the same time maintaining obligations to retirees.
The Commission also accepted a contribution of $2,000 from Whitetails of Oklahoma for the 2010 Wildlife Expo, slated for Sept. 25-26 at the Lazy E Arena, just north of Oklahoma City. Whitetails of Oklahoma is non-profit organization for whitetail enthusiasts, including among others, those who hunt and raise whitetail deer in Oklahoma.
Whitetails of Oklahoma has given away hunts at the Wildlife Expo in past years and already has secured three deer hunts and a striper fishing trip at Lake Texoma to give away at the 2010 Expo.
The Wildlife Department is working with a range of organizations, individuals and outdoor-related companies to host the Expo — a free event intended to promote and develop appreciation for Oklahoma’s wildlife and natural resources by providing hands-on learning opportunities for all types of outdoor enthusiasts.
Among many other activities, Expo visitors will be able to try firsthand activities such as fishing, shooting sports such as shotguns and archery, kayaking, mountain biking and more. They will have access to seminars on hunting dog training, outdoor cooking, camping, hunting, fishing, birdwatching, and other activities in the outdoors.
The Commission also approved the Department’s fiscal year 2011 annual budget at $42 million.
The Commission elected new officers at the meeting as well, who will begin serving in their positions at the July Commission meeting. Serving as chairman will be District 7’s Mart Tisdal; serving as vice-chairman will be District 3’s Mike Bloodworth; and serving as secretary will be District 1’s M. David Riggs.
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., Tuesday, July 6, at the Wildlife Department’s Outdoor Education and Training Center located at the Arcadia Conservation Education Area (7201 E. 33rd St., Edmond).
At its June meeting, the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission established a special use permit that will be required of persons using certain Department-owned lands who do not hold a valid hunting or fishing license. The permit has been designated the conservation passport and will be available in the form of a license that will be sold online at wildlifedepartment.com or anywhere hunting and fishing licenses are sold.
House Bill 2862, by Representative Phil Richardson and Paul Roan and Senator Ron Justice, authorized the Wildlife Conservation Commission to establish the passport on lands owned by the Wildlife Department. The passport was already required at the Blue River Public Fishing and Hunting Area in southcentral Oklahoma.
Many other WMAs offer shooting ranges, camping, hiking, horseback riding, nature trails, wildlife watching and other activities as a result of sportsmen’s dollars used to purchase, enhance and develop those areas primarily used for hunting and fishing.
“We had a number of conservation groups that wanted to have a permit that could help support these public use areas,” said Jim Edwards, assistant director of the Wildlife Department. “And since these properties are bought or managed by sportsmen’s dollars, people that use those properties ought to also pay at least a corresponding amount for upkeep and maintenance.”
The new requirement will go into effect Jan. 1, 2011, at all Wildlife Department owned areas except Blue River, where the passport is already required. The price for the conservation passport is set at $26, which is $1 more than a hunting or fishing license. In addition to saving money on the purchase price, those who opt for a hunting or fishing license will also see their dollars go further in conserving wildlife because of matching federal dollars from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that apply to hunting and fishing license sales but not to conservation passport sales.
Other opportunities to support wildlife conservation in addition to the purchase of a hunting and fishing license or a conservation passport include the purchase of a wildlife license plate, offered through local tag agencies, as well as habitat patches and caps, which feature a range of wildlife artwork and are sold online at wildlifedepartment.com.
In other business, the Commission approved changes to its retirement plan for Wildlife Department employees.
Under the new plan, employees hired after July 1, 2010, will be provided a defined contribution retirement based on their years of service to the Department. For current employees, there will be no changes to the lifetime retirement benefit under their defined benefit plan — a guarantee that promises they’ll receive a specified pension throughout retirement.
The new plan is expected to save millions of dollars and avoid financial troubles before they have a chance to develop, while at the same time maintaining obligations to retirees.
The Commission also accepted a contribution of $2,000 from Whitetails of Oklahoma for the 2010 Wildlife Expo, slated for Sept. 25-26 at the Lazy E Arena, just north of Oklahoma City. Whitetails of Oklahoma is non-profit organization for whitetail enthusiasts, including among others, those who hunt and raise whitetail deer in Oklahoma.
Whitetails of Oklahoma has given away hunts at the Wildlife Expo in past years and already has secured three deer hunts and a striper fishing trip at Lake Texoma to give away at the 2010 Expo.
The Wildlife Department is working with a range of organizations, individuals and outdoor-related companies to host the Expo — a free event intended to promote and develop appreciation for Oklahoma’s wildlife and natural resources by providing hands-on learning opportunities for all types of outdoor enthusiasts.
Among many other activities, Expo visitors will be able to try firsthand activities such as fishing, shooting sports such as shotguns and archery, kayaking, mountain biking and more. They will have access to seminars on hunting dog training, outdoor cooking, camping, hunting, fishing, birdwatching, and other activities in the outdoors.
The Commission also approved the Department’s fiscal year 2011 annual budget at $42 million.
The Commission elected new officers at the meeting as well, who will begin serving in their positions at the July Commission meeting. Serving as chairman will be District 7’s Mart Tisdal; serving as vice-chairman will be District 3’s Mike Bloodworth; and serving as secretary will be District 1’s M. David Riggs.
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., Tuesday, July 6, at the Wildlife Department’s Outdoor Education and Training Center located at the Arcadia Conservation Education Area (7201 E. 33rd St., Edmond).