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Oklahoma Hunting and Fishing License Changes Coming
After 20 years of seeing no notable changes, hunters and fishermen will have to make adjustments to what is being referred to as a streamiling of Oklahoma’s fishing and hunting licenses.
On March 26 Governor Kevin Stitt signed the Oklahoma Wildlife License Modernization Act into law after it passed the state House of Representatives and Senate.
“As an avid outdoorsman and a lifetime hunting and fishing license holder, I’m proud to sign the Wildlife License Modernization Act,” Stitt said. “We’re going to be top 10 in everything and give Oklahoma hunters a streamlined licensing system. This bill gets the government out of the way by combining multiple licenses, cutting red tape, and modernizing the process.
The plan simplifies the structure of the licenses by merging over 50 different licenses into 15. It will also simplify the youth license by offering a “Super Youth” license which will replace the need for youth to purchase 15 various types of permits.
The measure will provide funding for the Wildlife Conservation Department by adjusting the license cost to more regional averages and will simplify the hunting and fishing licenses.
“One of the barriers to people when they go hunting and fishing is they don’t know which license to buy, so when they see this huge menu, it’s a little bit intimidating. In the past, you’d have to buy all your licenses A la’ cart. You’d have to buy a turkey license, a duck license, and a deer license,” said Micah Holmes with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
While there will be opportunities for sportsmen to pay less, overall restructuring will cost them more. Take the Lifetime License which will increase from $700 to $1,000.
The added revenue from the restructuring is expected to help better fund and improve Oklahoma fish and wildlife conservation.
“We expect this could bring in up to 10 million dollars,” Holmes said.
Oklahoma residents can expect the act to go into effect on July 1.
Some highlights in the act:
- Consolidates more than 50 current hunting and fishing licenses into 15.
- Defines all “youth” as anyone under 18, whether nonresident or resident.
- Creates a single “youth super license” that will take the place of about 15 different types of youth hunting licenses.
- Provides resident deer hunters with one license for all deer they are allowed to harvest in a season, which previously was only offered to non-residents.
- Increases hunting and waterfowl licenses for nonresidents in Oklahoma.
- Adding the black bear hunting license to the privileges given to those with lifetime hunting and lifetime combination licenses.
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