Proposed Changes to Fish, Wildlife Rules Open for Public Comments

Each year, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation proposes changes in Title 800, the administrative rules that govern hunting, fishing and Wildlife Department operations. The public comment period for this year's proposed rule changes opened Monday, Dec. 2, and will close at 4:30 p.m. Jan. 3, 2020.

Many proposed changes are simple housekeeping matters, while some are more substantial. Some of this year's rule change proposals include:

*Increasing the deer gun hunting season by adding seven days to the end of the current season.

*Opening all of Osage County to pheasant hunting.

*Establishing restrictions on importing cervid carcasses or carcass parts to help prevent potential chronic wasting disease infectious materials from coming into Oklahoma from out of state.

*Expanding the Lower Mountain Fork River Trout Area boundaries and revising trout size limits, bag limits and tackle restrictions.

*Removing the minimum length limit for blue and channel catfish at Lake Texoma.

To read all of the proposed rule changes, go to http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/public-meeting.

Anyone wanting to make comments on any of the proposed changes may do so in one of three ways:

Fill out the online public comment form at http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/public-meeting. The online public comment period closes at 4:30 p.m. Jan. 3.

Write your comments in a letter and mail to Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Re: Public Comment, P.O. Box 53465, Oklahoma City OK 73152. Letters must be postmarked by Jan. 3.

Voice your comments in person during one of two public hearings beginning at 7 p.m. Jan. 2. Hearings are scheduled at Wildlife Department headquarters, 1801 N. Lincoln Blvd. in Oklahoma City, and at Broken Bow Public Library, 404 N. Broadway in Broken Bow.

All public comments are collected and reviewed by the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission. Commissioners are expected to consider the proposed changes at their regular February meeting.

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