Lion season in Oklahoma?

No mountain lions in OK? What about the one that was killed by a train a few years ago? Alright, I will admit it wasn't "native" to OK, just one from the Black Hills of SD that decided to play tourist (identified by serial number on tracking collar).

As for the "Mountain Lion Foundation" those people are an example of "Nothing dumber than an educated person when they get off the subject that they are educated in."
 
We have them in the Western Panhandle. One has been hanging around our place and the neighbors the past 2 years. It would be nice if they would go ahead and open the season.
 
I hve been saying theres been big cats in okla all my life,I know 2 people who hit one with truck and one with a car,one guy is my mechanic and he had it processed by a taxidermist and now has it on his front desk.... I accidently called in a few over the years,got eye to eye with a bobcat once, ONCE.....
I hope they offer a season soon,I wanna be in the office pool to take the first one /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
To late....one was taken not to long ago. While there isn't a season on them, this one was causing havoc at a ranch in the panhandle. A rancher had it killed, I am sure it was with the ODWC's permission. It was busy killing his goats. I have seen the pictures and it wasn't huge, but it was a 100+ pound cat.

While admitting that there WAS a lion in Oklahoma, they haven't ruled out the fact that it could have been from New Mexico, Colorado, or just released from being a pet. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
What would qualify as a huntable population of mountain lions.
In OK. 200...500...1500... 2000? i don't know.
I would hope your DNR does..
In vt we have a few sightings every year ("Few" being the operative word) The state says this falls under the s1
category of endangered. Meaning extrication is eminent.
So unless oklahoma is full of treehuggers like california.
Which I doubt....Than I would think there would have to be significant predation and puma/human interaction before the state would even consider a season. Just from the few "I saw
one in 1964" Or my cousins, brothers, uncles, nieces, hairdresser had one cut through her backyard reports..I would say yes you do have a population in ok ..but do you believe it is significant enough to warrant a season ??...
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
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Nah, they are taking the stance of: We will make an open season on them and then when people prove that there are "native" mountian lions, then they will go in and place a proper season on them with dates and limits.
 
Varmonter, there have been increased sightings in Oklahoma over the last 10 years.The predation is not a huge issue yet but that is one reason they are looking at opening a season on them.I have personally seen 2 in the last 2 years and know of a few ranchers that have seen them.Just because people aren't seeing them walking around on a daily basis does not mean we don't have a healthy population of them.I have a few friends that live in other states where there are lots of lions yet they have never personally seen one.
okhunter
 
Quote:
Nah, they are taking the stance of: We will make an open season on them and then when people prove that there are "native" mountain lions, then they will go in and place a proper season on them with dates and limits.



I just can't see this as a viable wildlife management technique.. This would only succeed in making the department appear lazy.
If you do have a sustainable population of cats
than a season "could" be neccesary to help control the population. This is the way the DNR(or whatever your state dpt is called) usually looks at these things.
So unless they have done thier homework and you guys not aware of this research.I would think you may be some time away from a season. I hope i am wrong ..because you sound like you want one.
Here is some reading links
http://easterncougarnet.org/prairiestates.html
There is a blurb towards the bottom about OK.
The conclusion is that OK beleives it has a small resident
population.
Here is some more ...
http://www.mountainlion.org/action_show.asp?action_id=23

albeit it appears this one is funded by treehuggers.
It appears your proposed hunting season is more political
than sound science.
Seems you would want some sound research done before
you would get a season. Why kill off what might be your
start/seed to a viable population. At least maybe a
permit lottery type season for a limited harvest
instead of the proposed open season on them.
Sportsman have always been some of the best conservationists .


/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
Well Varmonter, you are right. It was the legislature that passed the season. The ODWC does not receive any funding from the legislature and therefor doesn't have to listen to it. There is pressure on this issue, but the ODWC still believes that there are no "native" cougars in Oklahoma. They don't believe the cougars are here, so why bother with the research?
 
I think North Dakota had a good idea with their limited season for scientific study. They started it last year. The season has a limit of five cats and it has closed already. This year one was an illegal kill /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif and two were shot while the guys were bird hunting with bird shot, /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif they were that close. Clean kills with shot.
Maybe OK could do the same. It is cheaper than having to hire Scientists to study them.
 
I have went to the Ok Wildlife Expo the last two years and they have had an OK map up for people to put stick pins in if you have seen a Lion They had to or three diffrent colors (the whole map was covered)of pins. There was only one that was Red I asked the rangers at the booth what the red one was and they told me it is the only confirmed sighting in Ok which was the one hit by the train up by Redrock OK a few years ago They were basically makeing fun of all the people who were putting pins in the board that said they sighted a Lion. So I don't think they believe there is a population of Lions in OK.

LS
 
OK since I can`t seem to get a answer from ODW,lets just say for arguments sake, How much trouble would ONE get into here in okla IF one was taken?
 
I know Todd Craighead on a personal level! Anyone from Oklahoma knows who Todd Craighead is. I will contact him and see what he says about it!
 
OK folks,

I spoke with Todd Craighead moments ago!

I asked him about this issue. He said that there will be an open season next year! But you can only shoot them if there is a reason!

River Otters season will be Jan and Feb

In two years we will have a control hunt for BLack bears!

Todd is the Host of Outdoor Oklahoma TV show and there is a special concerning these issues!

He gives you contact info to go to meetings and vote.

Hope this helps!
 
Quote:

Todd is the Host of Outdoor Oklahoma TV show and there is a special concerning these issues!

He gives you contact info to go to meetings and vote.





I forgot to tell you this airs This Sunday!
 
Found this on the Oklahome Wildlife site!

· 800:25-7-60. Dates and legal furbearers

-Add river otter to legal furbearers, December 1 – January 31.

· 800:25-7-61. Bag limits

-Season bag limit: 2 per licensee, no daily limit.

· 800:25-7-62. Open areas

-River otter may be taken in Adair, Atoka, Cherokee, Choctaw, Coal, Haskell, Latimer, LeFlore, McCurtain, McIntosh, Muskogee, Pittsburg, Pushmataha and Sequoyah counties.

· 800:25-7-63. License requirements and fees

-A special Bobcat-Raccoon-River Otter- Gray/Red Fox license (unless exempt) is required for all who take these species by any means.

· 800:25-7-64. General provisions for furbearers

-Include River Otter under same tagging requirements as bobcat and remove river otters from the list of species which is illegal to have in possession.

Remove river otter from the list of protected furbearers and allow an opportunity for limited harvest.



18.

· 800:25-7-60. Dates and legal furbearers

· 800:25-7-64. General provisions for furbearers

· 800:25-19-6. Species listing

(a) Remove mountain lion from the list of species which is illegal to have in possession and adds them to list of species which can be taken year-round when committing or about to commit depredation or when the presence of which may constitute a health hazard or nuisance. Also removes them from Category II species of special concern list. A mandatory check of all mountain lions harvested is required.

(b) Remove river otters from Category II species of special concern list.





Here is a Link for all info!

http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/2007_public_hearing_locations.htm
 
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