Gathered to recognize landowner Toby Thomas (center) for his airboat donation are Wildlife Commissioner Bill Brewster; J.D. Strong, ODWC director; Bill Hale, ODWC chief of law enforcement; and Nathan Erdman, ODWC assistant chief of law enforcement.
Gathered for the ODWC 2017 Landowner Conservationist of the Year Award are Russ Horton, ODWC research supervisor; Chad Hibbs, ranch manager; Bill Dinkines, ODWC assistant chief of wildlife; award winner Walter D. Haskins, Mayes County Deer Ranch; Wade Free, ODWC assistant director; J.D. Strong, ODWC director; and Alan Peoples, ODWC chief of wildlife.
Gathered for a National Wild Turkey Federation Oklahoma chapter donation presentation are Lance Meek, ODWC senior information and education specialist; Becky Evans, NWTF Oklahoma treasurer; Colin Berg, ODWC education supervisor; O.D. Curry, NWTF Oklahoma president; James Aldridge, NWTF Oklahoma past president; J.D. Strong, ODWC director; Wade Free, ODWC assistant director; Don Chitwood, NWTF senior regional director; Bill Dinkines, ODWC assistant chief of wildlife; and T.J. Goodpasture, NWTF regional director.
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A sizable donation from the National Wild Turkey Federation’s Oklahoma chapter was among the highlights of the regular January meeting of the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission on Jan. 4 in Oklahoma City.
NWTF Oklahoma Board President O.D. Curry announced his group’s 2018 funding totals $69,133 in support of nine “on the ground” projects along with the Archery in the Schools and the Scholastic Shooting Sports educational programs. The projects chosen for NWTF funding span the state, and most of the group’s donations can be leveraged to secure matching federal dollars, increasing the impact that each project can have.
“I’m always so happy with the work the Department does with the funding,” Curry said. “And I’m always amazed with what they can do with those funds in the furtherance of our mission.”
Also, Commissioners recognized Walter D. Haskins, owner of the Mayes County Deer Ranch, as the Wildlife Department’s 2017 Landowner Conservationist of the Year.
Department Research Supervisor Russ Horton said since Haskins bought the 500-acre ranch about 12 years ago, some amazing things have happened as a result of the management decisions Haskins has made the work on the ground by ranch manager Chad Hibbs.
Acting with advice from Wildlife Department experts, Haskins has come a long way toward meeting his goals of enhancing wildlife habitat, improving fishing opportunities, sharing outdoor opportunities and quality deer management. He has used techniques including timber thinning, prescribed fire and irrigated food plots to help meet his goals.
Haskins is very active with Boy Scout Troop 1, and offers youths the chance to enjoy various forms of outdoor recreation on his property “to continue to bring new hunters into the fold.”
He is a Level 2 deer steward in the Quality Deer Management Association, and he has taken his ranch’s herd from a buck-to-doe ratio of 1:9 when he bought the property to about 1:1 today. He cited the Wildlife Department’s deer management activities for helping him and others.
“The Department’s program of trying to educate hunters to the let the small bucks grow to be big bucks, that’s what we practice. And it’s really making a big difference in the state,” he said.
In other business, Commissioners:
The Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission is the eight-member governing board of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The 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 Oklahoma Senate.
The next scheduled Commission meeting will begin at 9 a.m. Monday, Feb. 5, 2018, at the Wildlife Department's interim headquarters, 2145 NE 36 St. in Oklahoma City.
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