OKC weekend hunting news:
The most popular of all the Okla. hunting seasons in the state, the 16-day
Deer gun season, opens Saturday statewide.
A state big game biologist states “It is like Thanksgiving and football. That
Is what part of fall is, getting out there for a deer hunt with a rifle.”
If past history is any indication, more than 150,000 hunters will be
In the woods Saturday for the deer gun season opener.
Not only is deer hunting an annual tradition for many Okla. Families,
It is also significant to the Okla. economy as gas stations, convenience
Stores, sporting goods outlets and meat processors rely on the money
Spent by deer hunters per year.
One economic study indicates that Okla. deer hunters spend $130
Million annually.
Based on the number of deer taken by hunters during the archery
And muzzleloader seasons, Okla.’s deer harvest is on pace to reach around
100,000 again.
Okla. hunters killed more than 100,000 deer for the first time in 2000
And since then, hunters have reached near that mark or exceeded it
11 times in the past 17 years.
Last year’s grand total was 99,023 and the 13-year average is 103,000.
The Okla. Dept. of Wildlife Conservation has been pushing the importance
Of letting young bucks walk to increase the opportunities for a trophy
Deer in the future.
More Oklahoma hunters are now willing to practice what deer biologists
Have been saying.
A/w the Wildlife Dept.’s research, 65% of the deer killed by Okla. hunters
In 1985 were yearlings and over the years that no. has dramatically
Decreased.
Yearlings represented 46% of the deer harvest in 2000 and just 23% in
2010. Last year, only 17% of the deer killed were yearlings and last season
The majority of bucks harvested were 2.5 and 3.5 years old.
10 percent of bucks harvested last season were 6.5 years old and in 2010
Bucks that old only represented 3% of the harvest. In 2000, 6.5 year old
Bucks represented just 1% of the harvest.
A spokesman for the Wildlife Dept. states that “It is really a testament
To our hunters. They are actually the deer managers. They are the
Boots on the ground and making a decision every single time they pull
That trigger or choose not to pull that trigger.”
Exposing the Big Game 
Reblogged this on The Extinction Chronicles.
Disgusting. Deers dont need management. If they werent anihilating all predators deers would be in check. Not to mention the harvesting deers for promoting the fun to kill them is disgustingly ignorant behaviour. But Oklahoma is not known for the highest IQ’s anuway
It’s interesting that Oklahoma hunters are able to restrain themselves while looking at a living, breathing, warm-blooded animal in their sight reticles, but the article fails to mention what impact that extra moment taken to assess the age of the target has on hunting accidents. Certainly, Oklahoma hunters have in the past given us a multitude of opportunities to send our thoughts & prayers; are we now to be denied this moment of reflection with our gods? I prey not.
That gives a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘prey to god.’