Turkey hunting forum for turkey hunting tips

https://www.outdoorlife.com/conservation/oklahoma-permission-hunt-public-land/?fbclid=IwY2xjawJ5RFFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHpgRxArZKbxVfbwmOC8lWcBRF9f7B4SYmAFRxLK1C5eMvY2J9K_bjfz5lUy6_aem_3cHw21NX0ynrcn5nW-zJKw

Signed by Gov. Kevin Stitt into law on Wednesday, Senate Bill 448 creates a lottery-style permit system for nonresident hunters who want to hunt Oklahoma's Wildlife Management Areas, or WMAs, and National Wildlife Refuges in the state. Nonresident hunters will have to obtain written authorization from the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission.

If demand outpaces the number of hunters these areas can support, a lottery will determine access. On top of regular license costs, successful applicants will also pay a permit fee of up to $100. It's not clear how many nonresidents will be allowed to hunt a given property before the lottery kicks in.

Anyone have anymore info on this?

It wasn't anti hunters that came for our hunting privileges....... It was our own. Newtons 3rd law applies. Loose lips sink ships.  :TrainWreck1:

Watch reciprocity start to snowball across the country.  The ship has sunk.  Time to accept it and live with it.

Reciprocity will never happen. It's too complicated to regulate....Wish it would though. We just need to take our screwing with a smile....right

Lots of bluster with no viable solution is worthless.  Whether one smiles or frowns has no consequence.  It is what it is.

Quote from: arkrem870 on April 27, 2025, 07:13:53 PMIt wasn't anti hunters that came for our hunting privileges....... It was our own. Newtons 3rd law applies. Loose lips sink ships.  :TrainWreck1:

I remember when turkey hunting was a bit of a  fraternity. No secrets shared for free. You had to earn it. That all changed overnight when some greedy, selfish folks chose to give everything away for free at once.

Been turkey hunting public land for 28 years. Hard to enjoy it anymore. Its going to get worse before it gets better, if it ever does.

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Getting older, I mostly do outfitted hunts out of state now.  Easier to get on birds and hopefully will allow me to miss some of these new regs. Sad to see, but with so many traveling hunters this won't end with OK.

Quote from: Tail Feathers on April 27, 2025, 08:54:58 PMGetting older, I mostly do outfitted hunts out of state now.  Easier to get on birds and hopefully will allow me to miss some of these new regs. Sad to see, but with so many traveling hunters this won't end with OK.

My wife an I discuss this option more seriously every year. Havent done it yet, but i fear it will be the only option before long. Sure is hard to replicate the feeling when you kill a bird in the timber on public land from scratch! But that feeling is fleeting.

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I live in Maryland which is a small state to begin with.  Our season usually starts two weeks before Pennsylvania does.  The ratio of PA tags to MD tag trucks parked on public during this time before PA opens is easily 3 to 1.  For instance this year our opening day hit on Good Friday. My neighbor who works for or DNR counted 47 trucks parked in the parking lot and a long the road of a public piece that is approximately 800 acres.  It's actually becoming dangerous in some spots.  I was hoping the "fad" of turkey hunting during Covid would have fizzled our by now but from im seeing it definitely has not.

Good for Oklahoma i hope they do charge $100 nonresident public land fee. I'm sure the funds will get put to good use.

Ya'll be sure to like and subscribe! Any bets on what state will be next?

I like a state putting their own people and resources first.

Quote from: Penguin907 on April 28, 2025, 07:35:46 AMI like a state putting their own people and resources first.

Within reason.  Always have a problem when NATIONAL land involved.  Saying "they've always done it out west" a flimsy excuse.  It's either national or it's not. MS cutting non-resident's out of National Forest for the first two weeks of a six week season is BS especially when leaving in place a three bird limit. Resident appeasement at it's finest.  They did nail THP so all's good there.  Lol

I spoke with a warden last at a very popular western Oklahoma WMA. He mentioned they counted 329 trucks parked throughout the area on opening day
329 trucks.
Bear in mind that wildlife is supposed to be the property of the residents within that state.

I live in TX but own a place in the NW Oklahoma and am on a private lease in SE Oklahoma, so the newest regs don't affect me.  In my opinion, Oklahoma has become very unfriendly to out of staters, because this price increase on public land is just the latest money grab.  Last year, they jacked up all licenses but especially for non residents.  I used to be able to hunt and fish my place for about $1000/year, but with the increase last year, it will be closer to $2k.

A few years ago, Oklahoma moved their turkey season back ten days from April 6th to April 16th and went to one bird.  No more birds than I see, the one bird limit really doesn't bother me, but I killed my first eastern on the SE OK lease on opening day a couple weeks and would've liked to try to kill a Rio at my place this year too.  It is what it is though.

Quote from: The Lung on April 28, 2025, 10:00:20 AMI spoke with a warden last at a very popular western Oklahoma WMA. He mentioned they counted 329 trucks parked throughout the area on opening day
329 trucks.
Bear in mind that wildlife is supposed to be the property of the residents within that state.

That area screams for quota hunts. 

Bear in mind it's only going to take one federal judge ruling on "property of the residents" to take this into a turmoil when National Forest et al are involved if this continues at it's current pace.  IMO states like MS have shot themselves in the foot.  We'll see.

Quote from: joey46 on April 28, 2025, 11:24:37 AM

Quote from: The Lung on April 28, 2025, 10:00:20 AMI spoke with a warden last at a very popular western Oklahoma WMA. He mentioned they counted 329 trucks parked throughout the area on opening day
329 trucks.
Bear in mind that wildlife is supposed to be the property of the residents within that state.

That area screams for quota hunts. 

Bear in mind it's only going to take one federal judge ruling on "property of the residents" to take this into a turmoil when National Forest et al are involved if this continues at it's current pace.  IMO states like MS have shot themselves in the foot.  We'll see.

Simple solution to your argument would just to be make MS draw for all non residents. Done. Be careful what you wish for.

Well I honestly don't know what to say.  As an okie I see both sides but I don't think it's the solution that I would choose.

Quote from: Gooserbat on April 28, 2025, 03:00:17 PMWell I honestly don't know what to say.  As an okie I see both sides but I don't think it's the solution that I would choose.

I get it. You somewhat support it because it'll improve your hunting in short run. But in the long run you'll lose. Everybody will lose this game in the long run if we aren't careful. Very short sighted thinking by many.....thats what got us here in the first place

A simpler solution would be to make these NATIONAL properties all quota for both resident and non-resident hunters.  Done now, and has been for years, in the Land Between the Lakes area in KY and TN.  They have two quota hunts at the start of every turkey season and residents of KY and TN get no preference in the draws.  As it should be since this 160,000 acres is a NATIONAL RECREATION AREA.

Quote from: deerhunt1988 on April 28, 2025, 12:38:47 PM

Quote from: joey46 on April 28, 2025, 11:24:37 AM

Quote from: The Lung on April 28, 2025, 10:00:20 AMI spoke with a warden last at a very popular western Oklahoma WMA. He mentioned they counted 329 trucks parked throughout the area on opening day
329 trucks.
Bear in mind that wildlife is supposed to be the property of the residents within that state.

That area screams for quota hunts. 

Bear in mind it's only going to take one federal judge ruling on "property of the residents" to take this into a turmoil when National Forest et al are involved if this continues at it's current pace.  IMO states like MS have shot themselves in the foot.  We'll see.

Simple solution to your argument would just to be make MS draw for all non residents. Done. Be careful what you wish for.

Please look at the bigger picture. Y'all are pioneering this movement. And it's not good for hunters. We need to stop this ball from rolling across the entire country. I've been screaming about YouTubers/influencers etc since day 1. I saw it happen to our duck hunting in Arkansas years before turkey hunting followed suit. And it's the catalyst for our current situation. That said we must not continue to cheer for restrictions.

Quote from: arkrem870 on April 28, 2025, 04:16:14 PM

Quote from: Gooserbat on April 28, 2025, 03:00:17 PMWell I honestly don't know what to say.  As an okie I see both sides but I don't think it's the solution that I would choose.

I get it. You somewhat support it because it'll improve your hunting in short run. But in the long run you'll lose. Everybody will lose this game in the long run if we aren't careful. Very short sighted thinking by many.....thats what got us here in the first place

I bet the Vast majority of turkey hunters benefit from the state restrictions

Even though traveling around is popular today, I bet it's still the vast minority of hunters

So, MOST won't realize it's a loss


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Quote from: joey46 on April 28, 2025, 04:16:29 PMA simpler solution would be to make these NATIONAL properties all quota for both resident and non-resident hunters.  Done now, and has been for years, in the Land Between the Lakes area in KY and TN.  They have two quota hunts at the start of every turkey season and residents of KY and TN get no preference in the draws.  As it should be since this 160,000 acres is a NATIONAL RECREATION AREA.

You are percent correct on this.  Federal land, in a any state should be fair for everyone to use. NOT just residents of that state. 

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Quote from: BullTom on April 27, 2025, 08:06:55 PM

Quote from: arkrem870 on April 27, 2025, 07:13:53 PMIt wasn't anti hunters that came for our hunting privileges....... It was our own. Newtons 3rd law applies. Loose lips sink ships.  :TrainWreck1:

I remember when turkey hunting was a bit of a  fraternity. No secrets shared for free. You had to earn it. That all changed overnight when some greedy, selfish folks chose to give everything away for free at once.

Been turkey hunting public land for 28 years. Hard to enjoy it anymore. Its going to get worse before it gets better, if it ever does.

Could not agree more.   This post nails it.

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Saw elsewhere online some non-resident OK landowners that currently have land enrolled in OLAP will be removing them from the program as a response to this. Will be a loss for everyone, no matter what your license plate says.

You reap what you sow.  Knee Jerk resident appeasement at it's finest.

Kansas attempted to do something similar with non resident waterfowl hunting on public lands. It passed the house and senate but was vetoed by the governor.