Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Oklahoma Legislature, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2 1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
3 HOUSE BILL 1668 By: Cantrell
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6 AS INTRODUCED
7 An Act relating to the Oklahoma Farmed Cervidae Act;
defining certain term; prohibiting certain wildlife
8 propagation and holding; requiring certain licensing
by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and
9 Forestry; requiring certain proof submission;
authorizing certain inspection authority;
10 establishing certain license fee; providing certain
expiration guidelines; authorizing certain rule
11 promulgation authority; amending 29 O.S. 2021,
Section 4-106, which relates to licenses; modifying
12 certain license descriptions; removing certain
inspection authority; removing certain license fees;
13 modifying certain rule promulgation authority;
providing for codification; and declaring an
14 emergency.
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17 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
18 SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
19 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 6-517 of Title 2, unless there
20 is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
21 A. For purposes of this section, "commercial harvesting
22 facility" means a privately or publicly owned premises managed or
23 engaged on a business basis for the harvesting or hunting of legally
24 acquired and privately owned cervidae, to include whitetail deer,
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1 mule deer or elk, cervidae hybrids, turkey, exotic species, and
2 exotic hybrid species for barter, the offer to sell, or for the
3 possession with intent to sell for profit or monetary gain.
4 B. No person may propagate or hold in captivity any wildlife
5 belonging to the state. A commercial harvesting license shall be
6 issued by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry
7 to a commercial harvesting facility that applies for the commercial
8 harvesting license if that commercial harvesting facility complies
9 with all applicable laws and rules governing the harvesting of
10 legally acquired cervidae, to include whitetail deer, mule deer and
11 elk, cervidae hybrids, turkey, exotic species, and exotic hybrid
12 species harvested in a commercial harvesting facility.
13 C. Before obtaining a commercial harvesting facility license or
14 renewal, the applicant shall submit proof that any additional
15 animals have been secured from a source other than wild stock of
16 this state.
17 D. The Secretary of Agriculture, State Veterinarian, or their
18 designees shall have the authority to inspect a commercial
19 harvesting facility and its operations at any time if there is
20 probable cause that a violation has occurred. All other inspections
21 shall require prior notice as determined in the rule promulgation by
22 the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.
23 E. The annual fee for a commercial harvesting facility license
24 shall be Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00).
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1 F. All licenses issued pursuant to this section shall expire
2 August 31 of each year and shall replace those issued previously
3 pursuant to Section 4-106 of Title 29 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
4 G. The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry
5 shall promulgate rules as necessary pursuant to the commercial
6 harvesting license outlined in this section.
7 SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 29 O.S. 2021, Section 4-106, is
8 amended to read as follows:
9 Section 4-106. A. No person may propagate or hold in captivity
10 any wildlife or domesticated animals hunted for sport for commercial
11 hunting area purposes without having procured a an upland game
12 license from the Director Secretary of the Department of Wildlife
13 Conservation or a commercial harvesting license from the Director of
14 the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. Licenses shall be
15 classified as big game, upland game, or a combination of big game
16 and upland game.
17 1. A big game commercial harvesting license, as created in
18 Section 1 of this act, shall be required for legally acquired exotic
19 ungulates, domesticated animals so designated by the Oklahoma
20 Wildlife Conservation Commission, exotic swine, and legally acquired
21 whitetail and mule deer, turkey and other species of big game
22 lawfully taken under the provisions of subsection A of Section 5-411
23 and Section 5-401 of this title. Wildlife that has been crossbred
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1 with exotic wildlife shall be considered native and not exotic
2 unless documentation shows otherwise.
3 2. An upland game license shall be required for legally
4 acquired captive-raised pheasants, all species of quail, Indian
5 chukars, water fowl, and other similar or suitable gallinaceous
6 birds; and shall include turkey if no other big game species are
7 listed on the license/application.
8 B. Before obtaining a license or a renewal of a license, the
9 applicant shall submit proof that such wildlife or domesticated
10 animals hunted for sport will be or have been secured from a source
11 other than the wild stock in this state. Any person obtaining or
12 renewing a license shall submit a true and complete inventory of
13 said animals before a license shall be approved. Each license shall
14 specifically list the different species and/or subspecies to be
15 hunted on the listed hunting area or premises.
16 C. Any game warden of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife
17 Conservation shall have authority to inspect any and all records and
18 invoices pertaining to the commercial hunting operations of any
19 person licensed or requesting licensure pursuant to this section and
20 additionally shall have the authority to inspect any and all
21 facilities, equipment and property connected to the hunting
22 operation of any person licensed or requesting licensure pursuant to
23 this section.
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1 D. 1. The annual fee for a commercial hunting area license for
2 upland game under this section shall be One Hundred Dollars
3 ($100.00).
4 2. The annual fee for a commercial hunting area license for:
5 a. big game pursuant to this section shall be Two Hundred
6 Fifty Dollars ($250.00), or
7 b. a combination of big game and upland game pursuant to
8 this section shall be Three Hundred Fifty Dollars
9 ($350.00).
10 E. All licenses issued pursuant to this section shall expire on
11 June 30 August 1 of each year.
12 F. D. Exemptions from this license requirement shall be
13 operators of running pens used for the performance test or training
14 of dogs. Operators of such running pens may acquire coyotes from
15 wild stock without having to possess a fur dealer's license for such
16 purpose and no license shall be required of those involved in
17 performance testing or training dogs in such running pens so long as
18 no other wildlife are taken or hunted in any manner.
19 G. E. Any person convicted of violating the provisions of this
20 section shall be punished by a fine of not less than Five Hundred
21 Dollars ($500.00) nor more than One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars
22 ($1,500.00), or by imprisonment in the county jail not to exceed
23 sixty (60) days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
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1 H. F. Any person convicted of violating the provisions of this
2 section shall have the commercial hunting area license revoked. No
3 new license shall be issued for a period of six (6) months from and
4 after the date on which the revocation order becomes effective.
5 I. G. The Department is authorized to promulgate rules
6 pertaining to commercial hunting areas this section.
7 SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
8 of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
9 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
10 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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12 60-1-11549 JL 01/15/25
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Req. No. 11549 Page 6Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.