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
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2 1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
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3 SENATE BILL 1073 By: Murdock
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7 AS INTRODUCED
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8 An Act relating to the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation
8 Commission; amending 29 O.S. 2021, Section 5-401,
9 which relates to wildlife seasons; requiring certain
9 administration for mountain lion season; updating
10 statutory language; and providing an effective date.
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13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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14 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 29 O.S. 2021, Section 5-401, is
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15 amended to read as follows:
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16 Section 5-401. A. The Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation
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17 Commission is authorized to declare an open season on wildlife in
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18 any counties or parts of counties of this state where, in the
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19 judgment of the Commission, such wildlife exists in sufficient
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20 quantity to warrant such open season, and such open season shall be
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21 declared by Commission resolution not less than ten (10) days before
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22 the season is opened.
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23 B. The Commission may designate any two (2) consecutive days
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24 after the open season declared for hunting deer to be senior
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Req. No. 358 Page 1
1 citizen's citizens' hunting days. During those two (2) days only
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2 legal residents of Oklahoma who are sixty-four (64) years of age or
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3 older may hunt deer provided the person has a valid license as
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4 otherwise provided by law.
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5 C. The Commission is further authorized to declare an open
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6 season on mountain lions and black bears; provided, that the hunting
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7 of mountain lions shall be administered through a lottery system.
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8 D. Except as provided in subsection E of this section, the
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9 Commission is further authorized to prescribe rules necessary to the
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10 proper conduct and policing of such open season, the amount and kind
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11 of wildlife that may be taken, and the dates and time limits of such
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12 season.
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13 E. Any bowfishing season set for nongame fish by the Commission
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14 for the Upper Illinois River shall include the following:
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15 1. Upstream from the Horseshoe Bend boat ramp to where State
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16 Highway 51 crosses the Illinois River, bowfishing is permitted from
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17 June 1 to March 31; and
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18 2. Upstream from where State Highway 51 crosses the Illinois
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19 River, bowfishing is permitted from December 1 through March 31.
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20 F. The Commission is further authorized to require any person
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21 participating in such open season or hunting in open areas during
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22 open season to procure, under rules prescribed by the Commission, a
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23 special permit or license to participate in such season or hunt in
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24 such areas during open season and to charge residents not to exceed
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1 Twenty Dollars ($20.00), nonresidents not to exceed Seventy-five
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2 Dollars ($75.00) and further providing that Five Dollars ($5.00) of
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3 this fee shall be set aside for compensation to Oklahoma surface
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4 holders participating in the State Acres for Wildlife Program
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5 Enhancement (SAFE) Initiative at a rate to be determined by the
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6 Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission. No exemptions shall be
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7 permitted.
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8 G. Open seasons, closed seasons, bag limits, catch limits,
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9 possession limits and territorial limitations set forth in the
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10 statutes of this state, pertaining to wildlife of every sort, are
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11 hereby declared to be based on the existence of a normal population
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12 of such species of wildlife, compatible with and not damaging to the
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13 proper agricultural use of the lands of the state.
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14 H. Such seasons, catch limits, bag limits, possession limits
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15 and territorial limitations as set by statute shall prevail and be
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16 in full force and effect for each and every species of wildlife to
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17 which they pertain so long as the population or numbers of such
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18 wildlife species remain normal or are not damaging or endangering
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19 crops or proper agricultural use of the lands of the state.
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20 I. The Commission in session, and after having given ten (10)
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21 days' public notice of such meeting being called and the purpose of
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22 such meeting, the species of wildlife to be considered and the
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23 reasons therefor, shall have the right to determine if there does or
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24 does not exist a normal population of the wildlife species under
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1 consideration, which does or does not endanger the crops of the
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2 state or of any certain areas, or the agricultural use of the lands
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3 therein. In the event the consideration is other than statewide,
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4 the Commission shall meet at the most convenient place to the people
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5 of the area in the area being considered. All meetings shall be
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6 open to the public and proper records of those appearing and
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7 testifying shall be made. If the Commission, after hearing and
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8 after investigation, finds that the populations of the wildlife
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9 species under hearing are not normal or that they are not compatible
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10 to the agricultural use of the lands or are damaging or endangering
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11 the farm crops of the area, they shall, by administrative order,
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12 make the necessary changes by either extending, shortening, opening
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13 or closing such seasons, and change such bag limits, catch limits
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14 and possession limits, and regulate methods or devices for taking,
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15 killing or capturing of the wildlife species affected in any area or
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16 areas covered by the notice of meeting and hearing, except as
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17 otherwise set by the Legislature.
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18 J. Such administrative order shall take effect after
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19 publication in at least one newspaper of general state circulation,
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20 or in a newspaper having circulation in the territory affected. A
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21 copy of all such orders shall, before publication, be filed with the
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22 Secretary of State, and such order shall not be construed as
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23 authorizing the Commission to change any penalty for violating any
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1 game law or regulation or change the amount of any license
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2 established by the Legislature.
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3 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.
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5 60-1-358 MR 2/14/2025 10:36:08 AM
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Req. No. 358 Page 5Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.