Title 29, Title 29 — Game and Fish

This act shall be known and may be cited as the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Code, and is hereinafter referred to as "this Code." Laws 1974, c. 17, § 1-101, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974.

The Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact is hereby enacted into law and entered into with all jurisdictions legally joining therein, in the form substantially as follows: ARTICLE 1. FINDINGS, DECLARATION OF POLICY, AND PURPOSE A. The participating states find that the following p…

Violator Compact. A. The Department of Wildlife Conservation shall enforce the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact as set forth in Section 1 of this act and shall do all things within the jurisdiction of the Department that are appropriate in order to effectuate the purposes and…

Notice - Penalties. A. When the Department of Wildlife Conservation receives notice of the suspension of the hunting, trapping, or fishing privileges of a person by a participating issuing state as set forth in the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, the Department shall determ…

– Notice - Penalties. A. The Department of Wildlife Conservation may suspend the hunting, trapping, or fishing privileges of any resident of this state upon notification from the licensing authority of a participating state as set forth in the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact…

A. Upon suspending the hunting, trapping, or fishing privileges of any person under Section 3 or Section 4 of this act, the Department of Wildlife Conservation shall immediately notify the person in writing. The person may, within twenty (20) days of the notice, request a hearing…

Penalties. A. It shall be unlawful for any person to fish in any waters of this state by: 1. Leaving visibly unattended for a period of more than six (6) hours any mechanical fishing device which automatically recoils when a fish strikes, including, but not limited to, the device…

The following words and phrases when used in this Code shall, for the purposes of this Code, have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this article, except where the context otherwise requires. Laws 1974, c. 17, § 2-101, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974.

"Animal" means an organism of the animal kingdom, as distinguished from the plant kingdom; including any part, product, egg, or offspring thereof, or the dead body parts thereof, excluding fossils. Laws 1991, c. 182, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1991.

"Bag limit" is the number of any kind of wildlife permitted to be taken in any one day or one open season, as the case may be. Laws 1974, c. 17, § 2-102, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974; Laws 1975, c. 48, § 1.

"Buy" is to obtain an item by an exchange for consideration, and includes barter, offer to buy or the act of buying. Laws 1974, c. 17, § 2-103, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974.

"Closed season" is all other times than open season, and is the period during which protected wildlife may not be lawfully taken. Laws 1974, c. 17, § 2-104, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974.

"Commercial purposes" shall mean to manage on a business basis or engage in any transaction or exchange for consideration, including barter, the offer to sell or possession with intent to sell for profit, or monetary gain. Laws 1991, c. 182, § 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1991.

"Commission" is that body created and authorized by Article XXVI of the Oklahoma Constitution and refers to the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission. Laws 1974, c. 17, § 2-105, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974.

"Commissioner" is an individual who is a member of the "Commission." Laws 1974, c. 17, § 2-106, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974.

"Day" is a period of time consisting of twenty-four (24) hours from midnight to midnight. Laws 1991, c. 182, § 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1991.

“Computer-assisted remote control hunting” means the use of a computer or any other device, equipment, or software to remotely control the hunting, taking, or attempt to take wildlife. Added by Laws 2008, c. 104, § 2, emerg. eff. May 2, 2008.

"Department" is that agency created and authorized by Article XXVI of the Oklahoma Constitution, which has charge of managing Oklahoma's wildlife and refers to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. Laws 1974, c. 17, § 2-107, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974.

"Director" is that official heading the "Department" and refers to the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Director, under Article XXVI of the Oklahoma Constitution. Laws 1974, c. 17, § 2-108, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974.

"Domesticated animal" means an animal kept for pleasure or for utility, that has adapted to life in association with and to the use of human beings, and shall not include animals which normally can be found in the wild state, unless specifically so designated by the Oklahoma Wild…

"Endangered" refers to any wildlife species or subspecies in the wild or in captivity whose prospects of survival and reproduction are in immediate jeopardy and includes those species listed as endangered by the federal government, as well as any species or subspecies identified …

"Exotic wildlife" includes any and all species of wildlife that are not indigenous to, or that may not be found in the wild in, the continental United States. Laws 1991, c. 182, § 5, eff. Sept. 1, 1991; Laws 1993, c. 214, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.

"Exotic livestock" means commercially raised animals of the families bovidae, cervidae, anticopridae and ratites, and animals of the order Galliformes. Added by Laws 1996, c. 7, § 3, emerg. eff. March 19, 1996.

“Exhibit” means to display a wild animal to members of the general public for any reason. Added by Laws 2003, c. 188, § 1, eff. July 1, 2003.

"Fishing" is defined as the taking or attempting to take fish or other aquatic dwelling organisms by hook and line, seine, trap or such other means as may be designated as legal by the provisions of this Code or by the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission. Laws 1974, c. 17, …

"Furbearer" is any animal whose fur or pelt has commercial value and includes specifically: beaver, badger, bobcat, fox, mink, muskrat, opossum, otter, raccoon, skunk and weasel. Laws 1974, c. 17, § 2-111, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974; Laws 1977, c. 171, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 1977.

"Gallinaceous game bird" means a heavy-bodied, short, broad winged, fowl-like bird commonly sought after by sportsmen and includes pheasant, prairie chicken, quail and turkey. Laws 1974, c. 17, § 2-112, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974.

"Game," when used alone, refers to mammals and birds and does not include fish. Laws 1974, c. 17, § 2-113, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974.

"Game bird" is a bird species normally sought after by sportsmen, and includes only all species of brant, cranes, doves, ducks, gallinules, geese, grouse, partridge, pheasant, quail, prairie chickens, rails, snipes, swans, tinamous, wild turkeys, woodcock, and any part thereof. L…

“Game fish” is a fish normally sought after by sportsmen, and includes only largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, white bass, spotted bass, black crappie, white crappie, northern pike, trout, sauger, saugeye, striped bass, hybrid striped bass, walleye, blue catfish and channel catfis…

"Game mammal" is any mammalian species normally sought after by sportsmen and protected by this Code, or any part of such animal. Laws 1974, c. 17, § 2-116, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974.

"Game warden" is a duly authorized employee of the Department whose primary duties are the enforcement of the wildlife conservation laws of Oklahoma. Whenever the word "ranger" appears in this title it shall have the same meaning as "game warden". Laws 1991, c. 182, § 7, eff. Sep…

"Headlighting" is the use of any light or light enhancement device commonly known as a nightscope in conjunction with a firearm, longbow or crossbow, from the period of sunset to sunrise for the taking of wildlife. Added by Laws 1974, c. 17, § 2-117, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974. Am…

"Hunting or taking" is pursuing, killing, capturing, trapping, snaring and netting wildlife, and all lesser acts such as disturbing, harrying, worrying or placing, setting, drawing or using any net, trap or other device used to take wildlife and includes specifically every attemp…

Occupied by a person as a place of settled residence. Laws 1974, c. 17, § 2-119, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974.

"Lease" is a contractual relationship by which one party obtains a right to the possession and usage of a certain space, property, or subsurface rights for a definite period of time. In the event a person is permitted to come upon the land to perform some specific act, such as hu…

"Minnows" are small nongame fish commonly used for bait and include bluntnose, bullhead minnows, chubs, dace, darters, fatheads, killifish, small carp, small goldfish, shiners and stonerollers. Laws 1974, c. 17, § 2-121, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974.

"Night" or "nighttime" means a period of time between sunset and sunrise. Laws 1991, c. 182, § 8, eff. Sept. 1, 1991.

"Native wildlife" means any and all species of wildlife that are indigenous to, or that may be found in the wild in, the United States. Laws 1991, c. 182, § 9, eff. Sept. 1, 1991; Laws 1993, c. 214, § 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.

"Nongame birds" are all birds not game birds. Laws 1974, c. 17, § 2-122, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974.

"Nongame fish" are all fish not game fish. Laws 1974, c. 17, § 2-123, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974.

A "nonresident" is any individual who is a resident of another state, or who has resided in Oklahoma less than sixty (60) days, whether or not he intends to make Oklahoma his home during that period. Laws 1974, c. 17, § 2-124, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974.

"Noodling" is the taking of fish by use of hands only. Laws 1974, c. 17, § 2-125, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974.

"Open season" is that season during which protected wildlife may be lawfully taken and, in absence of statutes, is regulated by the Commission. Laws 1974, c. 17, § 2-126, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974.

"Other powerful light" is any illuminating source or light enhancement device designed to be carried on one's person, including, but not limited to, flashlights, floodlights (spotlights), hand lanterns, carbide lamps, nightscopes, and/or similar lights carried on one's person and…

"Person" is an individual, firm, corporation, association or partnership and includes agent, employee and principal. Laws 1974, c. 17, § 2-128, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974.

"Possession" is the retention and control of the thing referred to and may be either actual or constructive possession. Laws 1974, c. 17, § 2-129, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974.

"Predator" is any mammal or bird which preys upon another mammal or bird for food. Laws 1974, c. 17, § 2-130, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974.

"Predatory bird" is any bird which preys upon another bird or mammal for food, and includes specifically all eagles, falcons, hawks and owls. Laws 1974, c. 17, § 2-131, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974.

"Predatory mammal" is any mammal which preys upon another mammal or bird for food, and includes only coyote and wolf. Laws 1974, c. 17, § 2-132, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974; Laws 1977, c. 171, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 1977.