Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation

Fish, Wildlife Rule Change Proposals Open for Public Comments

Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation sent this bulletin at 10/09/2025 03:10 PM CDT

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Fish, Wildlife Rule Change Proposals Open for Public Comments

In-person Hearing Nov. 6 Among Three Ways to Offer Input

Each year, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation proposes changes in Title 800, the administrative rules that govern hunting, fishing and Wildlife Department operations. This year’s public comment period for proposed rule changes opened Oct. 1 and will close at 7 p.m. Nov. 6, 2025.

Many proposed changes are simple housekeeping matters, while some are more substantial. This year's rule change proposals include:

Limiting waterfowl blinds on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or Bureau of Reclamation areas to daily blinds only (no season-long blinds; already in effect as an emergency rule and now to be made permanent).
Allowing hunters to import intact cervids when going to a taxidermist in good standing with the Secretary of State and that follows proper disposal procedures for carcasses (already in effect as an emergency rule and now to be made permanent).
Requiring nonresidents entering or using ODWC-owned or -managed lands in pursuit of any game bird to possess a valid game bird permit, with the price set at $100 (already in effect as an emergency rule and now to be made permanent).
Requiring nonresidents to indicate their intention to access any wildlife management area for any activities by checking-in to an online system (already in effect as an emergency rule and now to be made permanent).
Establishing rules to dictate when and how a UAV (drone) can lawfully be used in scouting for and recovering downed wildlife.

For a summary agenda, go to wildlifedepartment.com/public-meeting and click on “Rule Change Proposals 2026 Agenda.” To read all of the proposed rule changes in their entirety, go to wildlifedepartment.com/public-meeting and click on the Title 800 chapter links.

Anyone wishing to make comments on any of the proposed rule changes may do so in one of three ways:

Fill out the online public comment form by clicking “Leave Your Comments” at wildlifedepartment.com/public-meeting. The online comment period will close at 7 p.m. Nov. 6, 2025.
Write your comments in a letter and mail to Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Re: Public Comment, P.O. Box 53465, Oklahoma City, OK 73152. Letters must be postmarked by 4:30 p.m. Nov. 7, 2025.
Voice your comments in person during a public hearing beginning at 7 p.m. Nov. 6, 2025, at the John D. Groendyke Wildlife Conservation Building, 1801 N. Lincoln Blvd. in Oklahoma City.

All public comments are collected and reviewed by the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission. Discussion and possible action on these rule changes are planned for the regular December 2025 commission meeting

This season, take advantage of liberal bag limits and open days for antlerless harvest because hunters in the know take a doe! Learn more about the benefits of antlerless harvest.

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