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ENGROSSED SENATE
BILL NO. 910 By: Stephens and Bullard of the
Senate
and
Burns of the House
An Act relating to wildlife; authorizing velvet buck
season; setting season and bag limit; specifying
means of take; providing for permit, stamp, or
license; applying velvet bucks harvest to deer bag
limits; directing the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation
Commission to promulgate rules; authorizing
cancelation for certain conditions; prohibiting
certain refunds of fees; requiring valid license,
permit, or stamp; providing for enforcement of laws
and rules; setting licenses, permits , or stamps by
rule; requiring season to be based on normal deer
populations; and providing for codification .
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 5-414.1 of Title 29, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. Pursuant to Section 5-401 of Title 29 of the Oklahoma
Statutes, the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission is
authorized to declare an open season to hunt and harvest velvet
bucks during the time beginning on the Saturday morning prior to the
last weekend of August to the Sunday evening of the last weekend of
August for a total of nine (9) days in those counties or parts of
counties of this state where, in the judgment of the Commiss ion, the
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population of deer exist in sufficient quantity and health to
warrant an open season. An open season to hunt and harvest velvet
bucks shall be declared by a Commission resolution not less than ten
(10) days before the seas on is opened and be restricted to a limit
of one (1) velvet buck per hunt during the season.
B. The Commission shall authorize archery as the sole method
for shooting, hunting, killing, wounding, taking, or attempting to
shoot, hunt, kill, wound, or take any velvet buck during a declared
open season.
C. During a declared open season legal residents of Oklahoma
and non-residents may hunt velvet bucks provided the person has a
valid deer license, velvet buck permit, or stamp as otherwise
provided by law in this state. All velvet bucks shot, killed,
wounded, taken, and harvested shall count against the licensee’s
annual bag limit for deer in this state.
D. The Commission is authorized to prescribe rules necessary
for the proper conduct and policing of a declared open season for
the hunting and harvestin g of velvet bucks, the velvet antler size,
and the kind of bucks that may be taken. The Commission shall be
authorized to cancel a declared velvet buck open season for any
reason deemed appropriate including, but not limited to, disease,
weather, deer population, and herd health. Any cancelation of a
declared velvet buck open season shall prohibit the Commission from
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refunding or crediting any fees paid for a velvet buck permit,
stamp, or license.
E. All laws and rules pertaining to velvet bucks in this state
shall be enforceable by the Department of Wildlife Conservation and
its agents. The Commission shall set velvet buck licenses, permits,
and/or stamps by rule; provided, that the Commission shall reward
ninety percent (90%) of all velvet buck licenses, permits, and /or
stamps to resident hunters of this state.
F. The Commission is authorized to require by rule that any
person participating in a declared velvet buck open season or
hunting in open areas during a declared velvet buck open season to
procure a special permit, stamp, or license to participate in a
declared velvet buck open season or to hunt in such open areas
during a declared velvet buck open season and may charge residents
and nonresidents fees and such other compensation for those Oklahoma
surface holders participating in the Acres for Wildlife Pro gram.
The rate of such fees and compensation shall be determined by the
Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission. No exemptions shall be
permitted.
G. Velvet buck open seasons, closed seasons, bag limits, catch
limits, possession limits , and territorial limitations set forth in
law or rule are hereby declared to be based on the exi stence of a
normal population of deer prior to the Commission declaring a velvet
buck open season. Such seasons, catch limits, bag limits,
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possession limits, and territorial limitations as se t by law or rule
shall prevail and be in full force and effect f or deer so long as
the population or numbers of deer remain normal in areas of this
state.
H. For purposes of this section :
1. “Velvet buck” means a deer with velvet antler; and
2. “Velvet antler” means the whole cartilaginous antler is
exhibited in a precalcified growth stage of the Cervidae family.
The deer antler must be covered in velvet-like hair that is
essentially skin that supplies nutrients and blood flow to the
growing bone and antler underneath.
Passed the Senate the 7th day of March, 2023.
Presiding Officer of the Senate
Passed the House of Representatives the ____ day of __________,
2023.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives