Deadline approaching to enter drawing for youth waterfowl hunts

            Nov. 15 marks the last day for Oklahoma youngsters age 12 to 15 to apply for special controlled waterfowl hunts sponsored by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.

            The hunts are designed to provide youth who do not have an adult mentor who waterfowl hunts an opportunity to experience the traditions of waterfowling.

            Youth hunters will be randomly drawn from a list of applicants for each hunting area. Applicants must be 12 to 15 years of age, have proof of successfully completing a certified hunter education course, and have an adult guardian who can accompany them on the hunt.

            A Wildlife Department employee will accompany each youth and their adult guardian for the controlled waterfowl hunt at one of several Department-managed areas. Only the youth hunter will be allowed to hunt.

            Each youth applicant and their guardian may apply only once and must provide the following information on a 3x5 postcard to be eligible for the drawing: names, addresses, telephone numbers, youth’s hunter education number, and the name of the desired hunt location and two alternate hunt locations where they would like to hunt.  The scheduled date of the hunt will be coordinated with successful applicants after the drawing.  Applicants may apply only once and should specify the primary hunt area desired and two alternate locations.

            The locations to choose from are: Altus-Lugert Lake, Canton Lake, Ft. Gibson Refuge, Ft. Cobb Lake Refuge, Hackberry Flat Wildlife Management Area, Vann’s Lake, Wagoner Co., Webbers Falls Refuge and Wister Lake Refuge.

            Applications must be received by November 15, 2006, and should be mailed to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Youth Waterfowl Hunts, P.O. Box 53465, Oklahoma City, OK 73152.  Successful applicants will be notified by November 17, 2006.    

             The Wildlife Department will provide successful applicants the necessary nontoxic  shotgun shells and a 20 gauge single shot shotgun will be available for use if  the youth does not have his or her own shotgun. For more information contact Jeff Neal, Wildlife Department migratory game bird technician at (405) 424-0122.

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