As Cougar Sightings Continue in Oklahoma, Lawmakers Are Moving to Set a Hunting Season
Oklahoma lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow the state's Department of Wildlife Conservation to issue up to five mountain lion hunting permits through a lottery system. Introduced by Senator Casey Murdock, Senate Bill 1073 passed the Oklahoma Senate Monday by a 39 to 7 vote. The bill now moves to the House for consideration.
Opponents to the proposal say they are against it because Oklahoma doesn't have enough lions to sustain a hunting season. Senator Murdock, meanwhile, has made it clear that establishing a hunting season and laying the groundwork for one are two separate things.
'It's important to clarify that this bill does not establish a mountain lion hunting season,' Murdock tells Outdoor Life. 'Instead, it specifies that if the Department of Wildlife decides to implement a mountain lion season in the future — something that is already allowed under existing law — participation will be determined through a raffle system.'
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation has not signaled any intentions of reestablishing mountain lion hunting, which has been outlawed in the state for nearly 70 years. By the agency's own admission, there is not currently a 'viable population' of mountain lions in Oklahoma. The ODWC did not respond to a request for comment from Outdoor Life to say whether or not the agency was considering or entertaining the idea of a hunt.
The ODWC listed mountain lions as a game species with a closed season in 1957. Although the big cats are protected in the state, Oklahomans can legally kill them to protect themselves or domesticated animals.
Senator Murdock, who commented on the bill Tuesday, has not yet responded to follow-up questions from Outdoor Life about why he and other lawmakers are opening the door to a lion hunt at this time. Murdock said in a past hearing on the bill that it would be an opportunity to increase tourism in the state, according to the Kansas City Star.
Although mountain lions are sometimes spotted in Oklahoma, the ODWC says 'we have far fewer than rumors would lead you to believe.' There have been 81 confirmed mountain lion sightings in Oklahoma since 2002. And because the animals are so reclusive, it's hard to estimate how many are in the state at any one time.
Read Next: Cougar Kittens Confirmed in Michigan for the First Time in a Century
Wildlife experts believe that the lions seen in Oklahoma are mostly transient animals rather than full-time Sooner residents. Transient mountain lions are typically young individuals without an established territory.
There is also no physical evidence, after years of research, of a breeding population of mountain lions in Oklahoma, according to the ODWC. If there were breeding cats, the agency says it would have seen proof in the form of numerous tracks, scrapes and scent-marks, or road-killed lions of different age classes. Without this evidence, biologists believe that Oklahoma's lions are wandering individuals coming from Colorado, New Mexico, and other nearby states.
'We know from some of the samples we have been able to collect from mountain lion carcasses we found over the last two decades, they're from Colorado, they are from South Dakota, from Nebraska,' ODWC wildlife biologist Jerrod Davis told The Oklahoman in 2021. 'They are traveling quite a long way trying to find an area that is suitable for them to set up a home range.
'They are not a viable local population,' Davis added.
Murdock says he prefers a raffle approach over an auction for any future mountain lion tags, because he believes the latter favors individuals with deep pockets while excluding everyday hunters.
Read Next: Wisconsin Bowhunter Kills Cougar in Self Defense: 'I Felt Like the Only Option I Had Was to Shoot'
'By utilizing a raffle, we ensure that the average person has a fair chance to participate in the hunting season, promoting inclusivity and accessibility,' Murdock says. 'This method democratizes the opportunity among hunters, allowing everyone to have a stake in wildlife management.'
Murdock also introduced a similar bill in 2021. SB 769 would have authorized Oklahoma's Wildlife Conservation Commission to 'declare an open season on mountain lions and bears,' and it would have established a lottery system with a bag limit of 5 lions. The bill quickly passed the Senate Agriculture and Wildlife Committee, but failed to advance any further in the legislature.
Murdock says he is confident that his latest bill will make it all the way through the legislative process.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Open primary proponents challenge Oklahoma law capping initiative petition signatures
Open primary supporters in Oklahoma have filed two lawsuits in the Oklahoma Supreme Court challenging a new state law that limits the number of initiative petition signatures that can be collected from a single county. One lawsuit asks the court to declare the "retroactive provision" of Senate Bill 1027 unconstitutional. The other lawsuit challenges the overall constitutionality of the bill. SB 1027, authored by Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, mandates that the maximum number of signatures from a single county cannot exceed 11.5% of the number of votes cast in the most recent gubernatorial election. For constitutional amendments, that maximum number is 20.8%. Opponents contend those limits disenfranchise voters, particularly in urban areas. More: Senate passes bill that places new restrictions on initiative petitions Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt signed the bill into law, which was a priority for many GOP lawmakers this legislative session, on Friday, May 23. It took effect immediately. The bill comes as proponents of open primaries await a start date to begin collecting signatures for State Question 836, a measure that would open Oklahoma primary elections to all voters, with the top two candidates advancing to the general election. 'You don't have to agree with SQ 836 to see what's happening here is wrong,' said Dr. Ken Setter, a proponent of SQ 836 and a plaintiff in both lawsuits. 'Politicians should not be attempting to stop this measure by sabotaging it with unconstitutional laws. They should let the voters decide." The lawsuit challenging the bill's "retroactive" provision asks the court to temporarily block the law during litigation, arguing that attempting to comply with SB 1027 during such time will jeopardize signature-gatherers' ability to collect enough signatures to qualify their measure for the ballot. Supporters of SB 1027 have argued that the current process for state questions leaves out rural Oklahomans. In May, Senate Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton, R-Tulsa, said the bill gives more Oklahomans a voice in what qualifies for the ballot because signatures can't come solely from the state's biggest metro areas. Along with signature limits in single counties, SB 1027 also requires a petition's gist to be written in basic words explaining the measure. It requires petition circulators to be registered voters in Oklahoma and disclose the organization that's paying them. "All Oklahomans should know what they are voting on and who [is] behind the initiatives being pushed," Paxton, a co-author on the bill, said at the time. "I don't know how more transparency and more voices being heard in the process is a bad thing." Paxton, Bullard and House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the legal challenges. Anthony Stobbe, a plaintiff in both lawsuits and a registered independent, said that as a retired U.S. Coast Guard Commander, he served his country, "not a political party." He added that being politically independent is important to him, along with thousands of other veterans and active-duty military across Oklahoma. "Not being able to vote in Oklahoma's most meaningful elections is a slap in the face," Stobbe said in a news release. "Having an unconstitutional law try to block the very state question meant to fix that problem is even worse.' The lawsuit challenging SB 1027's overall constitutionality argues that the law infringes on the rights of Oklahomans to propose amendments to the state constitution through referendums. It also claims the law threatens restrictions on legislative authority, separation of powers, equal protection and political speech and association." 'Senate Bill 1027 is an outright attack on the people's right to govern themselves,' said Amy Cerato, a well-known opponent of the ACCESS Oklahoma turnpike project. 'I've been organizing to hold the government accountable for years, and I've never seen such a blatant power grab to silence Oklahomans' voices. This law is designed to make direct democracy in Oklahoma impossible.' This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Two lawsuits challenge Oklahoma's new initiative petition restrictions
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
New Proposal Would Sell Off Millions of Acres of U.S. Public Lands
A new proposal being pushed by Republicans calls for the sale of millions of acres of public land after deeming them "eligible for disposal." Specifically, the Republican majority on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee is proposing that the U.S. government sell up to 3 million acres of public land. Why? The committee deduces that, by selling these millions of acres, revenue directed to the U.S. Treasury would help to hit revenue goals in the federal budget. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), chairman of the committee, on Wednesday released the 69-page draft bill, which lists Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service land in most Western states as "eligible for disposal." Those states include Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. And, as first reported by Outdoor Life, Montana is conspicuously absent from the list of states possibly affected if the bill passes. The outlet reports that Montana's Congressional delegation has been vocal in their opposition to land sales or transfers. The bill's language calls for the "disposal not less than .50 percent and not more than 0.75 percent of National Forest System land, and shall dispose of all right, title, and interest of the United States in and to those tracts selected for disposal." The bill claims that selling off the public lands "would address local housing needs (including housing supply and affordability) or any associated community needs."Federally protected lands, such as national parks and national monuments, are safe from the sale. But as Outdoor Life reports, a sale of this magnitude would be "by far the biggest proposed federal land sale in modern U.S. history." The outlet also reports that Republican leadership stripped the land-sale provision from the so-called "Big Beautiful Bill" before kicking it up to the Senate, where Republicans have a wider majority versus a slim majority in the House. The bill, even if passed, would face a significant uphill battle, given that the bill's language also calls for the Secretary of the Interior to "consult with the Governor of the State in which the nominated tract is located regarding the suitability of the area for residential development; each applicable unit of local government; and each applicable Indian Tribe." In an effort to calm the waters among avid hunters and fishermen who have long opposed the sale of public lands, Lee shared video assuring the conservation community that they will not be affected. 'To our hunters, anglers, and sportsmen, you will not lose access to the lands you love," he said in the video. "Washington has proven it can't manage this land. This bill puts it in better hands.' New Proposal Would Sell Off Millions of Acres of U.S. Public Lands first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 12, 2025
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Yahoo
'No Kings' protests scheduled in Oklahoma, US: Gov. Stitt says troopers 'stand ready'
As Oklahomans prepare to gather in protest against President Donald Trump, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has said state troopers are readying themselves in case of violence. The "No Kings National Day of Defiance" has been planned for Saturday, June 14, in response to the Trump administration's policies and the U.S. Army's multimillion-dollar military parade to honor the military branch's 250th anniversary, planned for the same day. The parade also coincides with Trump's 79th birthday and Flag Day, and comes amid the Los Angeles protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The L.A. protests have escalated after Trump deployed the National Guard to the state, an unusual step without the permission of the governor. "President Trump wants tanks in the street and a made-for-TV display of dominance for his birthday," the No Kings website states. "A spectacle meant to look like strength. But real power isn't staged in Washington. It rises up everywhere else ... From city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks, we're taking action to reject authoritarianism — and show the world what democracy really looks like." According to a social media post from Gov. Stitt, the Oklahoma state troopers "stand ready" in the event of "violence or lawlessness." Oklahoma City will be one of hundreds of cities and towns holding "No Kings" protests. Organized by two groups called Indivisible and 50501 — which were founded in response to Trump's first and second presidential elections, respectively — the rallies are meant to protest what the organization calls "increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption from Trump and his allies." "We've watched as they've cracked down on free speech, detained people for their political views, threatened to deport American citizens, and defied the courts," the No Kings OKC event page said. "They've done this all while continuing to serve and enrich their billionaire allies." While Gov. Stitt said on social media that "peaceful assembly is allowed," he also gave a warning to protesters in case the rallies turn violent. "In Oklahoma, we won't tolerate any threats to our communities, citizens, property owners or law enforcement," Stitt said. "Just like the summer of 2020, if they show up in our state, we will arrest anyone breaking the law — that's a fact." Nonviolent action is a "core principle" of all No Kings events, the OKC event page said. The organization expects all those in attendance "to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values." There will be 13 "No Kings" protests in Oklahoma, including three in Tulsa, in the following cities: Oklahoma City Tulsa Bartlesville Lawton Ada Ponca City Tahlequah McAlester Ardmore Durant Idabel The Oklahoma City "No Kings" protest will be a march beginning at the corner of Oklahoma City Boulevard and Hudson Avenue. Starting at 9 a.m., protesters will march 1.2 miles to City Hall Park, at 109 N. Hudson Ave. The event is scheduled to end at noon after a rally outside City Hall. Contributing: Margie Cullen, USA TODAY NETWORK This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: 'No Kings' protests set across Oklahoma, US; Stitt says troopers ready
