Oklahoma wildlife commissioners honor wardens, accept donation for Pack Saddle range and review fisheries and finances

The Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission met in Oklahoma City and recognized long service and life‑saving actions by game wardens, accepted a donation for the Pack Saddle Shooting Range, heard a director’s operations report including fisheries and paddlefish work, and received December financial figures showing year‑over‑year increases in both revenue and expenditures.

The commission presented a 25‑year service recognition to Drew Pope and life‑saving awards to game wardens Zane Arnold, Josie Branch and Cody Jones for separate incidents in which each intervened to save people in distress. Drew Pope said of his career, "If you find a job you love, you'll never have to work a day in your life." Nathan (presenter) introduced the life‑saving citations and described each rescue, including a shooting victim treated at Blue River Fishing Area, a one‑year‑old pulled from a dock at Blackwell Lake and resuscitation after a roadside vehicle accident.

The commission also accepted a $1,000 donation from the Grand National Quail Club/Foundation to pour a concrete sidewalk to the trap thrower at the Pack Saddle Shooting Range. Sean Cummings of the Grand National Quail Club thanked the commission and said the group hopes the gift will encourage "getting involved in shooting sports through the next generation." Commissioners noted the club's donation typically leverages matching funds to multiply the impact; staff stated a typical 9:1 match could turn the $1,000 into roughly $9,000 of project funding.

Wade McCann, presenting the director's report for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC), reviewed upcoming events and field work. McCann said Jack Beaver Lake renovation work is nearly complete and that the gates will be closed and the lake refilled once the remaining pipe‑liner work finishes, expected later this week. He reported paddlefish field work conducted over six weeks across Weber Falls, Grand Kerr and Eufaula used roughly 2,756 100‑foot gill nets totalling about 31.2 miles of net; staff landed 2,179 paddlefish totaling about 67,000 pounds, and crews documented fish weighing 84 and 105 pounds as notable catches.

McCann and other staff updated the commission on shooting ranges and access: ODWC recorded 87 WMAs with only 14 designated ranges and staff noted that "the law says you can't target shoot unless you're at a designated range," highlighting the need for more range infrastructure. The department reported continued WMA maintenance, hunter surveys, prescribed burn plan submissions and aerial surveys for pronghorn and other species.

Andrea (finance presenter) presented December financial reports. She reported year‑to‑date FY25 revenue of $38,401,578 versus $34,108,213 in FY24, an increase of about 13 percent; expenditures for the same period were $38,849,632 in FY25 versus $29,868,791 in FY24, an increase of about 30 percent. Combined trust fund balances through December 31 were reported at $316,974,321 versus $281,540,014 a year earlier. She also reported federal Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration allocations for federal fiscal year 2025: Wildlife Restoration at about $21.1 million (down about 8.7 percent) and Sport Fish at about $7.2 million (up about 9.8 percent).

The commission approved the minutes of the previous meeting. A motion to approve the minutes passed with a recorded vote of Commissioner Gannes — yes; Mister Haver — no; Mister King — yes; Nels — yes (tally: yes 3, no 1). For donations, a motion to accept the listed donations (including the Grand National Quail Club gift) was moved but a roll‑call vote was not recorded in the available transcript.

The meeting closed with announcements about upcoming events, including the second annual legislative reception and Rack Madness, and the commission adjourned; staff said the next meeting will be March 3 in Oklahoma City.