Members of the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission met Sept. 9 at The Cedar Gate shooting center outside Kingfisher, where they received updates on the Wildlife Department’s day-to-day operations in northwestern Oklahoma.

Incoming Assistant Chief of Wildlife Scott Parry presented a program about the year-round activities conducted by the Oklahoma Department of Conservation’s Wildlife Division in the northwestern region. Regional Supervisor Chas Patterson gave an overview of activities of the Fisheries Division in the northwest. And Colter Fluman, assistant manager of the Byron State Fish Hatchery, told Commissioners about that facility’s operations throughout the year.

Also, Commissioners accepted a $1,000 donation from the Oklahoma State Game Warden Association to ODWC’s Stars and Stripes License Project, a donor-funded program that gives hunting and fishing licenses to military veterans and select survivors of veterans who gave their lives in service to the country.

In other business, the Commission:

• Received updates from Interim Director Wade Free on the various activities within ODWC’s five divisions. He reported that the Wildlife Division has been working diligently the past month to enhance habitat and maintain roads on wildlife management areas statewide. In August, employees applied 1,430 tons of gravel to maintain WMA roads; completed food plot plantings; treated 923 acres for undesirable vegetation; and maintained 14.5 miles of firebreaks.
• Authorized seeking an opinion from the Attorney General on statutes outlining taxes on certain real property.
• Approved the appointment of Wade Free as ODWC’s next director. Free has served as interim director since December. Free becomes ODWC’s 19th director after serving 41 years with the wildlife department. He started as a fish hatchery assistant in 1983. Three years later, he became an area wildlife biologist in the Game Division (now called Wildlife Division). After 10 years, Free was promoted to assistant chief of the division, and subsequently served as Northwest Region wildlife supervisor. He was promoted to Assistant Director of Operations in 2011. Free served as a reserve game warden for 20 years.
• Recognized Assistant Chief of Wildlife Russ Horton who will retire this month after 36 years with the department.

After Monday’s meeting, Commissioners participated in the second-annual sporting clays fund-raiser for the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Foundation. They were introduced to Sean McCabe, who was serving the first day of his new position as the foundation’s executive director.

The Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission is the eight-member governing board of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The Commission establishes state hunting and fishing regulations, sets policy for the Wildlife Department, and indirectly oversees all state fish and wildlife conservation activities. Commission members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Oklahoma Senate.

The next regular Wildlife Commission meeting is set for Oct. 7, 2024, at the John D. Groendyke Wildlife Conservation Building, 1801 N. Lincoln Blvd. in Oklahoma City.