He said Wildlife Division is currently engaged in prescribed burning of areas statewide to improve habitat, and Law Enforcement Division has launched its annual Game Warden Training Academy with 10 recruits, believed to be the largest recruit class in ODWC’s history. Strong provided updates from ODWC’s various divisions since the previous meeting. In his regular report, Wildlife Department Director J.D.Southerland, social media coordinator, received the Publication and Creativity Award for her efforts to promote awareness and appreciation for native fish. Gillman, lands and minerals coordinator, received the Oklahoma Award, the organization’s highest honor for her two decades of work in wildlife conservation. Alls said the prime obstacle in swine removal has been many landowners refusing to participate, as they are using feral hogs to sell hunting leases.Īlls said this pilot project along with other statewide efforts to remove feral swine produce much greater benefits than what could be gained from hunting.Īlso, Commissioners recognized ODWC employees Kristen Gillman and Sarah Southerland as they were presented awards from Inger Guiffrida of The Wildlife Society’s Oklahoma Chapter. Since 2019, the project has removed about 11,000 feral swine, averting an estimated $4.3 million in agricultural damage. To facilitate the pilot project’s research, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation closed hog shooting year-round on Hackberry Flat, Kaw, Sandy Sanders and Waurika wildlife management areas. Alls said APHIS uses five helicopters in aerial shooting and has about 100 remotely activated traps being used on about 1.2 million acres under agreement. Osage, Pawnee, Roger Mills, and Beckham counties have been added to the project area. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), told Commissioners that any thought of eradicating feral swine in Oklahoma is probably unrealistic.Ī pilot project to remove feral swine using Farm Bill funding started in 2019 in Greer, Harmon, Jackson, Tillman, and Kay counties. Scott Alls, Oklahoma state director of Wildlife Services for the U.S. Wildlife Commission Updated on Feral Swine Pilot Projectĭuring a regular meeting March 6, the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission received an update on federal and state efforts to control feral swine across the state.
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