Committee rejects bill to raise bear harvest and move archery opener after heated debate

The Senate Agriculture Committee debated House Bill 41 28 for more than an hour, focusing on proposed changes to Oklahomas black-bear hunting season, harvest limits and which counties would be open to harvest.

The bills author explained that the measure had evolved from an initial proposal to allow a 200-bear harvest to a narrower approach and that his amendment would have moved the archery opener and allowed the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) to set quotas. “As of 24 hours ago yesterday, I had a different group reach out to me and they wanted to add another amendment to this,” the sponsor said, acknowledging the bill was a moving target.

Senators cited competing concerns: some said out-of-state outfitters would account for the majority of any increased harvest and raised the risk of opportunistic baiting during a longer or earlier season; others said more hunting opportunity supports traditions and landowner needs. Multiple senators urged reliance on science. ODWC assistant director Nels Rodefeld told the committee that three Oklahoma State University studies focused on southeastern (and northeast) Oklahoma suggest a safe harvest near 100 bears, and that nuisance complaints have been fewer than half a dozen over the past five years; he warned that female harvest drives population trends.

Senators also debated whether the amendment that would have authorized ODWC to set quotas set a new precedent for the Legislature to step into season-setting. The amendment failed on a roll call (6 ayes, 7 nays); the bill ultimately failed in committee (3 ayes, 9 nays).

The chair struck the bills title so the sponsor could continue negotiations and work with stakeholders, saying he would attempt to craft a narrower amendment and bring a revised proposal back before the floor.

The committee recorded the final vote as 3 ayes and 9 nays and the bill did not advance out of committee.