LIVE RIGHT NOW WITH HOW IT WORKS. ZACH. EVAN. JESS. YEAH, THIS IS THE REAL TIME. THE FIRST TIME, REALLY THAT THERE HAS BEEN ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE TO THE WAY THAT HUNTING AND FISHING LICENSES ARE PROCESSED AND HANDLED HERE IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA IN MORE THAN 20 YEARS. THIS IS GOING TO BE A WIN WIN FOR CONSTITUENTS AND FOR THE WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT. MICAH HOLMES WITH THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SAYS STARTING LATER THIS SUMMER, HOW AND WHAT HUNTING OR FISHING LICENSE YOU GET WILL BE A WHOLE LOT SIMPLER OVER THE YEARS, THEY’VE GOTTEN TO, FRANKLY, A MESS. AMONG THE CHANGES THAT WERE JUST SIGNED INTO LAW BY GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT, MORE THAN 50 CURRENT HUNTING AND FISHING LICENSES WILL BE CONSOLIDATED INTO JUST 15. ONE OF THE BARRIERS FOR PEOPLE TO GO HUNTING AND FISHING IS THEY DON’T KNOW WHICH LICENSE THEY GOT TO BUY, AND WHEN YOU SEE THIS HUGE MENU, IT’S A LITTLE BIT INTIMIDATE. IT ALSO DEFINES YOUTH AS ANYONE YOUNGER THAN 18 YEARS OLD AND CREATES A SINGLE YOUTH SUPER LICENSE BEFORE YOU WOULD HAVE TO BUY YOUR LICENSES ALL A CART, YOU’D HAVE TO BUY A TURKEY LICENSE AND A DUCK LICENSE AND A DEER LICENSE. UM, SO NOW WE CREATED, WE’RE CALLING IT A SUPER LICENSE. WITH THE CHANGES ALSO COMES A DIFFERENCE IN HOW MUCH EACH LICENSE COSTS. HOLMES SAYS IN SOME CASES, IT COULD COST MORE OR IT COULD COST LESS, DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU BUY. LIFETIME LICENSES, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE GOING UP FROM $700 TO OVER 1000. WE EXPECT THIS COULD BE COULD BRING IN AS MUCH AS $10 MILLION. SO LIKE WE MENTIONED, THESE CHANGES ARE EXPECTED TO GO INTO EFFECT ON JULY FIRST. NOW, IF YOU’VE ALREADY BOUGHT YOUR HUNTING OR FISHING LICENSE OR IF YOU ARE STILL PLANNING ON BUYING ONE, WE ARE TOLD THAT THOSE WILL STILL BE IN EFFECT AND GOOD TO GO THROUGH THE FALL. DESPITE TH
Gov. Stitt signs changes to Oklahoma hunting, fishing licenses
State leaders said the overhaul will make the process simpler for everyone
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Updated: 12:21 PM CDT Mar 31, 2024
Gov. Kevin Stitt signed the Oklahoma Wildlife Modernization Act into law, changing the way hunting and fishing licenses are handed out. >> Download the KOCO 5 AppState leaders said the overhaul will make the process simpler for everyone, and it is the first time any significant changes have been made to it in more than 20 years. "This is going to be a win-win for the constituents and the wildlife department," said Micah Holmes with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "Over the years we have gotten to, frankly, a mess."More than 50 current hunting and fishing licenses will be consolidated into just 15. It also defines "youth" as anyone younger than 18 years old. "One of the barriers for people to go hunting and fishing is they just don't know what license to buy. They see this huge menu, and it can be intimidating," Holmes said. Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.It also creates a single youth super license. "Before you would have to buy your license à la carte. You would have to buy a turkey license and a deer license and a duck license. Now, what we created is called a 'super license,'" Holmes said. With the changes also comes a difference in how much each license costs. In some cases, Holmes said it could cost more or less depending on what someone buys. The price for a lifetime license is rising from around $700 to more than $1,000. "We expect this could bring in as much as $10 million," Holmes said. The changes are expected to go into effect on July 1. Top Headlines TIMELINE: Severe storms return to Oklahoma Monday with tornado, hail threatArkansas River bridge reopens after being struck by barge 1 dead in Edmond house fire Friday's March Madness Sweet 16 recap OCPD: Man calls 911 after shooting wife in head in parking lot Gov. Stitt vetoes bill allowing nurse practitioners to prescribe drugs
Gov. Kevin Stitt signed the Oklahoma Wildlife Modernization Act into law, changing the way hunting and fishing licenses are handed out.
>> Download the KOCO 5 App
State leaders said the overhaul will make the process simpler for everyone, and it is the first time any significant changes have been made to it in more than 20 years.
"This is going to be a win-win for the constituents and the wildlife department," said Micah Holmes with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "Over the years we have gotten to, frankly, a mess."
More than 50 current hunting and fishing licenses will be consolidated into just 15. It also defines "youth" as anyone younger than 18 years old.
"One of the barriers for people to go hunting and fishing is they just don't know what license to buy. They see this huge menu, and it can be intimidating," Holmes said.
Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.
It also creates a single youth super license.
"Before you would have to buy your license à la carte. You would have to buy a turkey license and a deer license and a duck license. Now, what we created is called a 'super license,'" Holmes said.
With the changes also comes a difference in how much each license costs. In some cases, Holmes said it could cost more or less depending on what someone buys.
The price for a lifetime license is rising from around $700 to more than $1,000.
"We expect this could bring in as much as $10 million," Holmes said.
The changes are expected to go into effect on July 1.
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