Oklahoma Stats Library SEP 2 11965 OKLAHOMA HAS A NEW L00K- AND A NEW NAME! WE HOPE YOU LIKE IT. Oklahoma Stats Library nuwcoR SEP 2 11965 UKUHOMA SEPTEMBER 1965 OKLAHOMA HAS A NEW L00K- AND A NEW NAME! WE HOPE von UK IT. Oklahoma Stats Library SEP 2 11965 nUTOOOR UKIAHOMA SEPTEMBER 1965 THE RING-NECKED PHEASANT may be found in scattered numbers in many parts of the state. The largest population is located in northwestern Okla­ homa, particularly the Panhandle. A native of China, the ring-necked pheasant was first introduced in Oklahoma about 1911. For more wildlife portraits RING-NECK by Dean Graham see pages 10 and 11. STATE OF OKLAHOMA HENRY BELLMON, GOVERNOR nilTDOOR #|) WILDLIFE COMMISSION Chairman.. Harold Cooksey, Norman Vice-Chairman. Elmer Vieth, Kingfisher Secretary Leslie Vanderwork, Taloga Member George L. Knapp, Tulsa Volume XXI Number 8 Member Wayne Wallace, Antlers Member Ed Futrell, Porum Member E. Evans Chambers, M.D., Enid SEPTEMBER 1965 Member Jack Parish, Tishomingo Published Monthly Except August by ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION Director WENDELL BEVER Room 5, State Capitol Information & Education Chief Oklahoma City, Oklahoma GLENN TITUS Game Management Chief Dedicated to the Conservation of Oklahoma Natural Resources and KARL JACOBS to the continued benefits of wildlife and fisheries for hunters, fishermen, trappers and others of this and future generations who Assistant Chief Game Management value the opportunities of outdoor recreation. H. G. WILLIAMSON Fisheries Chief EDITORIAL STAFF LELAND ROBERTS James R. Bond ... Editor Assistant Fisheries Chief KENNETH JOHNSTON Curt Carpenter . Assistant Editor Supervisor Big Game Doug Adams . .. Staff Writer ORVILLE CURTIS Superintendent Game' Farm Dean G. Graham .. Photographer GEORGE WINT Mrs. Lula Proctor . Circulation Manager Assistant to Director In charge of Federal Aid Coordination and Planning FARRELL COPELIN IN THIS ISSUE Comptroller GARLAND FLETCHER PUT A DOVE IN YOUR KITCHEN 1 LAKE TEXOMA GAR SHOOT 4 RANGER CHIEFS HOW'S YOUR GAME HQ? 6 Dist. 1. Sam Hall, Fairland LEGISLATIVE SESSION COMMENTS 9 Dist. 2 Billy Ballew, Tahlequah Dist. 3- James Hughston, Valliant WILDLIFE PORTRAITS 10 Dist. 4 Toy Tipton, Chandler SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE 12 Dist. 5 Clay Boyd, Oklahoma City Dist. 6 Bill Gaines, Calumet BIGGER PENS—BETTER BOBS 14 Dist. 7 ....Clem Patillo, Mangum PRESCRIPTION FOR STRIPER SUCCESS....!6 Dist. 8 Bill Severe, Enid THE COVER Second Class Postage Paid at Oklahoma City, Okla. Subscription rate $1.50 for one year (12 issues) or $4.00 for three years. Clubs are permitted to retain SO cents from each subscription when ten or more sub­ THE MOURNING DOVE is one of our most abun­ scriptions are submitted. dant game birds in Oklahoma. Few doves live in Permission is granted for reprinting material when proper credit is given. The editorial office gratefully the wild more than four or five years and the receives for publication news items, articles, photo- population must renew itself almost completely graphs and sketches of good quality which deal with Oklahoma's wildlife. The Wildlife Department assumes every three to four years. Some SO million of the no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts and illu­ strative material. Credit is given on material published birds are expected to migrate through Oklahoma and payment made on quality material. Please tend during the 7965 dove season, September 1 through stamped, self-addressed envelope with manuscripts and art material. October 30. Color photo by Dean G. Graham By James R. Bond Photo By Dean G. Graham T,HERE' S a dove in Mrs. Green's kitchen, goes The high dove population, coupled with the the oft-seen television commercial. comparative ease with which the bird can be Well, there's a good possibility that statement hunted, makes the dove one of this state's most can be taken literally,, if Mr. Green happens to be popular game birds. ^JH Rp*^ one of the many Oklahoma hunters who will join The proof of its popularity is borne out in the in what promises to be a field day for dove hunting fact that during the last seven years, a yearly av­ enthusiasts. erage of 32,000 hunters killed an average of 650,790 State game experts estimate that some 50 mil­ lion of the birds will wing their way across the doves—or about 18 doves per hunter. Those aver­ state during this year's 60-day season, which has its ages are outranked by only one bird species—the official opening on September 1. quail. OUTDOOR OKLAHOMA, SEPTEMBER, 1965 Dove in lour kitchen Doves get up early and stuff their crops with Hunting Tips For grain and seed. Then they drop into their favorite gravel pit or along the side of a road for a few rocks before taking a nap in a fence row or some Oklahoma's First handy thicket. M^ Surveys have shown that in order to survive modern farming methods and high speed ma­ chinery, the doves have begun to nest in shelter- Fall Season belts and in the fence rows rather than in open fields on the ground. Sunflower, doveweed and The entire state provides good dove hunting other preferr#i native foods replace the great and to further help the hunter, the state Depart­ amount of wheat and domestic grains once eaten. ment of Wildlife Conservation plans to report the Around four in the afternoon one may notice dove migration pattern by teletype to various news that the birds begin to arouse themselves from the media over the state. usual afternoon rest and fly to feeding grounds, The mourning dove is the only game bird which after which they drink some water and return to can be found in every state in the Union, with the the roost. Station yourself near a water hole or exception of Hawaii, which makes it available to feeding area in late afternoon and wait for the more hunters than any other bird birds tfot arrive DOVE HUNTING POPULAR LIGHT GUN BEST There are several factors which make dove A light guii, with an open choke and gauge of hunting popular, perhaps even more popular than 1 your choosing will produce the best results. Num­ the more difficult game. Sjd** ber six or smaller shot, depending on how your Light outdoor clothing puts the hunter more gun patterns, should fill:' the bill. These birds fly at ease than he would be during the cold winter fast and erratically, so you must have a quick, months. You can hunt in a short sleeved shirt, re­ smooth swing to score. lax and enjoy yourself in comfort. During the season, keep posted on the weather Elaborate blinds are not needed. A few horse St for areas to the north. If a cold front moves weeds stuck in the ground to break up your outli b Kansas, youjcan bet the doves will move are sufficient. If trees are near, use them as a blini southward into Oklahoma. Later in the season, use more precaution about If a cool September rain should hit Oklahoma, hiding in areas where doves have been hunted to as it sometimes does, the doves will move to a a great extent. warmer area. But don't get discouraged, just wait If you see doves flying from a field or sitting until the weather warms up and another flock of on the fence posts, it will indicate that more doves doves from the north will be sure to show up. e present. Harvested grain fields, sunflower fields, Once you've bagged your limit of doves don't d other weed fields are good places to hun forget that proper field dressing can mean the dif- After permission to hunt is obtained from erence between a fine, tasty dinner and a disap- landowner, walk through the field. If the doves nting meal. there, they will flush a lot like pheasants, makin Any game taken for food should be dressed and" singles and doubles a challenge. oled as quickly as possible after being bagged Sunflower patches can be jump-shot, and revent deterioration of the meat from body heat one appears to be a favorite spot for birds, you c seepage of body fluids into the flesh due to sit down in the patch and take the birds as they wounds. # come back to resume feeding. Entrails should be removed as soon as possible. Cardboard cut-outs of doves can be used as After cleaning drop the bird into a plastic bag to decoys. Trace over the full size drawing of the keep it dry and put it in an ice chest to cool. If you dove illustrated on this page, put it on stiff card­ don't have an ice chest, use one of the styrofoam board, attach the cutout to a stick, and push it buckets to cool the birds. into the ground. Dead doves can be used as decoys One thing for sure, with 50 million birds to on the ground also. Just prop the bird up with a shoot at it should be a field day for dove hunters stick and you're in business. in Oklahoma. V OUTDOOR OKLAHOMA, SEPTEMBER, 1965 . i •• 5*::'%~ GOT ONE — Joe Ingraham tries to boat a fighting 20 pound gar while his wife Jo Ellen Photos by Dean G. Graham and Mrs. Wanda Bowman watch the action. The archers use a fiberglass arrow with a barbed point and a spin cast reel mounted on the bow. BOATING THE TROPHY — Mrs. Bowman peers over Ingraham's shoulder as he finally lands the gar, while Mrs. Ingraham keeps a lookout for other fish. A LITTLE HELP—While Ingraham holds the line taut, keeping the gar near the surface, Mrs.