It’s National Wildlife Week, according to a news release sent out by the Oklahoma House of Representatives:
“There’s not a better state in the nation to live and work than Oklahoma – and a big part of that is our outdoor traditions and fantastic natural resources,” said Sen. Casey Murdock, R-Felt. “From the wide-open prairies that I call home, to the pine-covered mountains in the southeast, we have it all in Oklahoma and should take a moment this week to count our blessings for our great wildlife populations and their habitats.”
Oklahoma boasts 13 ecoregions which support over 800 species of fish and wildlife. These thriving wildlife populations provide Oklahomans with substantial recreation opportunities, including hunting, fishing and wildlife viewing.
“The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife and the game wardens they employ are doing an outstanding job working to make Oklahoma a top wildlife state,” said Rep. Kevin McDugle, R-Broken Arrow. “Because of their work hunters and anglers of Oklahoma are able to find more opportunities to enjoy hunting and fishing. I am proud of the work they are doing and personally appreciate the opportunities I have to hunt and fish.”
The Oklahoma Dept. of Wildlife Conservation is responsible for managing wildlife and their habitats, and they operate without any state tax dollars. In Oklahoma, hunters and anglers support the bulk of wildlife conservation efforts through their license and equipment purchases.
“We in Oklahoma are blessed to have a rich hunting and fishing heritage, coupled with more ecodiversity per acre than any other state,” said J.D. Strong, Director of the Oklahoma Dept. of Wildlife. “This gives us unprecedented opportunity to be a leader in growing hunting and fishing, not to mention the more than $2 billion in economic benefit it brings to the state. It’s great to have legislative leaders that recognize the positive economic impact generated by hunting and fishing, along with the vast wildlife conservation effort that is sustained as a result.”
To learn more about National Wildlife Week, log on to https://www.nwf.org/
