Sources: Oklahoma Statutes Annotated, 1991, Title 29; 1992 Cumulative Annual Pocket Part.
STATE WILDLIFE POLICY
All wildlife found in this state is the property of the state (7-204).
PROTECTED SPECIES OF WILDLIFE
It is unlawful to take willfully or destroy the nest or eggs of a game bird, except as specifically permitted by law. Violation: $10-100 fine; jail up to 30 days, or both (5-207). Taking, killing, or capturing of more than 15 bullfrogs in one day during open season, or selling or shipping bullfrogs out of state is prohibited except by commercial enterprise (5-403). No person may take otter (5-405). Killing of squirrels is prohibited except from May 15 to January 1, and bag limits are set by the Commission (5-409). No person may knowingly and willfully, by means of a device, molest, injure or kill a species of hawk, falcon, owl or eagle, their nests, eggs or young except as permitted by federal law for licensed falconers (5-410).
No person may hunt, chase, harass, capture, shoot at, wound or kill, take, trap an endangered or threatened species or subspecies without specific written permission of the Director, such permission not to conflict with federal law. Violation: $100-1,000 fine; jail up to 30 days; or both (5-412). The Department shall print a list of endangered or threatened species or subspecies as part of the published general hunting regulations booklet (5-412.1).
See also RELEVANT WILDLIFE DEFINITIONS, ANIMAL DAMAGE CONTROL and HUNTING, FISHING, TRAPPING PROVISIONS.
HABITAT PROTECTION
See Wildlife Land Acquisition Fund and Wildlife Conservation Fund under Agency Funding Sources, STATE FISH AND WILDLIFE AGENCIES.
A person who catches fish from the waters of this state and the fish are dead when taken or die as result of such act shall remove those fish from waters and shall bury or burn them, except noncommercial fishermen may return fish remains to the lakes and reservoirs of the state. Dead fish must be buried or burned where they are not liable to become exposed through erosion or where land is subject to overflow. Violation: $100-1,000 fine; or jail for up to one year; or both; and violators shall reimburse a state agency for costs of clearing waters or land of those dead fish (7-403).
No person may enter upon a state or federal wildlife refuge or management area with dog or gun, except for Commission approved dog field trials, or when such hunting, killing or trapping of wildlife is specifically permitted by Commission resolution. Violation: $25-100 fine; jail for 10 to 30 days; or both (7-304). No person may cut down or remove a tree being used as a den or nest by raccoons or squirrels without specific permission of the landowner (5-408 and -409).
It is unlawful to import into, transport into, place or cause to be placed in the waters of, or cultivate or cause to propagate in state waters any noxious aquatic plant or seed or reproductive part, as declared to be injurious to the environment of the state and declared to be noxious by Commission regulation. Violation: $10-100 fine; jail up to 30 days; or both. Commission may enforce this provision by injunctive action, and may grant individual and conditional exceptions (6-601).
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New Mexico Center for Wildlife Law
University of New Mexico School of Law
1117 Stanford NE, Albuquerque, NM 87131
(505) 277-5006
lprovenc@unm.edu