The Shawnee Conservation District has announced that funds are available for cost-share assistance on ponds, critical area planting, grassed waterway, range planting, terrace, diversion, grade stabilization structure, pasture and hay planting, and nutrient management. The percentage of cost-share is 75 percent of the average cost, SCD officials said.
The state has provided limited funding to our conservation district to help landowners implement measures that protect soil and water resources from future natural disasters, such as flooding. These funds may also be used to repair affected areas of the county that were declared federal disasters in 2007 and 2008.
“Natural disasters are a way of life in Pottawatomie County, unfortunately these disasters affect our natural resources. With the limited funding and cutbacks from the federal programs, State-funded conservation programs are needed more than ever to help protect the quality of our water and the productiveness of our soil,” said Brad West, chair of the Shawnee Conservation District.
The district will be accepting applications from Dec. 1 through Dec. 31.
For more information, contact the Shawnee Conservation District at (405) 275-5220. The district office is located at 127 N. Park in Shawnee and office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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The board of directors of The Greater Shawnee Area Chamber of Commerce will consider two resolutions during their meeting this morning. One is requesting support for the 2009 Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Grant for rail improvements between Shawnee and Oklahoma City and for the line running north from Shawnee to the north industrial park.
The other deals with a resolution supporting an interchange/exit at the I-40 and Bryan Street junction.
The meeting, which is open the public, begins at 9 a.m. in the board room at the Chamber located at 131 N. Bell.
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Dale’s FFA chapter is sponsoring a winter coat drive. Josh Blair, the new ag teacher at Dale High School, said the drive began Nov. 1 and will continue through Dec. 16.
The drive is for needy families this season, Blair said. The chapter is collecting clean, re-usable winter coats and jackets. People are asked to bring a new or gently used fall or winter coat to the Dale High School office or the Ag building to help warm up someone’s winter. Coats of all shapes and sizes are welcome, Blair said.
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This is a final reminder that the annual Ducks Unlimited banquet and auction hosted by the Shawnee chapter is scheduled for tomorrow evening (Thursday) at the Citizen Potawatomi Nation in the north building on the pow-wow grounds.
Doors open at 6 p.m., the dinner begins at 7 and the auction is at 8. Ticket prices are $40 for single, which includes a year’s membership in Ducks Unlimited. Sponsorship costs $265.
The chapter officers heading up the annual fundraiser include Lance Wortham, Mark Schneiter, Jack Kinkade and Kyle Rosebure.
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Oklahoma deer hunters are preparing for the 16-day gun season which opens Saturday and continues through Sunday, Dec. 6. Last year deer gun hunters harvested 65 percent of the 111,427 deer that were harvested in Oklahoma during the 2008 season.
Hunters may harvest up to one antlered and two antlerless deer. If a hunter harvests two antlerless deer, at least one must be taken in antlerless zone 2, 7 or 8. A map of antlerless deer zones and dates open to antlerless deer hunting are available on page 21 of the current “Oklahoma Hunting Guide,” available anywhere hunting licenses are sold, or on the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation’s Web site at wildlifedepartment.com.
Resident deer gun hunters must have a hunting license and, if their hunting license was purchased prior to July 1, a fishing and hunting legacy permit, unless exempt. Hunting licenses purchased after July 1 include the cost of the legacy permit in the purchase price. In addition, they must possess a deer gun license (antlered or antlerless) or proof of exemption for each deer hunted.
Resident youth hunters age 16 or 17 years old must purchase a youth hunting license and a deer gun license for each deer hunted, unless exempt. Resident youth under 16 years of age are exempt from the purchase of a hunting license and fishing and hunting legacy permit, but they must purchase a deer gun license for each deer hunted. Unless exempt, all hunters under 18 years of age must possess a valid deer gun license, but they have the option of purchasing a $10 youth deer gun license (antlered or antlerless) rather than the $20 deer gun license.
Additionally, those youth who did harvest a deer during the youth deer gun season can still hunt during the regular deer gun season with a deer gun license, as deer harvested during the youth season are included in the hunter’s combined season limit but do not count as part of the regular gun season limit. Youth hunters who did not harvest a deer during the youth season may use their unfilled youth deer gun license during the regular deer gun season to harvest a deer.
Nonresident deer hunters are exempt from a hunting license, but they must possess a nonresident deer gun license (antlered, antlerless or combination) for each deer hunted or proof of exemption. Holders of nonresident lifetime hunting and lifetime combination licenses are not exempt from purchasing deer licenses.
Those ages 10-35 who have not completed a hunter education course can purchase an apprentice-designated hunting license and go deer hunting with an accompanying adult who is a licensed hunter age 21 or older and who possesses a certificate of hunter education or who is exempt from hunter education and license requirements. Youths age nine and under must successfully complete a hunter education course to hunt deer in Oklahoma.
Upon successfully harvesting a deer, annual license holders must complete the Record of Game section of their license, and all license holders, including lifetime license holders, must immediately attach their name and license number to the carcass. What the hunter attaches can be anything, as long as it contains the hunter’s name and hunting license number and remains securely attached to the animal until it is checked. All successful hunters must check their deer at the nearest hunter check station, with an authorized Department employee or online at wildlifedepartment.com.
All deer gun hunters must conspicuously wear both a head covering and an outer garment above the waistline consisting of daylight fluorescent orange color totaling at least 400 square inches. Camo-fluorescent orange is legal as long as the total orange meets or exceeds the required 400 square inches.
For additional regulations, antlerless zones, check station locations, season dates and a wealth of other information, consult the current “Oklahoma Hunting Guide,” available at all license dealer locations or online at wildlifedepartment.com.
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If you have ideas or something of interest for this column, call 214-3922 or e-mail michael.mccormick@news-star.com. Include name and phone number for contact purposes.
