Controlled deer hunts applications for Sequoyah County available, deadline Sept. 15

The 2023 controlled deer hunts will take place on Cherokee Nation’s 4,000-plus-acre Sequoyah Hunting preserve north of Sallisaw.

This year hunts will be awarded to 10 Cherokee elders, 10 Cherokee veterans, 10 Cherokee youth, 10 Cherokee speakers and 10 Cherokee citizens being selected by a random draw of qualifying applicants.

The controlled hunts are not subject to any residency requirement and applications are open to all Cherokee Nation citizens.

Cherokee Nation citizens who qualify for the controlled hunts can apply by using the Gadugi Portal at www.gadugiportal.cherokee.org.

Applications are now available, and the deadline to apply is Sept. 15. Results of the draw will be announced Sept. 20, with successful applicants being notified via email and on the Gadugi Portal.

For more information about eligibility or submission of applications, call (918) 453-5058 or email supportgadugiportal@cherokee.org.

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Dove season opens today, and the opening days for several other migratory bird hunting seasons are not far behind! It’s an exciting time of year for hunters. It’s easy to get started. It all starts with a hunting license. Those wishing to get the hunting licenses can log in to their Go Outdoors Oklahoma profile.

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Looking for public land dove hunting possibilities? Check out the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation dove hunting resources webpage for tips, including a map of fields on WMAs that are managed for doves. We provide you with GPS coordinates and maps of those areas so that you’ll feel comfortable and ready today. The tool allows you to zoom in to your area of interest, and the fields and water features will appear. Zoom further to see more fields. Clicking on each area will give you more information about the feature, including acreage and crop type, etc. It’s a great way to identify a starting point for dove hunting adventures.

Dove hunting season is open statewide the entire months of September and October, closes during November, and reopens from Dec. 1-29. The daily bag limit is 15, which may consist of any combination (aggregate) of mourning, white-winged and fully dressed Eurasian collared doves (those without a head or fully feathered wing naturally attached to the carcass). However, there is no bag limit on Eurasian collared doves provided that the head or one fully feathered wing remains naturally attached to the carcass of all such birds while being transported to their final destination.

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The first full weekend of September is traditionally Free Hunting Days in Oklahoma, which will be Saturday and Sunday. On these two days, Oklahoma residents may participate in open hunting seasons without the requirement to have a state hunting license.

These free days provide a perfect chance for seasoned hunters to instruct a newcomer to the sport or even to introduce someone completely new to the time-honored American tradition of hunting.

This year, open hunting seasons during Free Hunting Days include a number of species, such as dove, squirrel and coyote. Others are listed in the current Oklahoma Fishing and Hunting Regulations.

However, game wardens will be on duty as usual to ensure compliance with bag limits, shooting hours, shotgun plugs, hunter education requirements, special area regulations and other general regulations that are published in the Oklahoma Fishing and Hunting Regulations.

The regulations are available online at www.wildlifedepartment.com/hunting/regs and in the free Go Outdoors Oklahoma mobile app for Apple or Android.