Rack Madness sponsored by Wildlife Department

Ever wonder how the deer, elk, pronghorn or black bear you bagged might stack up against the best of the state’s Cy Curtis Award winners? You can find out March 5 during Rack Madness at the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation headquarters.

This event welcomes anyone to bring in their antlers, horns or skulls for professional scoring by ODWC personnel. Registrants entering an item for scoring might end up winning an Oklahoma Lifetime Combination Hunting and Fishing License valued at $1024, provided by the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Foundation.

Rack Madness will run from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, at 1801 N. Lincoln Blvd. in Oklahoma City.

The winners of the lifetimes must be eligible to hold a lifetime license and will have the option to transfer the prize to someone else who is eligible. The lifetime drawings will take place at 5:45 p.m. and participants do not have to be present to win. Anyone who checks-in at the event after 5:30 p.m. will not be eligible to participate in the drawing.

There will also be hourly drawings for prizes during the event including items from the Go Outdoors Oklahoma shop.

Pre-registration is available online at Go Outdoors Oklahoma. Scoring will be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis, with a two-item scoring limit per participant. Items for scoring must meet the following criteria:

n Antlers must be attached to the skull plate, whether mounted or unmounted.

n Scoring is available for white-tailed and mule deer antlers, elk antlers, antelope horns, and bear skulls.

n The harvest must have occurred in Oklahoma.

Hunters whose officially scored items meet the minimum score and drying period requirements will be eligible for the ODWC’s Cy Curtis Awards Program, which recognizes trophy Oklahoma mule deer, elk, antelope and black bear as well as the hunters who harvest them. The program began in 1972 and is named for a former Department wildlife biologist who is recognized as the person most responsible for restoration of white-tailed deer populations in Oklahoma.

For more information about how to apply for a Cy Curtis Award, visit https://www.wildlifedepartment.com/hunting/cy-curtis.

Light goose season approaching

Goose hunters have an opportunity to extend the hunting season and benefit Arctic waterfowl breeding grounds at the same time thanks to the Conservation Order Light Goose Season (COLGS), designed to reduce the mid-continent light goose population. The season opens Feb. 13 and runs through March 30.

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation has cooperated with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to establish the COLGS in Oklahoma because populations of light geese have grown to the point that they are causing serious damage to their arctic breeding ground in Canada. This over-population not only hurts the light geese, but it also impacts other migratory birds and arctic wildlife.

There are no daily or possession limits on light geese during COLGS, and shooting hours are extended for the season to one half hour after sunset. Waterfowlers also can use electronic calls and unplugged shotguns to increase their chances.

Hunters who participate in the COLGS must use only federally-approved, nontoxic shot as well as have all necessary licenses, waterfowl stamps and a Harvest Information Program (HIP) Permit in their possession while hunting. For complete license information, see the Oklahoma Waterfowl Guide link on wildlifedepartment.com.

Federal law requires that the Wildlife Department estimate the harvest of light geese during the Conservation Order Light Goose Season. Hunters who plan to pursue snow, blue and Ross’ geese during COLGS are required to register for the season by registering a harvest survey online at wildlifedepartment.com.

For more information about snow geese over-population and the COLGS visit the US Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Office at www.fws.gov/migratorybirds.