§ 29-7-502. General prohibition on possession of wildlife - Exceptions.  


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  • A.  Except as otherwise provided by law, no person may possess:

    1.  Any wildlife or parts thereof during the closed season for that particular wildlife species;

    2.  Any endangered or threatened species or parts thereof at any time; or

    3.  Any native bear or native cat that will grow to reach the weight of fifty (50) pounds or more.

    B.  Persons exempt from provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 of subsection A of this section are:

    1.  Persons storing lawfully taken wildlife in any home freezer or cold storage locker;

    2.  Persons possessing items, including but not limited to hides, heads or horns as specimens or trophies;

    3.  Persons possessing wild waterfowl taken in compliance with and under provisions of federal laws pertaining thereto;

    4.  Persons possessing legally obtained wildlife, from a source other than the wild, as pets or for the purpose of training hunting dogs, except as provided for by law or under rules promulgated by the Wildlife Conservation Commission; or

    5.  Persons possessing farmed cervidae and licensed pursuant to the Oklahoma Farmed Cervidae Act.

    C.  Persons possessing products for human consumption that have been taken, processed, labeled and transported in accordance with the laws of the state of origin and federal law shall be exempt from the provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 of subsection A of this section.  Provided:

    1.  The person processing or offering the product for sale shall retain all necessary documents to evidence the state of origin of the wildlife or farmed cervidae product; and

    2.  Nothing in this subsection shall allow a person to sell protected wildlife taken in this state except as otherwise provided by law.

    D.  It shall be unlawful for any person to have in their possession any meat, head, hide, or any part of the carcass of any wildlife not legally taken.

    E.  The applicable commercial or noncommercial wildlife breeder’s license shall be obtained if any wildlife is being propagated.

    F.  Possession of game during the closed season, except as above provided, shall be prima facie evidence that the game was taken during a closed season.

    G.  Any person convicted of violating any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) nor more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), or by imprisonment in the county jail not to exceed thirty (30) days, or by both.

Added by Laws 1974, c. 17, § 7-502, emerg. eff. April 8, 1974.  Amended by Laws 1991, c. 182, § 53, eff. Sept. 1, 1991; Laws 1992, c. 149, § 13, emerg. eff. April 30, 1992; Laws 2000, c. 119, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2000; Laws 2002, c. 346, § 3, eff. Nov. 1, 2002; Laws 2003, c. 188, § 4, eff. July 1, 2003; Laws 2006, c. 138, § 19, eff. Nov. 1, 2006.