4/30/2008

Many outdoorsmen had feared that when the 10-year Three Rivers WMA agreement between Weyer-haeuser and the Oklahoma Depart-ment of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) ends next month, no re-newal of the agreement would be made.

Instead, some feared, hunting leases would replace the yearly access fees that ODWC charges to help pay management costs and to improve wildlife habitat.

But Weyerhaeuser and ODWC have reached a tentative agreement to an extension of the arrangement, with changes.

Access fees would go up under the new agreement, with new terms and a change in acreage, according to an agenda for the May 5 meeting of the state Wildlife Conservation Commission.

State Sen. Jeff Rabon said Satur-day that the Legislature left it up to the commission to decide the ap-propriate fee amount.

That amount, as well as the terms of the agreement itself, would have to be included in state law before the session ends next month.

Rabon said he understands the new agreement may have less ex-emptions than the old one did. But it’s either that or have no public access at all.

The agenda also indicates emer-gency rules for implementing re-strictions on ATV use on the Three Rivers and Honobia Creek Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs.)