Oklahoma youth have an opportunity this fall to apply for one of several waterfowl hunts sponsored by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.

The hunts are designed to provide youth who do not have an adult mentor who waterfowl hunts an opportunity to experience the traditions of waterfowling.

“Taking our youth hunting is a very important part of keeping our hunting traditions strong, not to mention the sport can draw individuals and families closer together. These waterfowl hunts provide a way for Oklahomans to do just that,” said Mike O’Meilia, migratory game bird biologist with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. “We hope the kids who go on these hunts develop an interest in wildlife conservation, and discover the lifelong hobby of hunting as well.”

Applicants must be 12 to 15 years of age, have proof of successfully completing a certified hunter education course and have an adult guardian who can accompany them on the hunt.

A Wildlife Department employee will accompany each youth and their adult guardian for the controlled waterfowl hunt at one of several Department-managed areas. Only the youth hunter will be allowed to hunt.

To be eligible for the drawing, each youth applicant and their guardian may apply only once and must provide the following information on a 3×5 postcard: names, addresses, telephone numbers, youth’s hunter education number, and the name of the desired hunt location and two alternate hunt locations where they would like to hunt. The scheduled date of the hunt will be coordinated with successful applicants after the drawing.

Hunt locations include Altus-Lugert Lake, Canton Lake, Ft. Gibson Refuge, Ft. Cobb Lake Refuge, Hackberry Flat Refuge, Vann’s Lake, Wagoner Co., Webbers Falls Refuge, and Wister Lake Refuge.

Applications must be received by November 15, 2007, and should be mailed to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Youth Waterfowl Hunts, P.O. Box 53465, Oklahoma City, OK 73152. Successful applicants will be notified.

The Wildlife Department will provide successful applicants the necessary nontoxic shotgun shells, and a 20 gauge single shot shotgun will be available for use if the youth does not have his or her own shotgun. For more information, contact Jeff Neal, Wildlife Department migratory game bird technician at (405) 424-0122.

Additionally, youth ages 14 or 15 years of age have another opportunity to participate in a special two-day waterfowl hunt coordinated by the Wildlife Department. The hunt will take place Thursday, Dec. 20 and Friday, Dec. 21 on the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge near Vian.

Thursday will be a field day, where youth will participate in several waterfowl hunting related demonstrations including duck calling, hunting safety, decoy placement, waterfowl identification, shotgun shooting and retriever training.

On Friday, the youth will be taken on a guided waterfowl hunt on the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge.

Participants must apply for the hunt by mailing an application to the Refuge Headquarters by Nov. 1. Call the Refuge at (918) 773-5252 for more information.