Oklahoma deer season underway

Monday, October 8th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

With deer season open in Oklahoma, game wardens predict this will be a record year, expecting more than 100,000 deer to be harvested. The number of hunters is the same, but now they are allowed to hunt antler-less deer.

Hunters need to check their guides because there are a lot of changes this year, including an archery season that runs into January, which will require them to get a 2002 license as well. Game wardens frequently sample deer and check for disease and say hunters shouldn't worry. Mike McAllister with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife, "Oklahoma has not and any chronic wasting disease to this point. But, we are monitoring and if we find it, we'll let the hunters beware of that."

Game wardens encourage all hunters to follow the rules, wear orange and practice safe gun handling. They say poachers beware, game wardens will place decoy deer in fields and lay in wait for the lawbreakers to take a shot.