July 3, 2021 Issue, Page 4 of 8

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4 July 3, 2021 Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission votes to delay spring turkey season and reduce bag limit Ed Godfrey, The Oklahoman The spring hunting season across the state, Suttles said. bag limit statewide, only one Rick Newman of Oklahoma state wildlife officials struggled will run through May 16. The agency recommended to per county, with at least one City, who hunts turkeys across with the decision of whether to Spring turkey season will start Youth turkey season will be the commission the drastic bird having to be harvested by the state, urged commissioners reduce the bag limit to two or later and the bag limit will be the weekend before the April turkey hunting changes earlier archery equipment. Since to consider a two-tom bag one. But they eventually opted smaller for hunters next year. 16 opener. this month, but commissioners statistics show that only 6% of limit instead of just one, saying with recommending a one-tom After much debate Monday For the fall turkey season, at that time delayed the vote turkeys in Oklahoma are taken the turkey population is still limit because of the severity of morning, the Oklahoma only shotguns will be allowed for more study. by bowhunters, Barwick strong in some areas of the situation, he said. Wildlife Conser vation in the counties that are already At Monday's special meeting, argued that it didn't make Oklahoma. He also advocated Other states are also seeing a Commission voted to move open to gun hunting. Archery the commission voted 5-2 to sense to limit their a more regionalized approach decline in wild turkey the spring turkey season season will be open statewide follow the agency's opportunities in the field. to the problem. populations, Strong said. opener to April 16 for the in the fall. recommendations, but only Rick Nolan of the National "I don't want to go all the way Suttles predicted it would be a entire state and reduce a The regulation changes are after an alternate plan on bag Wild Turkey Federation in to the last step first," Newman minimum of three years before hunter's bag limit to one tom result of falling turkey limits by Commissioner James Oklahoma spoke in favor of said. seeing positive results in statewide. populations in the state. Barwick narrowly failed. the Wildlife Department's J.D. Strong, director of the turkey populations from the The bag limit for the fall Seventy-six percent of Barwick suggested a two-tom proposal at Monday's meeting. Wildlife Department, admitted regulation changes. turkey season also will be one Oklahoma's turkey hunters tom statewide. The spring failed to kill one bird last year season had opened 10 days and only 19 percent killed one earlier and the bag limit had bird. been three per hunter statewide. "The later start date and one- Populations of Rio Grande turkeys have declined from just three years ago in Thunder Sports Minute bird bag limit for spring turkey southwest Oklahoma by 67 Scott Munn, The Oklahoman He can either keep choices at up in the draft. What is it that we are willing to season will protect dominant, percent and in northwest Nos. 6, 16, 18, 34, 36 and 55 "If we're 60, we want to be 59," do and where are we willing to mature toms during peak Oklahoma by 55%, according The NBA Draft is still a month — or deal some of those away he said. "If we're 59, we want get to, but it also has to be breeding," Eric Suttles, to winter flock surveys by the away (July 29), and that gives for better draft spots or players to be 58. southeast region wildlife Oklahoma Department of inverted, because we're also as Oklahoma City Thunder who can provide immediate "We're always looking (to move supervisor for the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation. open to moving back based on general manager Sam Presti help to the team. up), but I wouldn't say we're Department of Wildlife Other areas of the state had a plenty of time to wheel and Not too long ago, Presti told doing that blindly. the value that we see in the Conservation, told the less severe decline but the deal. After all, he has six draft media that his general "We have to always assess transaction." commission. population trend is downward picks to play with this summer. philosophy is to always move what's the value proposition. Time will tell. How far did Oklahoma State athletics come during the Mike Holder era? Jason Elmquist, Stillwater which will include it will host the championships Shifting the mindset of them that confidence,” Young blame on Holder, when Brad NewsPres performances of the spring on the 10-year anniversary of women’s athletics said. “... I think that’s Underwood left Oklahoma sports, are due to be released the center. Facilities weren’t the only something that all of our State for Illinois a day after the Mike Holder has devoted the Friday. “The process of him matching thing on the rise during women’s teams here feel, that Cowboys lost their NCAA past 55 years to Oklahoma “He’s armed coaches with the whatever I could fundraise and Holder’s tenure as AD at his they are just as important as tournament opener in 2017. State athletics in some form. ability to go out and try to doing things so I never felt alma mater. any other student-athlete, and attract the best athletes they that I was in a bind, he At the time, reports surfaced Over the past 10 years, there they’re given every First arriving in Stillwater in that Underwood bolted due to can for their sport, all with a definitely wanted me to get has been a return of high opportunity. That women’s 1966 as a member of the goal of winning championships out there and get that ball expectations across the money matters — including Cowboy golf program — which athletics is not an in every single sport,” Bratton rolling and do the majority of landscape of women’s sports at afterthought.” negotiations for a contract he would take over from said. the work on it, because that Oklahoma State. extension after one successful In Holder’s time as the AD at legendary coach Labron Harris Coming off the heels of an was so many other things that There has never been an NCAA season in Stillwater. Oklahoma State, women’s in 1973 — Holder will step unprecedented end of a school had to be done at the time,” national title won in women’s athletics programs have won With OSU facing back-to-back down this week after 16 years year to the COVID-19 Cowgirl tennis coach Chris sports at Oklahoma State, but 23 conference championships offseasons in search of a new running the athletic pandemic, Oklahoma State Young said of getting the in recent years there have been — including seven by athletics had every program men’s basketball coach, a department of his alma mater. funding for the center. “... He runs which nearly achieved equestrian, which is part of the qualify for the NCAA was there all the way through faction of fans were in a fervor Though he has held the title of that mark. NCEA and not NCAA, and won postseason in its respective it with expectations that it The first to come close in that to hire former Oklahoma State athletic director since 2005, We s t e r n Na t i o n a l sport. Individually, OSU had could be done, but he kind of venture was women’s tennis in Championships in 2006 and point guard Doug Gottlieb — those who work with him daily within the athletic department one national champion in just more inspired me to to do 2016. 2013. who had no college coaching still referred to him as “Coach freshman wrestler A.J. Ferrari it.” Young, in his sixth season as “That was something when I experience but was using his Holder” — appropriate since and one national runner-up in More recently, Holder’s vision the head coach of the Cowgirl got here that was a race,” platform as national sports he did win eight NCAA team of an athletic village has seen program, led his squad to a Young said. “Who could be the talk radio host to try vie for freshman golfer Bo Jin. championships while head the opening of a $20-million national runner-up finish in first one to win a national If you build it, they will come soccer complex — Neal the job. coach of the golf program. Tulsa. championship? And now, you One of the most lasting Patterson Stadium — for a “When I came here, it was a Instead, Holder promoted “Whether he’s coaching got several that are competing impacts Holder will have on women’s soccer program that program that had not made for Big 12 and national titles former Underwood assistant coaches or student-athletes, he never changed roles,” said Alan Oklahoma State athletics as a has won six conference titles the NCAA tournament in 11 or on a regular basis.” Mike Boynton a week after Bratton, current OSU men’s whole will be the shift in during Holder’s tenure, as well 12 years and didn’t have In total, OSU athletics won 60 Underwood’s departure. golf coach who played for facilities for all programs. as the $60-million new home facilities and a lot of things conference titles during for the baseball program — And there was no real Holder at OSU in the mid-90s. It started when he was still at that young people look at and Holder’s time at the helm, the helm of the golf program, O’Brate Stadium. say were negatives,” Young while six NCAA team national honeymoon period for “... He’s been a father-figure, coach for me since 1989 when leading the charge of creating Sprinkled amongst those said. “When you meet someone titles were won over his 16 Boynton, as his associate head he started to recruit me. So, one of the top college golf larger ventures have been like him, he always inspired years as the athletics director coach Lamont Evans (who was it’s cool to see other people see smaller renovations, such as you that anything was possible. — along with six national on staff with Underwood), was courses with Karsten Creek him as that. an upgrade to the basketball ... He sold me on that vision, runner-up trophies earned. Golf Club. The Tom Fazio- locker rooms and player fired by OSU before his first “I’m not surprised at all the and kind of mentored me and The bad with the good designed course opened in support facilities inside season shortly after national impact that he had on the guided me through that Through all the changes that 1994 and has hosted three Gallagher-Iba Arena, similar process and that’s exactly Oklahoma State athletics news that Evans was a target entire university as the athletic director, because he was NCAA Championships — two upgrades for the softball what’s happened. witnessed in the Holder era, of an FBI investigation for already making that same kind while Holder was AD, with the program at Cowgirl Stadium “So that’s the exciting thing is there is one program that saw accepting bribes to influence of impact beyond that as the most recent culminating in the and improvements to the cross he’s never shied away from a dip that agitated some men’s golf program’s most country course — which student-athletes. golf coach here.” expectations. I think while a alumni. According to Bratton, it’s that recent national title in 2018. recently hosted the NCAA lot of people saw limitations, Holder had to make the tough Boynton, who was given his coaching mentality that has He was tasked with a more championships this past spring he saw opportunities.” decision less than a year on the first opportunity as a head helped Holder when it has daunting transformation when — and OSU’s equestrian Just this past season, the job to accept the resignation of coach by Holder, has worked come to coaching hires during taking over as athletic director, facilities. women’s golf program — beloved men’s basketball coach hard to rebuild the trust with his tenure. “He has elevated our athletic under leadership of Greg Eddie Sutton after Sutton was when he looked to overhaul the fan base and program, Only one head coach over the program to a level once Robertson, a former Cowboy involved in a car accident in what is now Boone Pickens unimaginable in national which culminated this past past 15 years has left the golfer during Holder’s tenure which he was cited for driving Stadium that was officially prominence and prestige by under the influence. season with him landing the university in search of a new as head coach of the men’s Division I job, while many of rededicated in 2009. Two years developing and building It started a downward spiral program — matched a No. 1-ranked recruit in the those who have stayed since later, the Cowboy football athletic facilities on par with program-best finish at the for the tradition-rich program program won its first Big 12 country in Cade Cunningham. being hired have found success. any in the nation,” Rich Davis, national tournament with yet just a few years removed from Most of those hires by Holder Conference championship in chair of the OSU/A&M raising the roof of Gallagher- With Cunningham, who is another runner-up for Cowgirl had little to no head coaching 2011. Regents, said in a release in athletics. Iba Arena. likely to become the first experience, yet many of them Since then, Oklahoma State March when it was announced Prior to the NCAA finish, the The men’s basketball team Cowboy drafted No. 1 overall have lifted their programs to has built the Sherman E. Smith Holder would relinquish his Cowgirl golf program won its would fail to make the NCAA in the NBA Draft, Oklahoma the expectations Holder had Training Center, primarily duties. fifth Big 12 title in Holder’s tournament under Sean State won its first NCAA for his men’s golf program as a When unveiling the plans for tenure, and it’s first since Sutton, but would qualify — used by the football program, tournament game since Ford’s coach and OSU athletics as a O’Brate Stadium in 2018, 2016. and win a tournament game but is also accessible for first year. whole once he became captain Holder said “we have a And for just the third time in — in 2009, the first season outdoor programs such as commitment” to also build an of the entire ship. program history, the Oklahoma under Travis Ford. “Thank you so much for this At the conclusion of the winter baseball, softball and women’s indoor track “to the quality However, Holder followed with State softball program — opportunity, for the sports season, Oklahoma State soccer during inclement you could host a national a contract extension for Ford headed by Kenny Gajewski, relationship I’ve been able to was 20th out of 250 Division I weather, that was opened in championship for national who Holder hired in July 2015 — bringing it to a 10-year athletic programs in the 2013. That same year, OSU indoor” as well looking at contract — that he later build with you, personally, and — went to back-to-back Learfield IMG College Director opened a track and field facility upgrades for Oklahoma College World Series in expressed regret for as Ford’s for believing in a 35-year-old, Cup standings, recognizing the complex that replaced a State wrestling — the Oklahoma City. tenure became rocky and young African-American coach most successful universities in broken-down, essentially winningest athletic program in “He’s somebody who talks lacking postseason success from Brooklyn, New York,” collegiate athletics. OSU has unusable track for the track Division I athletics. about it all the time that he while having the large burden But those will now be tasked to Boynton said of Holder in a fewer sports than many of the and field and cross country thinks we’re educating these of a bloated contract. universities in the top 30, Holder’s replacement, Chad “I’m the one who offered it to video released by OSU Athletics programs. women to go out and be leaders including Bedlam rival Weiberg, who returned to his him, so I should be the one in in the past week. “And then A year later, the Greenwood in the world and be difference Oklahoma, which was 26th alma mater in May of 2017 as the crosshairs, and I accept charging me to dare to be after winter sports despite Tennis Center was opened and deputy director of athletics makers — that women are that I am,” Holder said in an was due to host the NCAA going to be able to really be great, and for your unwavering having runner-up finishes in and will become OSU’s athletics interview in 2015 (the year men’s and women’s gymnastics Championships in 2020 — director come Thursday — impactful in so many areas before parting ways with Ford). support of Oklahoma State of which OSU does not field a which were canceled due to the which will include a press that we need to give them the What followed was another athletics, and this university as program. The final standings, COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, conference. best experience here and give messy marriage that alumni a whole.”