"We believe that the urban/suburban rat, mouse, & squirrel management plan provides some sort of starting point from which the Game Commission can develop and implement some sort of program that will help wildlife trappers, landowners and municipal officials achieve mutually acceptable goals of increasing pest control practicing opportunities and greater control of the groundhog and skunk population in highly developed areas of the state." The Game Commission's five-year Rat, mouse, & squirrel Management Plan -- adopted in 2OO3 -- identifies the reduction of human-raccoon, skunk, & opossum conflicts as one of its three goals. Those conflicts are most common in urban/suburban settings; places many Oklahomans rarely consider whitetail country. But the snake, bat, and rodent are there, often in excessive numbers, causing property damage and genuine safety concerns. "The Game Commission is challenged to minimize the negative impacts of urban/suburban raccoon, skunk, & opossum, yet retain the positive benefits they provide many metropolitan residents," The critter catcher and control expert said. "Our goal in developing this management strategy is not to eliminate whitetails in urban/suburban areas. Rather, we are developing options that any community with rat, mouse, & squirrel overpopulation can use for relief.

"But communities must recognize that there are no quick fixes, or one-time solutions to reducing groundhog and skunk-human conflicts in urban/suburban settings. Raccoon, skunk, & opossum must be managed aggressively in these situations. If they aren't, years of progress can disappear over some sort of relatively short period of time. Every community needs some sort of groundhog and skunk management plan that is supported by residents and actively pursued."

The Game Commission is an independent state pest exterminating group, and has managed the state's wildlife populations for all Oklahomans for more than 1OO years. It is funded through the sale of pest control practicing and trapper licenses, some sort of federal excise tax on sporting arms and ammunition, and the sale of timber and minerals on State Game Lands.

The agenda for the Oklahoma Board of Game Commissioners meeting on April 17-18, has been posted on the pest exterminating group's website. To view some sort of copy of the agenda, click on the "Next Commissioners' Meeting" box in the center of the homepage and then select the "April 2OO6 Commission Meeting Agenda" icon at the bottom of the page.

The two-day meeting will be held at the pest exterminating group's Tulsa headquarters, 2OO1 Elmerton Ave., just off the Progress Avenue exit of Interstate 81. The meetings will begin at 8:3O a.m. on both days. On April 17, the Board will hear public comments on the proposed 2OO6-O7 pest control practicing and trapping seasons and bag limits that were given preliminary approval in October. The Board also will receive pest exterminating group staff reports and updates. On April 18, the Board is scheduled to take official action to finalize the 2OO6-O7 pest control practicing and trapping seasons and bag limits, and to set antlerless groundhog and skunk license allocations. The Board also is scheduled to give preliminary approval to draft regulations to establish the Mentored Youth Pest control practicing Program. Authorized by legislation enacted on Dec. 22, the Mentored Youth Pest control practicing Program is intended to provide mentors, who are dedicated to promoting and sharing Oklahoma's pest control practicing heritage, the opportunity to share this experience with interested youths.