DURANT, Okla. – Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Chief Gary Batton released a statement regarding Tribal members’ rights to fish and hunt on reservations without an Oklahoma state license. The statement is in response to an Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation press release claiming they will enforce regulations which disregard tribal treaties and sovereignty.
"As part of a sovereign nation, Tribal members have the inherent right to hunt and fish on our reservation,” Batton said. “Since 2022, Choctaw Tribal members have been able to use their membership card as their hunting and fishing license on the reservation. In 2024, the Five Tribes Wildlife Management Reciprocity Agreement enabled Choctaw Tribal members to also hunt and fish on the Cherokee, Creek, Chickasaw and Seminole reservations.”
“Tribal Nations have exercised the right to hunt, fish, and gather on their traditional lands and waters since the Choctaw people first walked on this earth. The right to hunt and fish is inherent, rooted in the sovereignty and traditions of tribal nations long before the founding of the United States. These rights were not granted by the federal government but were retained by tribes and later acknowledged and affirmed through treaties, federal law, and court decisions. We have been stewards of the natural resources in a productive and responsible manner ever since,” Batton said.
“The Choctaw Nation will defend the rights of our tribal members and our Nation against intimidation and harassment in violation of tribal and federal law.”
“Any tribal member who receives a citation or has personal items confiscated by an Oklahoma game warden while fishing or hunting within the boundaries of one of the Five Tribes’ reservations should contact the Choctaw Nation Tribal Public Defender’s Office at 580-634-0678.”
