Seeks to balance the value wildlife provides with what mankind provides back to nature; Choctaw tribal members may hunt and fish within the Choctaw Nation reservation using their tribal membership card.
Eligibility
Must be a Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma tribal member
Must adhere to the Choctaw Nation Fish, Game, and Animals Code while hunting or fishing within the Choctaw Nation reservation
Must possess tribal membership card while hunting or fishing within the Choctaw Nation reservation
Must report harvest of game via the Chahta Achvffa member portal
Additional Information
Inter-Tribal Council announced on July 11, 2024 the “Wildlife Management Reciprocity Agreement,” which enables tribal members with licenses issued through their tribe the ability to hunt and fish on each of the participating tribe’s reservations.
FAQs
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma tribal members are eligible to hunt and fish within Choctaw Nation Reservation in accordance to tribal laws. Also, nonmembers with valid state-issued licenses are eligible to hunt in the reservation in accordance with applicable laws.
You will need proof of Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma tribal membership. Additional form of ID might be requested to confirm identity. In addition, Hunter Safety course completion is also required by the Choctaw Nation Fish, Game and Animals Code and the State of Oklahoma.
The expiration date listed on your tribal membership is for ID purposes and does not affect tribal member status. You may renew your card by contacting the Choctaw Nation Membership Department by visiting the Tribal Membership and CDIB webpage.
No, only confirmed tribal members are eligible to hunt and fish.
No, all Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma tribal members, regardless of residency, are permitted to hunt and fish within the Choctaw Nation land in accordance with Choctaw Nation code.
Hunters who have been convicted of a felony are prohibited from having a rifle, shotgun, or pistol in their possession or under their immediate control under the Choctaw Nation Criminal Code.
No action is necessary on your part. Follow the usual process.
You are not required to pre-purchase tags, but are required to report your harvest via Chahta Achvffa member portal.
Duck stamps are federally regulated and federal guidelines will still apply.
Yes, but a reliable internet connection or cell service is required for successful submission.
Yes, regulations set by the Choctaw Nation Fish, Game and Animals Code apply.
Yes, but a tag number may be required which can be found in Chahta Achvffa member portal application status grid, as well as the confirmation email you receive after check-in is completed.
If you receive a ticket from an Oklahoma game warden for not having a state issued hunting/fishing license while hunting within the Choctaw Nation boundaries, contact the Choctaw Nation Legal Department via the Member Legal Assistance webpage.
To hunt on lands owned by the State of Oklahoma, a tribal member must comply with the Oklahoma rules of access to such lands.
Yes, you will need permission from the landowner to hunt private property, even if it is on reservation land.
Outside of the reservations of the parties to this agreement, members must comply with the rules of the controlling jurisdiction—such as another tribe, the State of Oklahoma, the State of Arkansas, the State of Texas, etc.
Each tribal member must carry the required documentation under their tribe’s wildlife code. Some tribes issue specific licenses, while others only require showing your citizenship card and/or CDIB. If your tribe requires proof of a valid hunter safety certification, you must also be prepared to show that. Please note nothing excuses tribal members from the federal HIP and Migratory Bird Stamp requirement for waterfowl hunting.
You should consult with the tribe on whose reservation you wish to hunt, fish, or trap, but in general, non-tribal citizens will have to obtain an Oklahoma hunting or fishing license wherever they might want to engage in such activities.
Tribal members must follow the licensure requirements of their tribe but must follow the wildlife regulations (e.g., bag limits, season, etc.) of the tribe whose reservation they are hunting, fishing, or trapping.
If the species being hunted is federal, federal requirements must still be met.
Yes, all species with a check-in requirement must be checked-in, and the check-in must be to the member’s tribe, regardless of the reservation where the animal was taken.
Right now, all tags are free on all reservations. Just use the respective licensure from your tribe as your license and tags.
Yes, state game wardens are cross-deputized and can enforce tribal wildlife laws within each reservation. If an individual game warden is not cross-deputized, a tribal officer will be called to enforce the tribal laws.
No, one aggregate limit applies per person to harvests across all reservations per season.
For example, if the limit is one turkey, you may only kill one turkey, but as long as turkey season is open on that reservation, you may harvest it on any of the reservations that have signed this document. Similarly, if the squirrel limit is 15 per day, a citizen could harvest five squirrels in Choctaw Nation, five squirrels in Muscogee (Creek) Nation, and five squirrels in Cherokee Nation but may not harvest any more than the limit of 15 total in a day.
