Oklahoma Wardens are urging better responsibility after a jug line killed a buck.
As hunters and fishermen, we all need to work together to be good stewards of the outdoors and help keep the natural areas we spend time in clean and as wild as possible.
This is why the Oklahoma Game Wardens shared a Facebook post last year to remind residents of the dangers of an unattended jug line.
In the post, the Wardens shared a photo of a very large six-point buck that apparently died after its legs got entangled in an abandoned jug line in Grand Lake in Delaware County.
"This is the first instance we're aware of that a deer has become entangled in a line and died because of it," the post reads.
It is very likely the deer probably suffered a great deal from this incident before it finally succumbed to his predicament. Because the most popular time of year for jug fishing for catfish is coming up, the Wardens also are using this incident to remind anglers of the fishing regulations for alternative methods. Whether you're leaving them in open water or river channels, you need to be aware of the rules.
"You are required to mark all your juglines, throwlines, trotlines, limblines, yo-yos, and bank lines with your name and address," the post reads. "You are also required to check those lines every 24 hours."
Requiring the address of the person and contact information seems to be the best solution to combating this sort of issue.
In the past, the Wardens say many birds, especially pelicans and eagles, have been caught up in these abandoned lines and have died due to their injuries.
So, the next time you're in your favorite fishing area, take a few minutes to properly dispose of your extra fishing lines or to make sure your jug or trot lines aren't going to cause any problems. There are different regulations for a reason, and moving your lines a short distance could make a big difference.
These photos are a good reminder that we all have to work together to keep our favorite United States outdoor areas neat and clean if we want to preserve these wild areas for future generations to enjoy.
For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and check out his Geocaching and General Outdoor Youtube Channels.
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