Oklahoma free hunting days coming up in September

Sept. 1 is the opening of dove season statewide.

DU shoot at Silverleaf

The Ducks Unlimited Frontier Shoot will be Saturday at Silverleaf Shotgun Sports in Guthrie.

Tickets are $85 which includes lunch. A silent auction and raffle will be held.

For more information, call Jack Mitchell at 285-4232.

ORA convention on Saturday

The Oklahoma Rifle Association's state convention will be Saturday at the Meridian Convention Center, 737 S. Meridian Ave.

Seminars begin at 1 p.m. Oklahoma congressman James Lankford will be the keynote speaker for the 6:30 p.m. award banquet.

Veterans of the Korean War also will be honored at the banquet.

For ticket information, call 324-8498.

Viral disease killing deer

A viral disease has killed at least one deer and may be related to the deaths of 10 others found near the Verdigris River in northeast Oklahoma, state wildlife officials said.

Erik Bartholomew, big game biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, said the disease is spread by the bite of a midge or small fly. It is not transmissible to humans, he said.

The virus can lead to high fever, causing infected deer to seek water to cool off.

“It's not something that we are worried about on a wide scale, but we do want to hear from people who see deer that appear to be sick,” Bartholomew said.