Fall is here, which means many Cherokees look
forward to the yearly ritual of hunting deer and other game for both sport and
for sustenance. For decades, confusion about jurisdiction and treaty rights has
lingered, meaning some Cherokee Nation citizens purchased a hunting and fishing
license to exercise their inherent rights as Cherokees, rather than risk
possible prosecution from state wildlife officers. Starting Jan. 1, the
confusion ends.
Last summer I signed a hunting and fishing compact
with Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin that both upholds...
