Examination of Three State Records for Spotted Gar in Oklahoma

Abstract

Spotted Gar are found throughout Oklahoma and managed as a non-game species. Thisdesignation allows the species to be recreationally harvested using any legal methods.We examinedthree-state record (unrestricted division; harvested by bowfishing) Spotted Gars to estimate age,back calculate length-at-age (growth rates), and identify sex and stomach contents. Spotted Garsage estimates ranged from 32-43 years old. Back-calculated length-at-age displayed similar growthamong the three specimens. All Spotted Gar examined were females, and contained no stomachcontents. Although this study is limited in scope to the largest of Oklahoma specimens, it improvesour knowledge of an understudied species in Oklahoma.