Drummond Counters Governor Stitt’s Claims on Tribal Hunting Rights

Oklahoma’s Attorney General Gentner Drummond forcefully rejected claims made by Governor Kevin Stitt regarding tribal hunting rights on Wednesday, escalating the ongoing tension between two of the state’s top officials over tribal sovereignty issues.

During a press conference in Oklahoma City, Drummond characterized the governor’s recent statements as “knowingly false” after Stitt suggested that the attorney general believes tribal citizens can hunt on private property without landowner permission.

“Gov. Stitt has made a habit of spreading misinformation, especially when it comes to the sovereignty of the tribal nations of Oklahoma,” Drummond said. “He knows full well that the tribes in Oklahoma do not authorize their citizens to enter private property to hunt or fish without the landowner’s consent. Their Tribal Codes prohibit it. Oklahoma law prohibits it. And I have never suggested otherwise.”

The dispute highlights the complex relationship between state and tribal authorities in Oklahoma, where jurisdictional questions have intensified following the landmark 2020 McGirt v. Oklahoma Supreme Court decision that recognized much of eastern Oklahoma as reservation land.

This latest disagreement centers on hunting and fishing rights, which have been a recurring source of contention between the governor’s office and Oklahoma’s tribal nations. Drummond emphasized that his office remains committed to upholding the law while ensuring tribal citizens aren’t wrongfully prosecuted for legal activities.

“The constant lies and corruption must stop. The law has not changed and neither has my commitment to it,” Drummond stated. “Oklahomans deserve truth and integrity. Enough is enough.”

The attorney general clarified that while tribal members have historically been permitted to hunt and fish within their reservations without state licenses under both state and federal law, this right never extended to entering private property without permission.

Since taking office, Stitt has frequently clashed with tribal leaders over jurisdictional authority, taxation, and gaming compacts. Political analysts note that the governor has often used tribal sovereignty issues as a rallying point for his political base, though his approach has drawn criticism from both tribal leaders and some state officials.

The Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee (Creek), and Seminole Nations—Oklahoma’s Five Tribes—have consistently maintained that their tribal codes explicitly prohibit members from entering private property without permission, regardless of hunting or fishing purposes.

Chuck Hoskin Jr., Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma’s largest tribal nation, has previously called for better cooperation between state and tribal governments. “These manufactured conflicts do nothing to serve the people of Oklahoma, both tribal and non-tribal citizens alike,” Hoskin stated earlier this year when addressing similar disputes.

The timing of this controversy comes as Oklahoma approaches the hunting season, when questions about licensing and jurisdiction typically receive heightened attention.

Legal experts suggest that clear communication between state officials is crucial for law enforcement officers who must navigate the complex jurisdictional landscape when enforcing hunting and fishing regulations across Oklahoma.

For rural landowners, particularly those with property that spans or borders tribal lands, the public disagreement between top state officials creates confusion about whose authority prevails in potential trespassing situations.

Drummond’s office indicated that they would continue working with tribal authorities to ensure consistent enforcement of property rights while respecting tribal sovereignty within reservation boundaries.

The dispute underscores the ongoing challenges of implementing the McGirt decision, which continues to reshape Oklahoma’s legal landscape five years after it was handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court.