Eight Northeast Oklahoma Tribal Nations Sign Landmark Intertribal Wildlife Management and Reciprocity Compact
MIAMI, Okla. (Aug. 4, 2026) — Leaders from eight Northeast Oklahoma Tribal Nations signed the landmark Intertribal Wildlife Management and Reciprocity Compact on Tuesday, Aug. 4, establishing a unified framework for wildlife conservation, hunting, fishing, gathering, and trapping while preserving the sovereign authority of each participating Tribe.
The participating Tribal Nations are the Wyandotte Nation, Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma, Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, Modoc Nation, Seneca-Cayuga Nation, and Shawnee Tribe.
The signing marks a significant milestone in intertribal cooperation and reflects a shared commitment to protecting wildlife resources through Tribal leadership. Drawing inspiration from the longstanding collaboration among the Five Civilized Tribes, the Compact establishes a comprehensive framework for wildlife conservation among participating Tribal Nations while respecting each Nation's inherent sovereignty.
The agreement strengthens conservation efforts by promoting regulatory consistency, enhancing public safety, and supporting the responsible stewardship of wildlife and natural resources across participating Tribal lands.
The accompanying Intertribal Wildlife Code establishes common conservation standards while recognizing that each participating Tribe retains full authority over its own lands, laws, licensing, enforcement priorities, and reservation-specific regulations.
Among its key provisions, the Compact:
- Establishes reciprocal recognition of hunting, fishing, trapping, outdoor recreation, and related permits issued by participating Tribal Nations, subject to federal law and reservation-specific regulations.
- Creates the Intertribal Wildlife Council, who each tribe may appoint a representative, to coordinate biological management, conservation initiatives, annual season recommendations, and future wildlife policy development.
- Implements the Intertribal Wildlife Consortium E-Check System (www.itwc.net), providing a unified harvest reporting system for big game species for licensed participants.
- Promotes consistent wildlife conservation regulations while allowing each Tribe to adopt reservation-specific rules tailored to local wildlife populations and management needs.
- Strengthens cooperation among commissioned law enforcement officers of participating Tribal Nations and other individuals authorized to enforce Tribal wildlife, natural resources, or criminal laws.
- Preserves the sovereignty of every participating Tribe by ensuring that no provision of the Compact supersedes Tribal law or diminishes each Nation’s inherent authority to govern its own lands and natural resources.
The Compact also establishes an annual process through which participating Tribal Nations will review wildlife population data, conservation needs, federal regulations, and biological information to develop coordinated hunting, fishing, and trapping season recommendations whenever practical. Each Tribe retains full authority to adopt reservation-specific regulations and management practices necessary to address local biological, cultural, conservation, or public safety needs.
"This agreement demonstrates what Tribal sovereignty looks like in action," said Akima Douglas Lankford. "By standing together, we are reclaiming responsibility for managing our wildlife resources, strengthening conservation across our lands, and protecting the rights of our citizens to hunt, fish, and harvest in a way that supports both our traditions and our future. This is about self-governance, stewardship, and ensuring food security for generations to come."
For Myaamia citizens and the other seven participating Tribal Nations, the Compact provides a streamlined process for exercising Tribal hunting and fishing rights. Eligible Myaamia citizens may hunt and fish by carrying only a valid Tribal identification card. Before hunting or fishing, all eligible participants must register with the Intertribal Wildlife Consortium E-Check System. While most of the other participating Tribal Nations also recognize their Tribal membership cards as the required hunting and fishing credential, each Nation determines its own licensing and identification requirements.
The Compact does not grant permission to hunt on any land. Hunters must continue to obtain permission from private landowners or the appropriate Tribal authority, as applicable. Each participating Tribe maintains its own rules and regulations governing hunting on tribally owned lands, and the Compact applies only within the jurisdictional boundaries of the participating Tribal Nations.
The Intertribal Wildlife Consortium E-Check System (www.itwc.net) serves as the central resource for the Compact, providing the complete Intertribal Wildlife Code, harvest reporting, and other information for participating hunters. While the website includes the full Code, each participating Tribal Nation maintains and publishes its own Chapter 4 reservation-specific regulations, which govern hunting, fishing, trapping, and other wildlife activities within that Tribe's jurisdiction.
The complete Intertribal Wildlife Code, including the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma's Chapter 4 reservation-specific regulations, is available on the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma's website at https://miamination.com/intertribal-wildlife-consortium/.
The Intertribal Wildlife Management and Reciprocity Compact represents a historic step toward strengthening Tribal sovereignty, enhancing wildlife conservation, and fostering greater cooperation among Tribal Nations committed to protecting natural resources for future generations.
Photos by Doug Peconge, Miami Tribe of Oklahoma.