This year's battles over wildlife legislation has begun.

The Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission, the governing body for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, issued a position statement at its Monday meeting opposing more than 20 bills that have been filed this legislative session in the state Senate and House of Representatives.

In its statement, signed by seven of the eight wildlife commissioners, the commission opposes bills that would:

• Legislatively block the Wildlife Department’s constitutional requirement to acquire and provide public hunting and fishing land and water.