This is the Outdoor Oklahoma Journal, where we're all about helping you pursue and engage in Oklahoma's vibrant outdoor lifestyle. Follow us for great hunting and fishing stories, wildlife features, insider information about unique opportunities, and tangible details on how to go out and be a hunter, angler, and conservationist. The outdoors are always open, so don't miss out!
Spring Planting for Fall Monarchs
One of the best things Oklahomans can do to help monarchs and other butterflies is to make sure flowering plants are plentiful.
Five Ways to Celebrate Oklahoma's Bats
Spring's surge of flying insects leads to another addition to Oklahoma's night sky - bats!
Longtime Caver Honored for 37 Years of Bat Conservation
Bill Puckette, retired science teacher, bat conservationist, and avid caver, was honored with the Oklahoma Chapter of The Wildlife Society's most prestigious award.
Night-flying Insects Surveyed in Osage County
Researchers at the University of New Hampshire partnered with the Wildlife Department to see if the rattlesnake master borer moth, and other night-flying insects were present in Osage County.
Birding by the Season
Discover the incredibly diverse and abundant birds found on Oklahoma’s WMAs across the seasons.
"Iron Gate Cave" Gets a New Gate
Biologists took steps to make a cave safer for endangered bats by installing a gate within the mouth of Iron Gate cave.
Does Your Nest Box Have What It Takes to Be Successful?
Adding a nest box to your backyard is a great way to introduce your family to nature and help birds. But does your nest box have what it takes to be successful?
“Best Practices” Turning today’s Kids into tomorrow’s Deer Hunters
How should parents introduce new activities to kids who might be hesitant to try such activities? What do child psychologists, teachers, and other child behavior professionals say in terms of how children both learn and then permanently adopt new hobbies? What are some of the obstacles and pitfalls that parents often make when trying to get their children to “love” the same kinds of hobbies and pastimes that they themselves are passionate about?
2017-2018 Big Game Report
With the 2017-18 deer season in the books, Oklahoma again proved why it is a great destination for deer hunters from across the country. The total harvest of 107,914 deer is up from last year’s harvest total of 99,023. Figure 1 shows overall deer harvest numbers since 2004. Not only was overall harvest up, but many trophy animals were harvested as well. Antlerless harvest totaled 40 percent, which is on the low side of the Wildlife Department’s management goal of 40 percent to 45 percent. And in western Oklahoma, 196 mule deer were harvested from 13 counties.
Red Slough WMA Is a Nature-watching Bull’s-eye
A variety of wildlife and outdoor recreation opportunities has earned Red Slough WMA a spot on the U.S. Forest Service's 2017 list of Top NatureWatch Viewing Sites.