Exploring the New Herron Family WMA 

Some days in the field stick with you. What began as a routine workday, camera gear packed and a notebook in hand, as I headed out with Outdoor Oklahoma magazine editor Don Brown and Outdoor Oklahoma TV producer Darrin Hill to explore a new Wildlife Management Area, ended up leaving me with something else: genuine excitement about a new place to hunt. 

I don't own private land and can't afford to lease hunting property. That's why our state's WMAs mean so much to me and thousands of others. They are places where the playing field is level, where everyone has the chance to chase deer at first light, call turkeys on a crisp spring morning, or simply walk the woods with family. And now, thanks to a remarkable partnership, we have another 17,720 acres to explore in southeastern Oklahoma: the Herron Family WMA. 

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📷 Heather Del Moral

ODWC employees Darrin Hill, Don Brown, and Sid Tabor on site as Darrin operates the drone to capture aerial photos and videos of Herron Family WMA.

First Impressions 

Driving into Herron Family WMA, located in southeast Oklahoma, I was immediately struck by its beauty. One of the newest Wildlife Management Areas offered by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Herron is open exclusively to Oklahoma residents. Towering pines dominate much of the landscape, creating a patchwork of cover and food for wildlife through loblolly plantations of varying ages. Threaded between the pines, the hardwood bottoms bring bursts of oaks and other hardwoods. It's the kind of habitat where deer thrive, quail dart from cover, and turkeys slip quietly through the timber.    

Signs of wildlife were everywhere. Rubs and tracks hinted at the white-tailed deer that call this place home. Sid Tabor, the area's biologist, pointed out promising spots where he's seen turkeys and quail. For me, it wasn't just the game species that stood out, but also the little details: wildflowers dotting the edges of logging roads, the music of songbirds, the hush of wind in the pines. It felt both wild and welcoming.   

Touring With Biologist Sid Tabor

We had the privilege of touring the property with wildlife biologist Sid Tabor, who has worked with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation since 2018 and now manages the Herron Family WMA, as well as the Three Rivers and Honobia Creek WMAs. A father of four and a lifelong outdoorsman, Sid understands firsthand the importance of public access to the outdoors.  

As we walked through the pines, Sid expressed his gratitude to the Herron family, who had partnered with ODWC to make this WMA possible. He pointed out how Herron Industries manages its land with hunters and wildlife in mind: brushhogging roadsides to maintain accessibility, using prescribed fire to maintain healthy habitat, spacing trees to create natural lanes, and rotating timber harvests in a way that benefits both the forest and the animals that depend on it.    

"They could run their operation differently," Sid said, "But the way they do things makes this land better for wildlife, and better for us." His passion for the area and for the people who would use it was undeniable.  

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📷 Heather Del Moral

The Herron Family Legacy 

Herron Industries LLC is the largest family-owned timber company in southeastern Oklahoma, with roots that stretch back to 1944. Based in Idabel, the Herrons have been growing timber for generations, but they've also grown something deeper: a strong connection to their community and the land itself.    

Pete Herron, co-manager at Herron Industries and vice president of the Herron Family Tree Farm, said it best:    

"We have always been committed to the state of Oklahoma and the good people that reside here. This innovative partnership with the ODWC allows us to continue our tradition of supporting an open land-use policy while gaining protection against misuse and misconduct. We welcome their wildlife expertise and applaud their decision to join with us as we collaboratively provide a wildlife management area solely for the Oklahoma sportsperson." 

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📷 Darrin Hill

Access & Opportunities 

Herron Family WMA is open only to Oklahoma residents. For nonresidents, nearby WMAs such as Three Rivers, Honobia Creek, and Ouachita (McCurtain & Tiak Units) provide excellent options. A complete list of WMAs can be found at www.wildlifedepartment.com.    

Resident hunters are required to purchase an annual Land Access Permit ($100). This permit is an incredible value; not only does it grant entry to Herron Family WMA, but it also covers Three Rivers, Honobia Creek, and OLAP walk-in hunting areas. With a single permit, you gain access to hundreds of thousands of acres of hunting opportunity.