Oklahoma publicland

[yelpaholic]

Got a hunt in wichita falls texas .  Got a few days extra to hunt in western oklahoma . hows the public land hunting in that area of the state.. i know i know, just curious..

[Dtrkyman]

I researched it earlier this year, did not sound promising.  Major habitat issues and low bird numbers from what i found.

[HookedonHooks]

I researched it earlier this year, did not sound promising.  Major habitat issues and low bird numbers from what i found.

I have also heard bird numbers are way down. It just depends how bad you want to kill one, because they're definitely still out there to be killed especially on the west end. It's just not the Oklahoma of past, much like Kansas currently as well.

I'd say try WIHA but carry over properties got decimated last year, so might be worth putting in more work then the next guy at a bigger WMA to get it done.

Good luck.

[yelpaholic]

Thanks guys kinda confirmed what I'd been finding.

[Mizzouhntr]

Yep... the fires two years ago knocked out alot of the habitat... then when KS went to 1 bird and NE closed its doors for out of staters for covid, Oklahoma got HAMMERED last year by those that stayed home and couldnt hit the above states. I hunted OK and it was nuts and the birds knew it quick and didnt gobble much and stayed on private. But as stated, its possible, just a bigger challenge than I could overcome

[Dtrkyman]

I am by no means saying not to hunt it, I just have better options!  I was specifically looking at western OK.

[TonyTurk]

Most of OK's western counties have had a 2 bird per county limit, for as long as I can remember.  This year, every single county in the west is a 1 bird limit.  Like others have said, there are still birds out there but you are gonna have to work hard, or get very lucky, or both.

[dzsmith]

Got a hunt in wichita falls texas .  Got a few days extra to hunt in western oklahoma . hows the public land hunting in that area of the state.. i know i know, just curious..

Oklahoma in the area you sound like you are heading is in sad shape man. It wasn't in good shape when I was there a couple years ago .... I'll put it this way. The guy who let me hunt his place , doesn't let anyone now. He hasn't seen a turkey on it since 2019.

[WV Flopper]

 There are turkeys there, mite have to walk to find them, but there are turkeys there.

[GobbleNut]

Just got back from hunting the very area you are talking about.  Perhaps things would have been different if the weather conditions were better, but my impression of the four WMA's I hit was that there were very few turkeys on any of them.  On two of them, I am not sure there was a single gobbler based on the evidence.  Just don't set your expectations too high if you decide to go.   

[JohnSouth22]

I can't speak on Oklahomas past years but I know it is down bad.  I hunted public OK last year. Was a brutal grind but me and the other 4 of my guys got our birds. PM me and I can steer you in the right direction. very do able.

[Tail Feathers]

Just got back from a week there.  Hit three WMA's, heard one gobbler.    My buddy heard three at the last place but one of them was shot and one was on private.
Tough hunting, the biologist at one spot said bird #'s were down 50% on population.

[WV Flopper]

 Here was my experience last week:

Arrived 4/2, started scouting the next day, heard nothing on the roost. Did here two shots, same young man. Moved quickly to a new spot, nothing. Moved again, stopped to check the road for tracks a guy stops. He is the father of the young man that pulled the trigger. He killed a very nice turkey, very nice. Had a nice talk, I really enjoyed that boy.

Biologist rolls in and talks to the fortunate hunter. I amble back to my truck. When they are done talking I wave down the Biologist, we talk, he points me in a couple directions. "Talk to these guys, don't be afraid to ask." Within an hour and half of talking to him a see two long beards, alone. Back out, come in from another direction, run into these two again.

Next morning 4/3 I am going to listen for these guys, never heard them gobble, but did hear another. Next morning 4/4 he had moved 20 yards to a new tree. Next evening 4/5 he moved again 20 yards. I had him pinned down to the limb.

4/6 wind, high wind. If I were home and not 1335 miles from my house I would have rolled over in bed. But, I went hunting. 7:11 I had the Tom dead, flu down to the left, worked back to me, end of that story.

Oklahoma has a one Tom per WMA/county rule. I rode south that day 4/6 to scout for tomorrow.

4/7 wind, high wind (50 mile an hour gust), cold 38 degrees. It was 86 two days prior, and plenty warm the evening of the 6th. I see buzzards on the roost at a spot I had pinned, behind them are two turkeys on the roost. "Have to admit I got excited when I seen all those buzzards in the predawn sky." I set up, there actually turned out to be at least 3 hens and one jake. They would not make it around a cedar strip that I could confirm them. I got cold and could not hear nothing, retreated to the truck. Fell asleep.

4/8 nice, a little cool. Back to the buzzard roost, nothing, not a peep. Made a quick lap and got out of there to another spot I had pinned. It appeared to be about a two mile hunt. Got out the truck and blew a howler, nothing. Walked two hundred yards from the truck and looked over and seen a strutter. He was a long ways off, on private. Kept looking, seen another strutter and a hen. I could get within 340 yards I think the Onx said. So, I go down about 40 yards off the fence, find me a good spot to get comfy and see what happens. About the 4th time I call I get an answer, next time two gobbles, closer. Turned out it was two jakes and a hen, they gobbled and strutted like big boys. So after some time they lost interest and left.

I moved a bit and struck another turkey, set up, called him up. Big JAKE. Big head, big body, big gobble, long center tail feathers, short beard, I let him walk as well. I didn't want too.

I make the lap around there, almost back to the truck, 300 yards. I strike another, opposite direction. I work out through there in his direction, he gobbles once in awhile to keep me moving in. Finally I see him, he is under a tree in the shade, its 1:00, pretty warm. I laid down, no cover for a big guy, and call. Ten minutes later its all pictures.

I hunted there three days and killed two, There are turkey there in the western WMA's, just have to go and find them. I talked to guys from Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana. But to me, pressure was not that bad. Not as bad as WV public can be. And yes the Biologist did say that their population was down, 50-60%. I may be off just a couple numbers but he told me one winter flock usually has 225 birds in it, it now has 65.

[TonyTurk]

Congrats WVFlopper!  You obviously know what you are doing when it comes to chasing those big birds!

[jaredmccullough]

Got a hunt in wichita falls texas .  Got a few days extra to hunt in western oklahoma . hows the public land hunting in that area of the state.. i know i know, just curious..

Did you end up going? I am heading out there on the 22nd and would love to hear if you had much luck. I don't have my hopes set high but always nice to hear others perspectives.