Cimarron Bluff Wildlife Management Area
By: Larry Wiemers, Biologist, Cimarron Bluff and Cimarron Hills. Phone: (405) 990-7206.
Driving Directions: approximately 28 miles north of Woodward in NE Harper County. The public has two access points to the WMA. The north parking area lies one mile east and one mile south of the junction of State Highway 34 and US Highway 64. The south access area is 1 mile east of State Highway 34 on Harper County Road 15. Cimarron Bluff WMA is approximately 15 miles east of Buffalo and 41 miles west of Alva on US Highway 64.
Area Description: Cimarron Bluff WMA covers 3,430 acres in northeastern Harper County. Located north of the city of Woodward. It is four miles south of the junction of Highways 34 and US 64 and than one and a half mile east on County Road 15 (it may not be labeled) to the one of the parking areas. Cimarron Bluff WMA is primarily rolling hills with high bluffs overlooking the west side of the Cimarron River. Area is dominated by mixed-grass prairie vegetation with isolated pockets of sand sagebrush, sand plum, and sumac occurring on red clay and gypsum soils. Cottonwood, hackberry, and western soapberry trees exist along the creeks flowing through the property. A limited amount of Cimarron River flood plain exists along the east boundary of the WMA, dominated by salt flats, interspersed with salt cedar.
Game Species of Interest:
Quail: Bobwhite quail are present in moderate numbers.
Deer: White-tailed deer are present in limited numbers, mule deer are rarely seen.
Turkey: Rio Grande turkeys are present in fair numbers.
Pheasant: Pheasants are extremely rare.
Dove: Dove are present in fair numbers.
Rabbit: Rabbits are present in fair numbers.
Waterfowl: Duck and goose opportunities exist on area ponds and along the river.
Furbearers: Coyote, bobcat and raccoon are present.
Non-Game Species of Interest: Cimarron Bluff is host to a number of non-game species.
Such as: Lesser Prairie Chicken, Bell’s Vireo, Eastern Collard Lizard, Texas Horned Lizard, Western Diamondback and Prairie Rattlesnakes, long-billed curlew, loggerhead shrike, western big-eared bat, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Cassin Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Red Headed Woodpecker, Greater Yellowlegs, Osprey, Snowy Plover, Interior Least Tern, Arkansas River Shiner, and Arkansas Darter.
Description of Fish and Wildlife Management Practices: Cimarron Bluff has two major ponds and several smaller ponds along with a spring fed creek that will be managed for wildlife water sources. Management practices will include prescribed grazing by livestock, strip mowing, pasture aeration, prescribed burning, and selective removal of upland trees. These techniques will produce native wildlife foods that will include ragweed, croton, and sunflowers.
Fishing Opportunities: Fishing is accessible by walk-in only. The largest pond on the area, known as Turkey Foot Pond ( named for its shape) is approximately 13 acres in size and offers largemouth and bluegill fishing. All fishing is catch-and-release only.
Hunting Opportunities: All hunting activities will be by walk-in only. Consult regulations before entering the area.
Birding Opportunities: All activities will be by walk-in only, and will be restricted during hunting seasons and by on-going management practices. Consult regulations before entering the area.
Camping and User Facilities: The WMA has one primitive camping area located on the south side. Other accommodations can be found in Woodward, 26 miles south on Highway 34 or in Buffalo, 15 miles to the west on US Highway 64
Maps:
Cimarron Bluff WMA Map pdf format (8.5x11)
Regulations: Consult the Wildlife Management Area General Regulations And Public Lands Restrictions in the Hunting Regulations.
Wildlife Department Adds Newest WMA thanks to Legacy Permits and State Wildlife Grants
Oklahoma’s sportsmen will soon have access to an all new wildlife
management area (WMA) in western Oklahoma thanks to funds from fishing and
hunting legacy permit sales and the State Wildlife Grants Program. The new
tract, to be known as Cimarron Bluff WMA, is located about 15 miles east of
Buffalo and comprises 3,402 acres of prime mixed grass prairie habitat adjoining
the Cimarron River in eastern Harper County.
The property was purchased with money earned through the sale of
fishing and hunting legacy permits and State Wildlife Grants funds. The fishing
and hunting legacy permit is a $5 permit required of most annual license holders
who hunt, fish or trap, or attempt to take fish or wildlife in any manner. Funds
derived from the sale of legacy permits are used by the Department to purchase
or lease property for public fishing and hunting.
The State Wildlife Grants program is a federal cost-share program
that was initiated in Congress in 2000. It provides funding to state wildlife
agencies like the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation for distribution
among universities, conservation groups and other state agencies in order to
develop more effective conservation programs for rare and declining species.
“Up to this point, most of the money allocated to Oklahoma through
the State Wildlife Grants program has been used for wildlife surveys,” said Russ
Horton, lands and wildlife diversity supervisor for the Wildlife Department.
“And while these things are a necessary part of sound wildlife management, this
purchase represents an on-the-ground approach to acquiring and restoring
wildlife habitat. A number of wildlife species, including some identified in
Oklahoma’s Wildlife Action Plan as a species of greatest conservation need will
directly benefit from the habitat on Cimarron Bluff WMA.”
Unique species for which the purchased land can provide habitat are,
among others, the Texas horned lizard, lesser prairie chicken, western
massasagua snake, long-nosed snake, Bell’s vireo, long-billed curlew, loggerhead
shrike and western big-eared bat. In all, over 50 species of special management
concern in Oklahoma will benefit from habitat management activities at Cimarron
Bluff.
The property adjoins the Cimarron river, providing potential habitat
for an additional variety of species such as the Arkansas River shiner, Arkansas
darter, interior least tern and whooping crane.
“This purchase reflects the Wildlife Department’s commitment to
broaden our scope of management and actively manage for all wildlife species,”
Horton said.
In addition, hunting will be offered, more than likely in the form
of controlled hunts for deer this fall, and spring turkey season will be open
starting in 2009 with a one-tom limit. The area will be open to small game
hunting (including quail) during the fall of 2008. At it’s April meeting, the
Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission approved emergency rules to establish
hunting seasons on the area, and complete regulations will be outlined in the
“2008-09 Oklahoma Hunting Guide.”
Cimarron Bluff consists mostly of gently rolling hills covered with
native mixed grass prairie. Grasses like bluestem, Indian grass and sideoats
grama along with sand plum, sand sagebrush and sumac cover the area, as well as
a range of forbs. These upland sites provide habitat for a number of traditional
game species such as deer, turkey, quail and furbearers. Deer and turkey hunting
will be limited to controlled hunts and will have a one-tom limit during turkey
season, and quail hunting will end at noon each day during quail season.
“Harper County produces big deer,” said Alan Peoples, chief of
wildlife for the Wildlife Department. “All hunters know that, and there is
potential to harvest a quality deer on the area. I expect turkey and quail
hunting opportunities as well. Regulations and more information will be included
in the Wildlife Department’s ‘2008-09 Oklahoma Hunting Guide,’ which will be
available this summer.”
Several ponds, including one 12.5-acre pond that offers excellent
fishing opportunity, dot the area for a near 30 acres of ponds. The habitat
associated with the adjacent Cimarron River provides crucial habitat for
numerous species.
Regulations for using the area will be available in the future. Keep
up to date by regularly logging on to the Department’s Web site at
wildlifedepartment.com. The Web site also offers a full listing and description
of wildlife management areas across the state.
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