Keystone Wildlife Management Area
By: Jeff Pennington, Biologist at Keystone and Skiatook WMA’s. Phone: (918) 629-4625.
The Arkansas and Cimarron Rivers are wide shallow major drainages in the state and with their sandbars they comprise about 20% of the WMA acreage. Adjacent to the rivers are forests dominated by willow and cottonwood. As the elevation rises from the rivers, the WMA transitions to a mixture of bottomland hardwood trees, cropland fields, old fallow farm fields, and smaller areas of upland habitat. There are numerous sloughs, natural and man-made wetlands, and mudflats where the rivers deposit silt into the lake. Much of the water on the WMA is too shallow for boat traffic unless the lake elevation is high.
WMA Driving Directions: Cimarron Arm-Along the Cimarron River between Hwy 48 and Hwy 99 along Hwy 51, west of Mannford.
Arkansas Arm-Along the Arkansas River between the towns of Cleveland and Blackburn.
Game Species of Interest:
Waterfowl: Ducks are usually present in fair numbers. Resident geese are present in fair to good numbers.
Deer: White-tailed deer are present in good numbers but are highly sought after.
Rabbit: Cottontails are present and good populations can be found at scattered locations in the upland habitats.
Dove: Dove are usually present in fair numbers around manipulated fields.
Quail: Bobwhites are present in fair numbers at scattered locations in the upland habitats.
Squirrel: Both gray and fox squirrels are present in good numbers.
Turkey: Rio Grande wild turkeys are present at a very low density.
Furbearers: Coyote, bobcat, raccoon, and beaver are available.
Nongame Species of Interest:
Bald Eagle: Eagles are a fairly common sight along the rivers from November-March.
Other: Wading birds, shorebirds, pelicans and other wetland related birds can be found in good numbers at different times of the year.
Description of Fish and
Wildlife Management Practices:
Management efforts focus on producing native wildlife foods. Prescribed burns
are conducted when conditions permit. Supplemental forage is provided through
management of farming leases and food plot plantings. Wetland development units
are managed to provide additional waterfowl habitat and hunting opportunity.
Camping and Facilities:
Any location within 150 feet of a public use road is available for primitive
camping on the WMA. Campgrounds with electrical hookups can be
found on Keystone Lake at Keystone State Park (918) 865-4991, Walnut Creek State
Park (918) 242-3362 or at Corps of Engineers managed parks (918) 865-2621.
Fishing Opportunities:
Abundant fishing opportunities exist on Keystone Lake; the rivers and their
tributaries. Blue catfish, channel catfish, sand bass, and crappie are the
species most sought by WMA anglers. There are fair to good fishing
opportunities for largemouth bass, flathead catfish and striped bass on the main
body of the lake.
Maps:
Keystone WMA Cimarron Unit Map pdf format (8.5x11)
Keystone WMA Arkansas Unit Map pdf format (8.5x11)
Information on the lake and surrounding area
Area map courtesy of US Army Corp of Engineers
Regulations:
Consult the Wildlife Management Area General Regulations And Public Lands
Restrictions in the Hunting Regulations
For additional information and area attractions:
www.GreenCountryOK.com
1-800-922-2118
Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department
Post Office Box 52002
Oklahoma City, OK 73152-2002
(800) 652-6552 or (405) 521-2409
www.travelok.com
Sand Springs Chamber of Commerce
918-245-3221
www.sandspringschamber.com
Tulsa Convention and Visitors Bureau
Williams Center Tower II
Two West Second Street, Tulsa OK 74103
918-585-1201
1-800-558-3311
www.visittulsa.com