Page 47 - 2024MarApr

The Talimena Scenic Drive cuts the WMA’s From hunting, fishing, hiking, riding, or just
Le Flore Unit in half as it runs along the top of sightseeing, Ouachita WMA really does have
the Winding Stair Mountains from U.S. 271 to something for every outdoor enthusiast.
the Arkansas line. This drive offers many sce- — Segments written by Colby Farquhar, Matt
nic vistas to pull off the roadway and enjoy the Hensley, Joey McAllister, Weston Storer and
view. There are many primitive camping sites Marcus Thibodeau.
on the area, and two sites at Cedar Lake and
Winding Stair Vista that have modern facilities. BIRD DOGS ON WMAs
The area also has two shooting ranges, one on
• All training of bird dogs on Department-managed lands is
the south side, off State Highway 63, and one
closed from June 1-Aug. 31, annually.
on the north, off U.S. 59.
• No person may train or have in possession more than three
Oklahoma has two species of squirrels that
bird dogs on any Department-managed lands outside the reg-
are legal to hunt: the eastern fox squirrel and
ular harvest season.
the eastern gray squirrel. Both are common
• No person who owns or operates a commercial bird dog train-
on the WMA, but the gray squirrel is more
ing business or is an employee in such a business whereby
abundant. Oklahoma’s squirrel season usual-
bird dogs are sold and/or trained for a price or a fee may use
ly runs from May 15 through Feb. 28, with a
Department-managed lands for such training purposes.
daily limit of 25 fox and gray squirrels com-
• Anyone not in a dog-training business may work up to three
bined per day.
personal hunting dogs outside the regular harvest season
Squirrel hunting is a great way to sharpen
and may use Department-managed lands to train such dogs,
marksmanship, stalking skills, and experience
except as otherwise provided.
one of the best-tasting wild game delicacies
out there. The preparation time, expense,
and gear required to bag a few bushytails for WILDLIFEDEPARTMENT.COM
the dinner table is often far less than what
is required to hunt big game or waterfowl.
Squirrel season offers a perfect opportunity
for experienced hunters to introduce a young
hunter to all aspects of the sport, from gun
safety to the skillet. There is no better way to
get a young person hooked on hunting and
share some deep woods wisdom than by tak-
ing them to the woods and helping them har-
vest a few squirrels. The Ouachita WMA has
plenty of habitat, squirrels, and elbow room
to provide a chance to invest in our next gen-
eration of hunters. So don’t let the opportuni-
ty scurry away.
Cedar Lake, an 80-acre impoundment, is the
recreational gem of Ouachita National Forest.
It is the largest and most-used recreation area
in the national forest and has produced two
state-record largemouth bass. Crooked Branch
Lake, a smaller 15-acre water body, is also man-
aged by ODWC and stocked with bass, channel
Running of no more than three personal hunting dogs on WMAs is permitted outside of
cat, and bluegill. regular harvest season.

MARCH/APRIL 2024 45