Beaver River WMA - McFarland Unit covers 5,110.32 acres of western Beaver County in the Oklahoma panhandle. It is part of the overall Beaver River WMA which includes an additional 18,623 acres. Located just east of Hwy. 83 (southeast of the town of Turpin), Beaver River WMA is a mixture of upland, flood plain, and river bottom. Sagebrush and buffalo grass are predominate on upland sites, which are interspersed with sand plum thickets and rolling sandhills. Bottomlands consist of sand plum thickets, salt cedar, and mixed grassland. The Beaver River, which runs intermittently, offers a classic western Oklahoma floodplain comprised of cottonwood, hackberry, and American elm. The average annual precipitation for the area is about 19 inches. Approximately 20 windmills and 10 guzzlers have been installed to provide water for wildlife. Management practices include grazing of cattle, strip disking, strip mowing, and prescribed burns.
Management efforts focus on producing native wildlife foods such as ragweed and sunflower, although some small agricultural food plots are planted annually throughout the WMA. An additional 400 acres of agricultural plots are planted in an agriculture lease program.
Going Quail Hunting?
During quail hunting season, wing collection boxes are placed at several wildlife management areas: Beaver River, Optima, Packsaddle, Cooper, Kaw, Drummond Flats, Canton, Fort Supply, Cross Timbers, and Pushmataha. Hunters are asked to donate a wing from each quail they harvest for research purposes. Ultimately, the wings can help determine the status of the quail populations at the WMAs and can offer clues about how next year’s season might pan out.
From Beaver take US-270 W/Crescent Douglas north for 3.4 miles. Turn west onto Beaver Rd. Travel for 8 miles to N1310 Rd. Travel south onto N1310 Rd. After 0.8 miles you will reach a “T” intersection, turn right. The rifle range will be on your right.
Five designated primitive camping areas are offered on the area. The Beaver Dunes Park offers campsites with facilities and RV hookups. The State Park can be reached at (580) 625-3373. The towns of Beaver and Forgan have lodging and restaurants. The Beaver Chamber of Commerce can be reached at (580) 625-4726. In Forgan contact the city clerk at (580) 487-3393.
A rifle range can be found on the north side of the area. It offers both 50 and 100 yard ranges and has a covered shooting bench.
Fishing opportunities exist at Beaver Dunes Park, about 10 miles east of the area and at Lake Evans Chambers (known locally as Clear Lake) located about 45 miles east of the area. There are no ponds or permanent pools on the WMA to sustain a reliable fishery.
Area closed to all activities for controlled deer hunts:
Oct. 18-20, 2024.
Nov. 23-24, 2024.
Closed Seasons
Same As Statewide Seasons
Seasons w/ Special Restrictions
- Deer Muzzleloader
Open to deer muzzleloader, closed to mule deer hunting.
- Deer Archery, Crow, Snipe, Woodcock, Rabbit, Squirrel
Closed during the first nine days of deer gun season.
- Turkey Fall Gun
Shotgun only.
- Quail
Closed during the first nine days of deer gun season. Hunting hours close at 4:30 p.m. daily. Closed to non-resident hunting February 1-15.
- Pheasant
Closed during the first nine days of deer gun season. Hunting hours close at 4:30 p.m. daily.
- Trapping
Open to water sets, live box traps and enclosed trigger traps only through Jan 31. Open same as statewide Feb 1 through end of February.
- Predator/Furbearer Calling, Sandhill Cranes, Waterfowl
Closed during deer gun season.
- Turkey Spring, Youth Turkey Spring
One-tom limit; seasons combined. Hunting hours close at 7:00 p.m. daily.
Areas in Section 1 and 12, T4N, R23E and Section 7, T4N, R24E are restricted to archery. Closed to all non-hunting activities, except hunter camping, from Oct. 1 - Feb. 15. Hunter and angler camping is allowed in designated areas.
Prairie dog hunting is closed.
Hunter and angler camping is allowed in designated areas.
Venison: It's What's For Dinner!
There are numerous reasons to go deer hunting: the adventure, the tradition, the opportunity to connect with nature, and the nutritious meat it provides. With grocery prices on the rise, I'm especially eager to fill my freezer with deer meat this year. As a family of four, having nutritious, self-harvested meat gives me peace of mind knowing we're eating healthy and saving money. This led me to explore the health benefits of deer meat. Below is what I discovered. I hope it encourages you to enjoy the outdoors, harvest venison, and prepare it this season!
