Page 37 - May/June 2022 Outdoor Oklahoma

WHAT ARE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS?

All lands owned, leased, or under the management of the Wildlife Department
The Secret Lives of WMAs are referred to as WMAs to accurately reflect the overall objectives for these
lands and the results of the manage-
ment activities conducted there.
Depending on the specific manage- WHITNEY HESKETT/ODWC
ment objectives, all or parts of any
particular WMA may be designated
as a public hunting area (PHA), game
management area (GMA), waterfowl
refuge portion (WRP), wetland devel-
opment unit (WDU), conservation and
education area (CEA) and public fish-
ing and hunting area (PFHA).
In addition to the ODWC-owned
WMAs, the Department also works with other state and federal agencies to main- Wister WMA
and Lake Wister
tain public access on their areas. The McAlester Army Ammunition Plant (AAP) and offers plenty of
the Camp Gruber Joint Maneuver Training Center (JMTC) are both owned and “off-season”
opportunities for
operated by the U.S. Department of the Army. National recreation areas and the outdoor adventure.
national wildlife refuges are owned and managed by the U.S. Department of the
Interior. All of these areas provide some hunting and fishing opportunities.

TONY CRAWFORD/ODWC WHY ARE THERE WMAs
IN OKLAHOMA?
The Oklahoma Department of
Wildlife Conservation’s mission is man-
age and protect fish and wildlife, along
with their habitats,
while also grow-
ing our communi- JENNIFER BENGE/ODWC
ty of hunters and
anglers, partnering
with those who
love the outdoors,
and fostering stew-
ardship with those who care for the land. Cattle grazing
leases are a way that
In ODWC’s 2021 Game Harvest Survey, WMAs can return
hunters were asked, “How important revenue for ODWC’s
wildlife conservation
is public land to you for your hunting?” and management
activities.
More than eight of 10 hunters said it was
“very important.”
Of those who said they were active
hunters, 29 percent had hunted on public
lands in 2020, and 8 percent relied exclu-
Aerial application of herbicides is sometimes needed to accomplish
management objectives on WMAs. sively on public land for hunting.

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