Page 39 - May/June 2022 Outdoor Oklahoma

HOW ARE WMAs MANAGED?

A key in properly managing the land TONY CRAWFORD/ODWC
is choosing how to use it wisely. Each
Department WMA has a management
plan on how best to protect, enhance
and use the area. Each WMA has its
own particular wildlife species and
habitat to manage.
Habitat and wildlife management
go hand in hand. Habitat manage-
ment may include prescribed burning,
herbicide applications, agriculture or
grazing leases, timber thinning, and mineral or surface rights leasing. Off-season
prescribed
The top priority for public use of WMAs is for hunting, fishing, trapping, run- burning is an
ning dogs for sport, and associated activities. Lesser priorities, in order, are: important habitat
management
• Other wildlife-oriented activities (nature observation or
practice on WMAs
WHITNEY HESKETT/ODWC • Non-wildlife related activities, when they don’t conflict across the state.
photography, conservation education, etc.).

with wildlife management objectives (hiking, backpacking,
picnicking, horseback riding, short-term camping, etc.)
• Large group activities.

The Department uses leases as a management tool to
benefit wildlife by providing supplemental food and cover,
creating edges, maintaining openings, promoting various
habitat changes to meet area management goals, and
demonstrating publicly the compatibility between manage-
ment practices and wildlife habitat improvements. Leases
also generate funds for other management area activities.
Currently, there are 233 agriculture-related leases. Just
Nature photography shy of $1 million in revenue was generated by these leases in fiscal year 2021.
can be quite
rewarding during Along with managing for the wildlife and habitat, some areas also manage for
the off-season at human visitation to the area. A common way this is done is by closing some WMAs
Department WMAs.
for a certain type of hunting, or holding only controlled hunts on the area.

WILDLIFEDEPARTMENT.COM

Training of personal hunting dogs is an activity available on WMAs from Sept. 1 to May 30 annually.

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