Outdoor Oklahoma Journal
This is the Outdoor Oklahoma Journal, where we're all about helping you pursue and engage in Oklahoma's vibrant outdoor lifestyle. Follow us for great hunting and fishing stories, wildlife features, insider information about unique opportunities, and tangible details on how to go out and be a hunter, angler, and conservationist. The outdoors are always open, so don't miss out!
"Sharing the Tradition" Can Start at a Shooting Range
The Wildlife Department's shooting range coordinator shot her first firearm at an ODWC shooting range and hopes to build safe, accessible ranges where many people can share the same experience. She encourages hunters to look for ways to "share the tradition" with family, friends, and peers, and offers ODWC shooting ranges as a place to hone new skills.
Build Your Own Dog Safety Field Kit
Whether you’re a seasoned hunter with decades of experience working alongside hunting dogs or just beginning to train your first four-legged companion, having a well-stocked field kit is essential. Your kit should include items for safety, and emergency care to ensure your hunting dog stays healthy and ready for the challenges of the field.
Endangered Whooping Cranes to Move through Oklahoma
Whooping cranes are migrating through the Central Flyway and stopping over in Oklahoma before continuing to coastal Texas. Sportsmen, bird watchers, and other outdoor enthusiasts can join the Wildlife Department in documenting this federally endangered bird’s route by sharing photographs and sighting details at wildlifedepartment.com.
State Biologist’s Carved Decoy Migrates for Flyway Fellowship
A canvasback duck decoy hand-carved in Oklahoma has become a meaningful tradition the past several years among Central Flyway waterfowl biologists.
ODWC Conducts Aerial Seeding For Waterfowl Benefit
This year, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation aerially applied Japanese millet seed to about 2,000 acres around four reservoirs.
From Grave to Recovery
Discover how simple bluebird nesting boxes helped bring eastern bluebirds back from steep population declines and how you can help support these iconic songbirds.
Modern Trapping: An Important Conservation Tool
Regulated wildlife trapping carries out essential roles in modern society by helping to keep animal populations at healthy levels while meeting societal needs. Understanding how regulated trapping works reveals its true value and clears up several common misunderstandings.
Get BearWise: Camp Lessons from OKC Zoo Bears
In September, Woody and Maynard, two American black bears at the Oklahoma City Zoo, demonstrated how quickly they could find food in an imitation campsite and offered a valuable lesson for coexisting with wildlife. When visiting or living in bear country, anything that might tempt a bear — from pet food or this week’s trash to a full-blown picnic — should be properly stored at campsites and other outdoor spaces.
ODWC's Private Lands Program - We're Here to Help
Owning your own property for hunting is something wonderful, but sometimes simply having a place doesn’t mean the hunting opportunities abound. Oftentimes, a helping hand is needed in getting a piece of land to reach its full wildlife-related potential.
Guided Youth Hunts Open the Doors to Waterfowl Hunting
The ODWC guided youth waterfowl hunt program helps young hunters and their families discover a lifelong passion while making waterfowl hunting more accessible for beginners.