Skip to main content

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!

Angler fishing on bank at Lake Schooler in Choctaw County
Tackle the Basics: Zero Experience Required

ODWC's Tackle the Basics adult fishing clinics are taking place all summer. And with zero experience required, they are perfect for beginners.

Sand Plum Thicket
Are Pure Grasslands Good for Quail?

Pure grassland sounds ideal, but quail need more than grass. A diverse mix of native grasses, forbs, shrubs, and flowering plants provides the food, cover, and habitat quail need to thrive. Diversity beats monoculture every time.

A biologist passes a soil sample to another biologist holding a small ice chest.
St. Jude Monitors Wildlife Disease to Safeguard Children

Medical research met wildlife disease surveillance this winter when a St. Jude disease researcher tested sediment samples at known whooping crane stopover sites in five states. This pilot project gave insights into the prevalence and detection rates of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in the Central Flyway.

Pond Construction
Building the “Perfect” Farm Pond

Building a farm pond? Start with the right location, plan your depth, shape, and habitat carefully, and be patient. A good pond is a living system and investing in it right means great fishing ahead.

A grayish red bird with a large orange bill perches on a small branch.
QUIZ: What Kind of Birder Are You?

Are you a fledgling birder, a yard bird, or a long-distance migrant? Take our bird watching quiz to find your birding style, then get tips for building skills and leveling up your birding experience.

Angler fishing on bank at Lake Schooler in Choctaw County
Check Out ODWC's "Hidden Gems" of Fishing

Oklahoma offers some of the best fishing opportunities anywhere. The state is known for its huge reservoirs, but did you know the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) actually owns and manages its very own assortment of smaller fishing lakes?

A bird with a russet brown back and yellow and black throat sings while perched on a green stem.
Birding by Ear: Tips for Identifying Bird Songs

Identifying the songs and calls made by individual bird species, or birding by ear, is a great way to level up your nature experience and appreciate birds in a new way.

Wildlife viewer looking through binoculars.
Find Your Next Birding Hotspot

Oklahoma has a great mix of birds and bird habitats, making the state an epic place to begin or level up your bird watching journey. We share recs for where to go birding in Oklahoma, regardless of your birding style.

A group of invasive red cedars against a blue sky.
Redcedar Removal a Big First Step to Improving Habitat

Eastern redcedar trees are taking over Oklahoma's landscape and destroying wildlife habitat. Learn how redcedar removal can restore native plants, conserve water, and bring wildlife back to your property.

A whitetail buck stands in a green forest.
Increase Your Winning Odds for Controlled Hunts

Study last year's stats, stack preference points, and add extra hunt choices to maximize your odds at scoring one of Oklahoma's 5,000+ exclusive controlled hunt permits, including trophy elk, whitetail, and pronghorn opportunities.