The outdoors are always open, and are a great place for wildlife enthusiasts to bloom this spring! Whether you plan to explore a new outdoor passion this year, build your identification or photography skills, or introduce a newcomer to Outdoor Oklahoma, the Wildlife Department is here for you! We have four ideas for getting outside and connecting to nature:
Share Your Fish and Wildlife Sightings
Sharing the “what, when and where” of your nature sightings can help you connect to our natural world on a deeper level, and help Wildlife Department biologists keep tabs on our state’s diverse fish and wildlife communities. Whether you're encountering fish and wildlife in your own backyard or while exploring Outdoor Oklahoma, we'd love to hear the story!
- Share your photos and sighting highlights (and get identification help!) on our social channels @OKWildlifeDept
- Share your sighting’s full story with biologists at wildlifedepartment.com
- Join the broader citizen science community by sharing observations on free platforms like iNaturalist and eBird!
Explore a Wildlife Management Area
The Wildlife Department manages more than 1.4 million acres of public land and has Wildlife Management Areas spread across the state. These WMAs are a great place to connect to nature, dig into your outdoor passions, and share those passions with someone new to the outdoor community.
- Start planning your next adventure (and find area-specific regulations/seasons)
- Renew your Conservation Passport or hunting or fishing license, if needed, if you plan to visit a Wildlife Department-owned area. Licenses can be stored and accessed with our Go Outdoors Oklahoma app (available on Apple and Android devices)
Sign Up for the Wild Side e-Newsletter
Get updates from around the state in the Wildlife Department’s “Wild Side” e-newsletter! Each month we bring you stories from Outdoor Oklahoma, introduce you to a member of our wild and wonderful fish and wildlife community, update you on research and survey efforts, share outdoor events, and much, much more!
- Give our newsletter a sniff test by browsing last month's edition
- Take the plunge and subscribe now
Accept the ODWC Shutter Slam Challenge
Photography is a great way to build a deeper connection to Outdoor Oklahoma and its incredible fish and wildlife communities. In turn, your images and stories can help open the door for other Oklahomans to enjoy and explore our natural world!
To better bring our state’s rich photo ops – and the photographers behind the shot – into focus, the Wildlife Department has created a Shutter Slam photo challenge. Whether you’re feelin’ birdy, hunting for herptiles, exploring Oklahoma, or a budding naturalist, we have a Shutter Slam for you! Each slam has four to five specific photo challenges and asks for your story. Slam participants will receive an all-weather sticker for completing each challenge.