Current management practices on the WMA are specialized to help manage the area's deer, elk, turkey, and quail populations.

The Spavinaw Wildlife Management Area (WMA) lies in the heart of the Oklahoma Ozarks within in the Spavinaw Creek water shed and immediately south of Spavinaw and Eucha Lakes. The WMA is comprised of about 14,316 acres of forested limestone plateau that has been cut and dissected by at least eight intermittent streams to create a series of valleys or hollow. The WMA falls in western Delaware and eastern Mayes counties and is located south of Highway 20. 

Many game species are present on the WMA, making it a good destination for sportsmen. Hunters can find whitetail deer and squirrel, along with quail, turkey, rabbit, coyote, bobcat and multiple species of waterfowl. Fishing is available at both Spavinaw and Eucha lakes. These are both owned by the City of Tulsa and within one mile of the WMA boundary. Both lakes are known for outstanding bluegill, largemouth bass and catfish. Spavinaw Creek also has bass and sunfish. To learn more about hunting and fishing in the area, consult the current Oklahoma Fishing and Hunting Regulations. 

Despite the number of hollows and the proximity of two reservoirs, there is very little surface water on Spavinaw WMA. Porous limestone (also known as karst) underlies the area and most of the area's rainfall percolates into the soil or into the limestone gravel on the floor of each hollow. The hollows contain a handful of springs and seeps, but no stretches of perennial streams. There are, however, small man-made pools on the area that provide water for birds and large mammals. These same pools are also magnets for the area's amphibian population and support abundant populations of gray treefrogs, spring peepers (a small forest-dwelling frog), pickerel frogs, green frogs, central newts and spotted salamanders. 

Moist, deciduous forests dominate the hollows or valleys. The most abundant trees include eastern short leaf pine, white oak, black gum, northern red oak, and mockernut hickory, which tower above an understory of witch-hazel, dogwood, hawthorn and deciduous holly. In these forests, wildlife watchers can find eastern chipmunk, northern parula, Acadian flycatcher, Kentucky warbler, worm-eating warbler and Louisiana waterthrush. Although they are rarely seen, Spavinaw WMA supports an abundant population of southern flying squirrels and a diverse population of at least six species of bats. Spavinaw also is one of only a few places where the American redstart can be found during the nesting season. A few openings are maintained in the hollows to provide forage for whitetail deer and a small reintroduced population of American elk that are frequently seen from the area's roads. These openings also attract ruby-throated hummingbirds, northern cardinals and American goldfinches. 

Forests also dominate the drier, rockier ridges between the hollows, but these are forests comprised by black hickory, post oak and shortleaf pine with an understory of blueberries, sumac and wildflowers. Wildlife in this habitat includes the yellow-throated warbler, summer tanager, indigo bunting, tufted titmouse, eastern wood pewee, whitetail deer and gray fox. The southwest boundary fence takes in a remnant patch of tallgrass prairie called the Cochran Prairie and Partain Fields, and an adjacent stand of oak savannah. In forest openings and on the prairie, species such as the great spangled fritillary (a large brightly colored butterfly), groundhog (aka woodchuck), yellow-breasted chat and eastern towhee occur. 

For more information about Spavinaw WMA, log on to wildlifedepartment.com 

Using Spavinaw 

Spavinaw is referred to as a Wildlife Management Area, or WMA, along with all other lands owned, licensed, leased or under the management of the Wildlife Department. But depending on the specific goals for the area, all or part of any WMA may also be referenced with other titles, such as a public hunting area (PHA) or game management area (GMA). 

Spavinaw WMA actually consists of both a PHA and a GMA. 

The PHA consists of more than 2,000 acres, while the GMA consists of over 12,000 acres. The PHA is an area where most forms of wildlife harvest are permitted under statewide hunting, fishing, and furbearer regulations, unless specific regulations for the area indicate otherwise. The GMA is an area where hunting and public use are more closely regulated. For information regarding regulations on each of these areas be sure to check the latest Oklahoma Fishing and Hunting Regulations. 

Find the original article in the May/June issue of Outdoor Oklahoma magazine.