Beaver River WMA

Beaver River WMA covers 18,623.51 acres of western Beaver County in the Oklahoma panhandle. Located just east of Hwy. 83 (southeast of the town of Turpin), Beaver River WMA is a mixture of upland, flood plain, and river bottom. Sagebrush and buffalo grass are predominate on upland sites, which are interspersed with sand plum thickets and rolling sandhills. Bottomlands consist of sand plum thickets, salt cedar, and mixed grassland. The Beaver River, which runs intermittently, offers a classic western Oklahoma floodplain comprised of cottonwood, hackberry, and American elm. The average annual precipitation for the area is about 19 inches. Approximately 20 windmills and 10 guzzlers have been installed to provide water for wildlife. Management practices include grazing of cattle, strip disking, strip mowing, and prescribed burns.

The Beaver River WMA has an additional 5,110 acres which are part of the Beaver River WMA - McFarland Unit.

Management efforts focus on producing native wildlife foods such as ragweed and sunflower, although some small agricultural food plots are planted annually throughout the WMA. An additional 400 acres of agricultural plots are planted in an agriculture lease program.

Going Quail Hunting?

During quail hunting season, wing collection boxes are placed at several wildlife management areas: Beaver River, Optima, Packsaddle, Cooper, Kaw, Drummond Flats, Canton, Fort Supply, Cross Timbers, and Pushmataha. Hunters are asked to donate a wing from each quail they harvest for research purposes. Ultimately, the wings can help determine the status of the quail populations at the WMAs and can offer clues about how next year’s season might pan out.

View Wing Box Map