I just moved to Oklahoma, any advice?

[jeffroa2001]

Hello friends,

I just recently relocated to Tahlequah Ok from Indiana, I was wondering if anyone can give me some advice on some trad stuff. Is it OK to go stumping on public property? How is the public land hunting? Any trad groups to join? Etc...

Thanks in advance for any input, hope you all are well!

[Gordon Jabben]

Hello Jeffrey.
Although I now live across the line in Kansas, I have lived most of my life in NE Oklahoma.  I don't think you will have a problem with stump shooting on public hunting land, most of us do.  As for the hunting on public land, I really don't have anything to compare it with but I have taken most of my deer and squirrels on Oklahoma public hunting and it seems pretty good to me. 
I don't know if there's a club there now but some really good archers came from Tahlequah.  The Cherokee bowyer/author Al Herron comes to mind.  Also Miles Bean was from there and I think Joe Thornton the Olympic archery gold medal winner was from that area.   Welcome to Oklahoma.

[jeffroa2001]

Thank you, Gordon! I really appreciate the information. I'm looking forward to getting out there this season and exploring the area. Any places you recommend to check out?

Thank you for the warm welcome!

[Gordon Jabben]

 

[Mike Bolin]

I live in Indiana but worked in the Tulsa area for about a year...spring of '05 until the spring of '06. There were several trad shooters in that area back then. Seems like we had a shoot to go to almost every weekend from March up until deer season. I met the guys out there thru this site, but I haven't seen any of the post on here for quite awhile. I'm sure someone will get you headed in the right direction! There are a bunch of fine folks out that way! Good luck!

[Holm-Made]

Oklahoma Selfbow Society puts on OJAM in March.

[olddogrib]

My advice is move again, lol!  Just kidding, but you remind me of a funny experience. I've been to OK three times in my adult life.  Lawton, Chickasha, Verden, Anadarko, Duncan, OKC.  The first trip was 2 weeks with my youngest son playing in the 12 & under AAU baseball national championships.  August...hotter than h*ll!  The second time was for my eldest son's graduation from Ft. Sill's artillery school.  The final was to pick up my 6 mo. old grandson who'd been abandoned by his mother while my son was on his second of three year- long deployments in Iraq. I stayed at the same Best Western Inn in Lawton those first two times.  When I checked in for the second visit the young lady saw my previous stay.  Her eyes got wide and she proclaimed in shock..."you've been here before."  I said yes, about 7 years ago.  Still incredulous, she replied just as serious as a heart attack.... "why would anyone come back"?  Seriously, I didn't care for "flat" as far as the eye could see and lack of trees and "possum on the half-shell", but I've got miniscule (great-grandmother) Native roots and have always had a huge interest in Native American culture.  OK is fascinating in that regard..the end of the Trail of Tears.  Better even than my state which might be "runner up".  I saw Geronimo's tomb on Ft. Sill and bison on Washita Wildlife refuge.  I  did probably donate $100+ to state coffers from the toll booths every 10 miles, lol!

[pdk25]

Olddogrib, you have been to Lawton which is basically next to the Wichita Mountains wildlife refuge and you still consider Oklahoma flat as far as the eye can see?  So you also have the Ouchita Mountains near the Arkansas border, and the smaller kiamichi range to their west.  Hot in the summer but hog hunting year round.  Where I live there is rolling pasture and woodlots.  I have more oak and pecan trees than you can shake a stick at, and it becomes more wooded the further east that you go.

[pdk25]

And it is all based on where you are in any state.  My wife lived in 'flat as far as the eye can see'Princeton, NC for a time when I was in school.  I would take where I live any day of the week over that.

[Hot Hap]

Be happy you didn't stop in ILL-inois

Hap

[olddogrib]

Patrick,
You are right, eastern N.C. might as well be southwestern OK...except it has more trees...and an ocean.  But I'll take NC's tornadoes.  We have those little ones that jostle people's campers and stuff.  Y'all have that CAT 4 stuff because there's nothing to slow them down.  I can't count the ones that hit Chickasha in the last 100 years...they don't call it "tornado alley" for nothing.  Stay safe!

[JDunlap]

There's all kinds of good public ground on the eastern half of Okie-not to mention the western half. Tahlequah is right in the middle of it! If you can get Michael Arnette to respond he's a public ground deer hunting machine! I've spent a lot of time in Cherokee wma, which is real close to you. It, along with Camp Gruber, is over 30,000 acres of rough, hilly wooded, public hunting. Good deer numbers and hogs. There are some other wma's that are better. Get the Outdoor Oklahoma app and you can get a lot of info. And yes I've seen lots of posts by pdk25... there's a bunch of hogs in his neck of the woods!

[GCook]

Keep going south.  You'd like Texas a lot more.👍

[Papajack]

Jeff, I'm from Eastern Ok. and there is an Archery Group in Wagoner, Ok. just as few miles west of you. I'm not sure about their shoots but I know they have an outdoor 3d range around Wagoner and normally hold several shoots a year. Look them up on the internet, Wagoner Archery Club, I'm sure you be able to find them. As far as public hunting grounds? Your right in the middle of it! Cherokee, Gruber, Spavinaw, Cookson Hills. Lot's of public hunting and still some private available once you live there and get to know a few people.   

[Papajack]

Oh forgot to mention Jeff. Thanks for your service!

[pdk25]

You probably don't want to be in Oklahoma.  It is hideous, with no trees.  Just like my backyard, although there are alot more trees on the rest of my property.

[Onehair]

Wow PDK I buy my groceries in ADA. My hunting is in Roff and we have nice trees.

[JLeMieux]

I lived in Altus from '96-'02. I was in shock at first, but eventually realized it was a great place for a hunter/fisherman to live. I still enjoy going back to hunt public land.

[pdk25]

[Jeff D. Holchin]

You might check into the McAlester Army ammo depot  bowhunts.