New to Whitetail Hunting in OK

[OKCOhunter]

Hi everyone,
I recently graduated from OU and took a job teaching in Norman. I am originally from Colorado, where I have hunted both big game (elk, mule deer, and pronghorn) and small (ducks, geese, coyotes etc.) While in college, I did a little duck hunting in OK, mostly around Norman and a little out west, but really just went along with some college friends.
Now that I am more established in Oklahoma and have a bit more money, I have decided I want to try my luck at whitetail hunting, as well as archery. I have never owned a bow, but I just bought one and have been shooting 60+ arrows a day in hopes of getting out into the whitetail woods this fall. I have done a bunch of e-scouting, but I am struggling with finding specific areas to go and what I should be looking for in those areas. I have no experience hunting whitetails or tree stands, but I would like to purchase a saddle soon so I have the mobility to try a bunch of spots.
Let me be clear, I am not asking for anyone's honey hole or dynamite spot, just a newbie looking for any advice or tips to bag my first whitetail (doe or buck) and fill the freezer. If anyone would be willing to share some info on e-scouting, WMAs, or just point me in the right direction, I would really appreciate it. Feel free to pm me too, I would love to ask some more specific questions if people are willing to answer!
Thanks in advance and good luck to everyone this fall!

 

[Conrad101st]

You can bow hunt at thunderbird for free. At least you could when I was in grad school.

Tri city gun club has a good bow range. Might meet somebody out there to hook up with.

 

[Conrad101st]

You missed this year, but next year put in for controlled hunts at Wichita wildlife refuge and McAllister army depot.

 

[LostArra]

If you haven't already be sure to get the Go Outdoors app for the wildlife dept. A lot of good info on it

Remember that the McAlester hunt is traditional only.

If you can hunt weekdays Lexington WMA would be convenient but can be crowded on weekends
There are many other WMAs too. A lot of Oklahoma deer hunting is watching corn feeders on private land but if you get skilled with the saddle you can do well on public land. Double up on your practice: climb trees and then shoot your bow.

 

[Dexter Grayson]

Crosstimbers WMA I believe is bow only except a few rifle draw hunts.

 

[Noish]

Thunderbird you can hunt free but need their parking permit, it's like $60 for the year. There's a lot of deer there, but have to get out before the other hunters. Weekdays work better.
Check out Lake Arcadia also. Edmond has a draw hunt for there that always has spots open, you choose your weekend and won't have to fight other people, it's pretty good on price.
Saddle and sticks would probably work great.

 

[OKCOhunter]

If you haven't already be sure to get the Go Outdoors app for the wildlife dept. A lot of good info on it

Remember that the McAlester hunt is traditional only.

If you can hunt weekdays Lexington WMA would be convenient but can be crowded on weekends
There are many other WMAs too. A lot of Oklahoma deer hunting is watching corn feeders on private land but if you get skilled with the saddle you can do well on public land. Double up on your practice: climb trees and then shoot your bow.

So weekdays are the best way to do it? I'm worried about the crowds, and with such little public in spots, it looks hard to get off the beaten path. I traditionally hunt at least a mile or two (if not more) off the roads in CO, but seems that OK public doesn't always offer that.
For the saddle/tree hunting, is it best to find game trails and sit above those? Or identify pinch points between bedding and feeding?

Thunderbird you can hunt free but need their parking permit, it's like $60 for the year. There's a lot of deer there, but have to get out before the other hunters. Weekdays work better.
Check out Lake Arcadia also. Edmond has a draw hunt for there that always has spots open, you choose your weekend and won't have to fight other people, it's pretty good on price.
Saddle and sticks would probably work great.

Thanks for the info! I've hunted ducks at Tbird a few times, and seen a good amount of sign for deer. I'm worried about the crowds, but I think I'll be able to beat them most weekdays. Has the deadline for the Edmond draw hunts passed? Looking at the Arcadia Lake website, it seems that the due date was July 31st, but they may open the hunts later? I'll keep researching but thanks for the tip!

 

[Noish]

Thanks for the info! I've hunted ducks at Tbird a few times, and seen a good amount of sign for deer. I'm worried about the crowds, but I think I'll be able to beat them most weekdays. Has the deadline for the Edmond draw hunts passed? Looking at the Arcadia Lake website, it seems that the due date was July 31st, but they may open the hunts later? I'll keep researching but thanks for the tip!

If it just ended you’ll have to wait until after the drawing. You can email them and ask if it’s filled. I’ve never seen it fill, and they’ll usually email the list of available dates out and let you pick. Don’t remember the price, I want to say like $25 ** Just looked at the link below, it's $75 now

 

[Honyock]

The Wildlife Department website has a lot of good information on the public areas, harvest reports, etc. If they still sell it, there's a "book" (maps) of all of the public hunting land in the state that you can get from the Wildlife Department. Here's an out of the way place that doesn't get a lot of pressure, the public hunting area at Ft. Cobb. There's a lot of deer and it doesn't allow muzzleload or rifle hunting so the orange army doesn't invade it.

 

[LostArra]

. Has the deadline for the Edmond draw hunts passed? Looking at the Arcadia Lake website, it seems that the due date was July 31st, but they may open the hunts later? I'll keep researching but thanks for the tip!

You used to be able to just walk in the Lake Arcadia office and see what openings were available after the drawing. Driving by the parking areas it appears the opening weekends fill up fast but the weather is usually still hot then. Over the years that hunt has changed into somewhat of a suburban hunt with a lot of rules since you might be retrieving a deer from someone's swimming pool. Looking at the map they may have eliminated some hunting close to homes.

The drawing is August 21.

Deer Management Archery Harvest | Edmond, OK - Official Website

Arcadia Lake Deer Harvest

www.edmondok.gov

 

[displacedtexan]

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