Oklahoma or Arkansas for a public land hunt

[dbpredator]

Im thinking of going on a out of state hunt but don't want to spend a whole lot and will be a quick 2 or 3 day hunt. The goal is to have fun deer hunting somewhere different. Any buck would be nice but I'd be OK even with a doe. Not looking for any honey holes but anyone have some pointers on what areas to look into? I'd love a spot and stalk kind of hunt but doesn't have to be. Is there really any such opportunities without traveling more than about 6 hours out of NE Texas?

[CTR0022]

I'd go to Missouri if it was me.

[sasqy]

Either one has multiple opportunities!
Some parts of AR are infested with deer.

[friscopaint]

there is a ton of bow hunting public areas east of Atoka, I haven't personally hunted them but been around the area and lots of deer and a large amount of lands to hunt. There are cabins and camping spots at the lake, can't remember it's name. This is all north of Lane, Oklahoma. From what I've read it's like any public don't go on weekends and get away from the roads. I've fished the Blue River WMA near Tishimingo a bunch in the fall and never see bowhunters and it has a lot of deer too. You can also look along the Red River, Fobb bottom, and Love WMA's I've been told they get hit pretty hard on the weekends but no first hand experience but you may walk up on a meth lab in any of Oklahoma lands........

[Phorizt]

for spot and stalk you probably need to look at some of the more wide open WMAs in western OK like Sandy Sanders(although deer numbers seem pretty low out there). I want to get up to Beaver River WMA and hunt at some point but that's all the way up in the OK panhandle so it's a long drive from NE texas. I did a youth hunt w my son at James Collins and there's some big deer in there and it is cool country. From scouting that one, there are old stands around every opening on the place anywhere within a couple miles of the entrance. But it's big enough that we were able to get back in pretty deep where we never saw sign of any other people hunting.

[okrattler]

I've hunted the Beaver Wildlife Management and others since I was a kid. Walked all over it and have only ever seen a few bucks. None that I'd consider shooters from a trophy standpoint. Plenty of does though. There's a lot of OLAP land now though and that's where I'd be looking if I was traveling out of State to hunt. Newly leased ground that hasn't been hit hard yet would be the best bet in my opinion. Wildlife Management land that is bow and shotgun only is in Texas County, probably Beaver and Cimarron County too but I don't know for sure. I've heard stories of big bucks spotted in those areas but don't know anyone that's shot one there.

A lot of land I grew up huntin on is now Wildlife Management land. Back then it wasn't uncommon to see big bucks. Seems like as that land was more accessible to just anyone the deer don't frequent those areas as much and if you see them they're usually high tailing it. It's all sagebrush, plumb thickets and sandhills over there for the most part. Not much to hide behind in the way of spot and stalk unless you just happen to see a mule deer bedded down somewhere and crawled out to it. They're dumb enough to where that's doable. Problem with that is you'll be covered in sand burrs by the time you get out there. But if you're that crazy about shootin a deer I guess it won't bother you.

By all means come shoot the deer here though. Even if it's just does. They're everywhere. Shoot as many as you can. They'll just end up getting killed on the highway if you don't. Personally I don't like any of 'em so if I see one I'll get on here and tell you right where it's at. Don't mean nothin to me. I've almost hit two mulie does just this week. Standing right in the middle of the road. Those things are dumber than a box of rocks.

[friscopaint]

I've hunted the Beaver Wildlife Management and others since I was a kid. Walked all over it and have only ever seen a few bucks. None that I'd consider shooters from a trophy standpoint. Plenty of does though. There's a lot of OLAP land now though and that's where I'd be looking if I was traveling out of State to hunt. Newly leased ground that hasn't been hit hard yet would be the best bet in my opinion. Wildlife Management land that is bow and shotgun only is in Texas County, probably Beaver and Cimarron County too but I don't know for sure. I've heard stories of big bucks spotted in those areas but don't know anyone that's shot one there.

A lot of land I grew up huntin on is now Wildlife Management land. Back then it wasn't uncommon to see big bucks. Seems like as that land was more accessible to just anyone the deer don't frequent those areas as much and if you see them they're usually high tailing it. It's all sagebrush, plumb thickets and sandhills over there for tunnhe most part. Not much to hide behind in the way of spot and stalk unless you just happen to see a mule deer bedded down somewhere and crawled out to it. They're dumb enough to where that's doable. Problem with that is you'll be covered in sand burrs by the time you get out there. But if you're that crazy about shootin a deer I guess it won't bother you.

By all means come shoot the deer here though. Even if it's just does. They're everywhere. Shoot as many as you can. They'll just end up getting killed on the highway if you don't. Personally I don't like any of 'em so if I see one I'll get on here and tell you right where it's at. Don't mean nothin to me. I've almost hit two mulie does just this week. Standing right in the middle of the road. Those things are dumber than a box of rocks.

funny about the sandburs/stickers our family farm is in Aline/Cleo area and I hunt all over it and virtually impossible to crawl under any fence without getting covered in them, would be pure torture crawling through them.....friends field we dove hunted you had to be careful picking up birds due to stickers on the birds when they fell........you story of hating the deer reminds me of hunting in Iowa or Kansas and had to get doe tags at court house and the ladies there said don't even tag them just kill them and drag into the ditch, they hated deer

[okrattler]

funny about the sandburs/stickers our family farm is in Aline/Cleo area and I hunt all over it and virtually impossible to crawl under any fence without getting covered in them, would be pure torture crawling through them.....friends field we dove hunted you had to be careful picking up birds due to stickers on the birds when they fell........you story of hating the deer reminds me of hunting in Iowa or Kansas and had to get doe tags at court house and the ladies there said don't even tag them just kill them and drag into the ditch, they hated deer

Years ago I was turkey huntin and saw a group out in a field, no cover to speak of except ragweed and grass. I got on my belly and crawled over 100 yards. As I got closer I think "Man, I'm putting the sneak on these turkeys." There was a huge tom out in amongst these hens strutting. As I get close to a fallen tree I knew I was within killin distance. I get up on my knees, gun raised and they were hauling butt out of there already. I guess they saw the weeds move. I shot twice in desperation to no avail. I was covered in sand burrs. Absolutely covered.

As far as deer go, I've killed way more with a vehicle than I have with a weapon. I'd hate to know how much I've spent fixing up my vehicles. There for a while my truck was a deer magnet. I had one come over a fence, through the ditch, onto the road and smash into my passenger side door one night. Shook the truck, scared the hell out of me. That door was wrecked. Never got it fixed. I don't know if I could have. They'd have had to replace the whole door probably. It cratered it. They're about like a big jackrabbit. They see headlights and run to them or just freeze.

Everyone on this website needs to come here and kill at least a doe. They're overpopulated. I don't know anyone that shoots does. They'll shoot a spike before they'll shoot a doe. Them antlerless deer taste just as good as them others. I don't know if Okies are aware of that but it's true. I've eaten both.

[friscopaint]

Years ago I was turkey huntin and saw a group out in a field, no cover to speak of except ragweed and grass. I got on my belly and crawled over 100 yards. As I got closer I think "Man, I'm putting the sneak on these turkeys." There was a huge tom out in amongst these hens strutting. As I get close to a fallen tree I knew I was within killin distance. I get up on my knees, gun raised and they were hauling butt out of there already. I guess they saw the weeds move. I shot twice in desperation to no avail. I was covered in sand burrs. Absolutely covered.

As far as deer go, I've killed way more with a vehicle than I have with a weapon. I'd hate to know how much I've spent fixing up my vehicles. There for a while my truck was a deer magnet. I had one come over a fence, through the ditch, onto the road and smash into my passenger side door one night. Shook the truck, scared the hell out of me. That door was wrecked. Never got it fixed. I don't know if I could have. They'd have had to replace the whole door probably. It cratered it. They're about like a big jackrabbit. They see headlights and run to them or just freeze.

Everyone on this website needs to come here and kill at least a doe. They're overpopulated. I don't know anyone that shoots does. They'll shoot a spike before they'll shoot a doe. Them antlerless deer taste just as good as them others. I don't know if Okies are aware of that but it's true. I've eaten both.

Brother had one T bone his passenger side door on Hwy 412, scared him too........back when they had check stations you could see if it had horns it was going down, change in buck limit really helped that though the 3 buck was ridiculous we crushed the does though and made tons of summer sausage back then