Arbuckle Springs WMA: deer harvest, rules and map
Arbuckle Springs WMA is 3,875 acres of public hunting land in Johnston County and Coal County, managed by ODWC. Hunters took 50 deer on it in 2025-26, by ODWC's Big Game Harvest Report, and 41 a season on average over the 6 seasons ODWC published. Deer gun season is closed here, outside controlled hunts.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: ODWC's Big Game Harvest Reports. Rules: ODWC's 2026-27 special area regulations. Boundary: ODWC's WMA map.
This areaOther wildlife management areaOLAP walk-in tractCounty lineLake or riverHighway
| Size | 3,875 acres (ODWC) |
|---|---|
| County | Johnston, Coal |
| ODWC region | Central |
| Deer harvested, 2025-26 | 50 |
| Deer per 1,000 acres, 2025-26 | 12.9 (worked out from ODWC's two figures) |
| Deer gun season | Closed (controlled hunts only) |
| Camping | Hunter and angler camping is allowed in designated areas. |
| Area contact | (405) 823-8383 |
| Towns | Bromide (next to it), Wapanucka (6 mi) and Tupelo (10 mi) |
How many deer are harvested on Arbuckle Springs WMA?
ODWC's count of deer taken on Arbuckle Springs WMA, season by season, from its WMA harvest table.
| Season | Deer harvested | Antlered | Antlerless | Archery | Gun | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 50 | |||||
| 2024-25 | 46 | 28 | 18 | 34 | 12 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 38 | 20 | 18 | 30 | 8 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 35 | 13 | 22 | 23 | 12 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 42 | 19 | 23 | 25 | 17 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 36 |
Source: ODWC Big Game Harvest Reports (2025-26, 2024-25, 2023-24, 2022-23, 2021-22, 2020-21), Table 2, WMA harvest by sex and method. A season missing from the table had no row for the area or its table did not reconcile. Method and sex columns are left blank for 2025-26 and 2020-21: that year's table adds up row by row and to its printed total, but its columns do not match the printed column totals, so only the totals are used.
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Arbuckle Springs WMA?
- Area closed to all activities for controlled deer hunts Nov. 21-22, 2026
Closed seasons: Deer Gun, Deer Muzzleloader, Holiday Antlerless Deer Gun and Turkey Fall Gun.
Same as statewide: Youth Deer Gun, Deer Archery and Turkey Fall Archery.
Seasons with special restrictions
- Dove, Quail, Rail, Gallinule, Woodcock, Snipe, Crow, Waterfowl, Squirrel, Rabbit, Pursuit with Hounds, Predator/Furbearer Calling: Closed from the opening day of deer archery season through the first nine days of deer gun season.
- Trapping: Closed from the opening day of deer archery season through the first nine days of deer gun season. Open to water sets, live box traps and enclosed trigger traps only.
- Turkey Spring, Youth Turkey Spring: One-tom limit; seasons combined.
Other restrictions
- Closed to all nonhunting activities, except for hunter and/or angler camping and fishing, from Oct. 1 - Feb. 15.
- Hunter and angler camping is allowed in designated areas.
Source: ODWC 2026-27 special area regulations, Arbuckle Springs WMA.
How do you get to Arbuckle Springs WMA?
Arbuckle Springs WMA lies in Johnston County and Coal County. Nearest towns: Bromide (next to it), Wapanucka (6 miles), Tupelo (10 miles) and Stonewall (11 miles). Highways within 5 miles: OK 7 (3.4 miles), US 377 (4.9 miles) and OK 99 (4.9 miles).
Which wildlife management areas are near Arbuckle Springs WMA?
| Area | Distance | Deer harvested, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Blue River Public Fishing and Hunting Area | 4.3 mi | 57 |
| Tishomingo Wildlife Management Unit | 16.1 mi | 30 |
| Texoma-Washita Arm WMA | 16.5 mi | 40 |
| Atoka WMA | 26.9 mi | 97 |
| Stringtown WMA | 29.8 mi | 16 |
OLAP walk-in hunting tracts within 20 miles: Johnston_H004 (350 acres, 17.5 mi) and Johnston_H005 (150 acres, 17.5 mi).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed on Arbuckle Springs WMA?
ODWC counts 50 deer on Arbuckle Springs WMA in 2025-26. Its seasons on record: 2025-26 50, 2024-25 46, 2023-24 38, 2022-23 35, 2021-22 42 and 2020-21 36.
Is deer gun season open on Arbuckle Springs WMA?
No. ODWC's 2026-27 rules close Arbuckle Springs WMA to deer gun season; deer gun hunting there is by controlled hunt only.
Can you camp on Arbuckle Springs WMA?
Hunter and angler camping is allowed in designated areas, by ODWC's 2026-27 regulations.
Where is Arbuckle Springs WMA?
In Johnston County and Coal County. Nearest towns: Bromide (next to it), Wapanucka (6 miles) and Tupelo (10 miles).
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Where these facts come from
- Deer harvest: ODWC Big Game Harvest Reports, 2025-26, 2024-25, 2023-24, 2022-23, 2021-22, 2020-21, WMA table.
- Seasons and rules: ODWC 2026-27 hunting regulations, special area regulations.
- Boundary and acres: ODWC Public WMA Boundaries. Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024. Water: USGS NHD.
FilledTag is not part of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. ODWC's regulations and posted signs are the final word.
Oklahoma hunting Johnston County Coal County Blue River Public Fishing and Hunting Area Tishomingo Wildlife Management Unit Texoma-Washita Arm WMA