John Dahl WMA: deer harvest, rules and map
John Dahl WMA is 480 acres of public hunting land in Osage County, managed by ODWC. Hunters took 33 deer on it in 2025-26, by ODWC's Big Game Harvest Report, and 19 a season on average over the 6 seasons ODWC published. Deer gun, by ODWC's 2026-27 rules for the area: Open during the first nine days only.
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 | 480 acres (ODWC) |
|---|---|
| County | Osage |
| ODWC region | Central |
| Deer harvested, 2025-26 | 33 |
| Deer per 1,000 acres, 2025-26 | 68.8 (worked out from ODWC's two figures) |
| Deer gun season | Open during the first nine days only. |
| Camping | Hunter and angler camping is allowed in designated areas only during hunting seasons. |
| Area contact | (405) 823-7936 |
| Towns | Foraker (next to it), Grainola (7 mi) and Shidler (8 mi) |
How many deer are harvested on John Dahl WMA?
ODWC's count of deer taken on John Dahl WMA, season by season, from its WMA harvest table.
| Season | Deer harvested | Antlered | Antlerless | Archery | Gun | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 33 | |||||
| 2024-25 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 3 |
| 2023-24 | 19 | 11 | 8 | 2 | 16 | 1 |
| 2022-23 | 16 | 4 | 12 | 1 | 15 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 15 | 1 |
| 2020-21 | 15 |
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 John Dahl WMA?
Closed seasons: Turkey Fall Archery, Turkey Fall Gun, Turkey Spring and Youth Turkey Spring.
Same as statewide: Deer Archery, Youth Deer Gun, Deer Muzzleloader, Holiday Antlerless Deer Gun, Dove, Rail, Gallinule and Waterfowl.
Seasons with special restrictions
- Deer Gun: Open during the first nine days only.
- Quail, Crow, Snipe, Woodcock, Rabbit, Squirrel, Pursuit with hounds for Furbearers, Predator/ Furbearer Calling, Trapping: Closed during the first nine days of deer gun season.
Other restrictions
- Hunter and angler camping is allowed in designated areas only during hunting seasons.
Source: ODWC 2026-27 special area regulations, John Dahl WMA.
How do you get to John Dahl WMA?
John Dahl WMA lies in Osage County. Nearest towns: Foraker (next to it), Grainola (7 miles), Shidler (8 miles) and Webb City (10 miles).
Which wildlife management areas are near John Dahl WMA?
| Area | Distance | Deer harvested, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Kaw WMA | 10.2 mi | 389 |
| Osage WMA Western Wall Unit | 10.8 mi | 47 |
| Hulah WMA | 13.9 mi | 261 |
| Osage WMA Rock Creek Unit | 15.3 mi | 26 |
| Copan WMA | 30.6 mi | 171 |
OLAP walk-in hunting tracts within 20 miles: Osage_H005 (160 acres, 14.2 mi) and Osage_H004 (480 acres, 14.2 mi).
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are killed on John Dahl WMA?
ODWC counts 33 deer on John Dahl WMA in 2025-26. Its seasons on record: 2025-26 33, 2024-25 14, 2023-24 19, 2022-23 16, 2021-22 16 and 2020-21 15.
Is deer gun season open on John Dahl WMA?
Yes, with limits. ODWC's 2026-27 rule: Deer Gun: Open during the first nine days only.
Can you camp on John Dahl WMA?
Hunter and angler camping is allowed in designated areas only during hunting seasons, by ODWC's 2026-27 regulations.
Where is John Dahl WMA?
In Osage County. Nearest towns: Foraker (next to it), Grainola (7 miles) and Shidler (8 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 Osage County Kaw WMA Osage WMA Western Wall Unit Hulah WMA