Home › Oklahoma › Public land › Optima WMA
WMA · OK
Optima Wildlife Management Area for hunters
What the sources say about this wildlife management area, 8,062 acres, in Texas County.
Photo: Leaflet (CC0 1.0)
Getting to Optima Wildlife Management Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Optima Wildlife Management Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.7 mi from the centreDirections
Parking, trailhead and gate locations come from OpenStreetMap contributors. Roads into public land can be gated or seasonal; check with the managing agency before you go.
Optima WMA: area rules and closures
On Optima WMA the Department-Managed Area Rules apply, so stands must be portable, nothing may be baited and everything left out carries your customer ID number. Optima WMA is on the ODWC list of areas where nonresident hunters must check in and out.
ODWC prints 24 season lines for Optima WMA: 3 closed, 7 on statewide dates and 14 with an extra restriction.
| Hunt | On this area | ODWC wording |
|---|---|---|
| Rail | Closed | – |
| Gallinule | Closed | – |
| Holiday Antlerless Deer Gun | Closed | – |
| Youth Deer Gun | Statewide dates | – |
| Dove | Statewide dates | – |
| Duck, Merganser and Coot | Statewide dates | – |
| Sandhill Cranes | Statewide dates | – |
| Turkey Fall Archery | Statewide dates | – |
| Deer Archery | Statewide dates | – |
| Rabbit | Statewide dates | – |
| Crow | Restricted | Closed during the first nine days of deer gun season. |
| Snipe | Restricted | Closed during the first nine days of deer gun season. |
| Woodcock | Restricted | Closed during the first nine days of deer gun season. |
| Squirrel | Restricted | Closed during the first nine days of deer gun season. |
| Deer Muzzleloader | Restricted | Closed to antlerless hunting. |
| Deer Gun | Restricted | Open during the first nine days only. Closed to antlerless hunting. |
| Pursuit with Hounds for Furbearers | Restricted | Closed during deer gun season. |
| Predator/Furbearer Calling | Restricted | Closed during deer gun season. |
| Pheasant | Restricted | Closed during the first nine days of deer gun season. Hunting hours close at 4:30 p.m. daily. |
| Turkey Fall Gun | Restricted | Shotgun only. |
| Trapping | Restricted | Open to water sets, live box traps and enclosed trigger traps only through Jan 31. Open same as statewide Feb 1 through end of February. |
| Turkey Spring | Restricted | One-tom limit; seasons combined. Hunting hours close at 7:00 p.m. daily. |
| Youth Turkey Spring | Restricted | One-tom limit; seasons combined. Hunting hours close at 7:00 p.m. daily. |
| Quail | Restricted | Closed during the first nine days of deer gun season. Hunting hours close at 4:30 p.m. daily. Closed to non-resident hunting February 1-15. |
Further rules for Optima WMA
- Hunter and angler camping is allowed in designated areas.
| Topic | ODWC rule |
|---|---|
| Bait | Not allowed |
| Stands | Portable only |
| Stand removal | Within 14 days |
| Marking | ODWC customer ID |
| Target shooting | Designated ranges |
| Vehicles | Open roads only |
| Camping limit | 16 days in a row |
Sources: source, source, source, source (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation). Checked November 3, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Optima Wildlife Management Area
Optima WMA on paper
The ODWC area page puts Optima WMA at 8,062 acres. Its GIS polygon works out to 9,107 acres. Texas County has 23 records with acreage here; Optima WMA is number 1.
Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation manages it, inside the ODWC Northwest Region. Title, per the layer, sits with COE. Texas County holds 14,023 acres of public land on the GIS layers.
ODWC describes it: Chronic Wasting Disease has been detected in the area. A Selective Surveillance Area (SSA) has been established for Texas County. Optima WMA covers 8,062 acres of eastern Texas County in the Oklahoma panhandle. Located just north off Hwy. 412 (northwest of the town of Hardesty), Optima WMA is a mixture of upland and river bottom.
Driving directions: From Hardesty: 3 miles west on U.S. Hwy 412, 3 miles north on State Hwy 94.
Game on Optima WMA, in ODWC words
| Quarry | ODWC description |
|---|---|
| Pheasant | Present in low numbers, most often taken as a bonus for quail hunters. |
| Quail | Bobwhite quail are usually present in good numbers but are highly sought after. Very few blue quail present. |
| Deer | Mostly white-tailed deer. Mule deer present, but not in large numbers. |
| Turkey | Rio Grande wild turkeys are present, but not abundant. |
| Rabbit | Both cottontails and jackrabbits are present, with cottontails being more common. |
| Furbearers | Coyote, bobcat and raccoon are available. |
| Dove | One of several western Oklahoma WMAs that offers good dove hunting opportunities based on its semi-arid habitat and location within a major migration corridor. |
| Waterfowl | The early Teal season can be good dependant upon weather and water level in Optima Lake. Other waterfowl opportunities for ducks or geese are generally poor. |
Hunted on Optima WMA: Deer, Doves, Waterfowl, Sandhill crane, Turkey, Rabbits, Crows, Snipe, Woodcock, Squirrels, Furbearers, Pheasant, Trapping, Quail.
- White-tailed deer
- Doves
- Ducks
- Canada geese
- Sandhill crane
- Wild turkey
- Rabbits
- Crows
- Snipe
- Woodcock
- Squirrels
- Coyote
From the agency record (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation); checked November 3, 2026.
Optima WMA zones and limits
| Setting | Texas County |
|---|---|
| Antlerless zone | 1 |
| Elk zone | Panhandle |
| Bear area | No |
| Pronghorn | Open area |
| Fall gun turkey | Open |
| Pheasant | Whole county |
| Duck dates | Panhandle |
| Crane, jackrabbit | West of I-35 |
| CWD surveillance | SSA county |
| ODWC region | Northwest |
| Warden district | No. 8 |
The ODWC zone layer puts Optima WMA in antlerless Zone 1 (Closed to antlerless muzzleloader; gun 1 antlerless). Zone lines follow roads, so near a boundary the ODWC antlerless zone map decides. The season cap is six deer combined, two antlered at most; 3 inches of antler makes a deer antlered. The Panhandle Zone (quota 80) takes in Texas County; elk may be hunted there only on private land with written permission. The pronghorn area includes Texas County (west of SH 136 in Texas County). Texas County is an open fall gun turkey county. The pheasant area takes in the whole county. Texas County lies wholly or partly west of I-35, where sandhill crane and jackrabbit seasons apply. Optima WMA is inside the Texas County SSA (processing rule).
ODWC antlerless deer zones, elk zones, bear area, fall turkey counties, CWD rules; checked November 3, 2026.
Optima WMA and the closest public tracts
If Optima WMA is busy, Optima Lake (Corps) is 0.9 mi away to the southeast. Nearest leased walk-in: Texas OLAP tract H031 (4.6 mi).
| Place | Type | Acres | County | Miles off | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optima Lake (Corps) | Corps lake | – | Texas | 0.9 mi | southeast |
| Optima NWR | Wildlife refuge | 4,383 | Texas | 3.7 mi | southwest |
| Schultz WMA | WMA | 306 | Texas | 9.2 mi | south |
| Shorb WMA | WMA | 160 | Texas | 11 mi | southeast |
| Beaver River WMA | WMA | 18,624 | Beaver | 30 mi | east |
| Beaver River WMA McFarland Unit in Beaver County | WMA unit | 5,110 | Beaver | 36 mi | east |
Points: ODWC Public WMA Boundaries layer (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Optima WMA: reported deer
Optima WMA produced 24 reported deer in the newest season on record. In 2025-26 hunters in Texas County reported 168 deer off private and other non-WMA land; 138 carried antlers. Archery took 18, muzzleloaders 15 and guns 135. Texas County also reported 65 mule deer in 2025-26. 15 elk were checked in Texas County in 2025-26. ODWC counts 25 pronghorn for the county in 2025-26.
| Year | Report name | Bow | Muzzle | Gun | All |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Optima WMA | 10 | 1 | 13 | 24 |
| 2025 | Optima WMA | 6 | 0 | 18 | 24 |
ODWC 2025-26 Big Game Harvest Report and earlier ODWC harvest reports (harvest.json); checked November 3, 2026.
Optima WMA: nearest towns, offices and shops
Adams, 7.2 mi off, is the closest town with a page here. Guymon counted 12,397 people in 2024, the most of the five. Closer small towns: Hardesty (4.7 mi, 201 people) and Optima (12 mi, 327 people). Call a warden at 405-593-0463 (Texas).
| Town | County | People (2024) | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams | Texas | – | 7.2 mi | northeast |
| Guymon | Texas | 12,397 | 17 mi | west |
| Beaver | Beaver | 1,252 | 37 mi | east |
| Forgan | Beaver | 450 | 38 mi | northeast |
| Boise City | Cimarron | 1,077 | 75 mi | west |
Towns from places.json and census_places.json (Census 2024); offices and businesses from services.json; warden numbers from the ODWC area page or warden directory; straight-line miles. Checked November 3, 2026.
Optima WMA openers, game by game
Wildlife management areas can shorten or close these dates under their own area rules; this table is the county-wide picture for Optima WMA.
| Species | Hunt | Applies to | First day | Last day | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Zone 1 | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth gun | Zone 1 | Oct 16, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Muzzleloader | Zone 1 | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun | Zone 1 | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Holiday antlerless | Zone 1 | Dec 18, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Mule deer | All deer seasons | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Elk | Archery | Panhandle elk zone | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Elk | Youth elk gun | Panhandle elk zone | Oct 16, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Elk | Muzzleloader | Panhandle elk zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Elk | Gun | Panhandle elk zone | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Elk | Holiday antlerless elk | Panhandle elk zone | Dec 18, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Pronghorn | Gun, either sex | Pronghorn area | Sep 3, 2026 | Sep 6, 2026 | |
| Pronghorn | Gun, does (draw) | Pronghorn area | Sep 7, 2026 | Sep 16, 2026 | |
| Pronghorn | Archery | Pronghorn area | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 14, 2026 | |
| Pronghorn | Gun, does (landowner) | Pronghorn area | Nov 28, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth fall turkey | Open counties | Oct 16, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall Gun | Open counties | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall Archery | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth Spring | Statewide | Apr 10, 2027 | Apr 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring | Statewide | Apr 16, 2027 | May 16, 2027 | |
| Feral hogs | Private land | Private land | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Quail | Season | Statewide | Nov 14, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Pheasant | Season | Pheasant counties | Dec 1, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Rabbits | Season | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| Jackrabbit | Season | West of I-35 | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| Squirrels | Season | Statewide | May 15, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Doves | Segment 1 | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | |
| Doves | Segment 2 | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Dec 29, 2026 | |
| Teal | September Teal | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Youth and veteran day | Panhandle | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 3, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular | Panhandle | Oct 10, 2026 | Jan 13, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Youth and veteran day | Panhandle | Jan 30, 2027 | Jan 30, 2027 | |
| Canada geese | September Canada goose | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 21, 2026 | |
| Dark geese | Segment 1 | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Dark geese | Segment 2 | Statewide | Dec 12, 2026 | Feb 14, 2027 | |
| Specklebellies | Segment 1 | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Specklebellies | Segment 2 | Statewide | Dec 12, 2026 | Feb 7, 2027 | |
| Light geese | Segment 1 | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Light geese | Segment 2 | Statewide | Dec 12, 2026 | Feb 14, 2027 | |
| Light geese | Conservation order | Statewide | Feb 15, 2027 | Mar 30, 2027 | |
| Sandhill crane | Season | West of I-35 | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Season | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 21, 2026 | |
| Coyote | Year-round | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Furbearer season | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Furbearer season | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Furbearer season | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Year-round | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Prairie dog | Year-round | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Beaver | Year-round | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Nutria | Year-round | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Striped skunk | Year-round | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Bullfrogs | Year-round | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Rails | Season | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Gallinules | Season | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Snipe | Season | Statewide | Sep 26, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| Crows | Segment 1 | Statewide | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 16, 2026 | |
| River otter | Furbearer season | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Badger | Furbearer season | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Mink | Furbearer season | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Muskrat | Furbearer season | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Furbearer season | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Furbearer season | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Crows | Segment 2 | Statewide | Dec 9, 2026 | Mar 4, 2027 | |
| Rattlesnakes | Season | Statewide | Mar 1, 2027 | Jun 30, 2027 |
From the ODWC hunting regulations and the 2026-2027 Oklahoma Fishing and Hunting Regulations (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation), checked November 3, 2026.
First and last shooting light, Optima WMA
Quail and pheasant hours are sunrise to sunset, shorter than the big game window, and OLAP walk-in land closes to them at 4:30 p.m.
| Day | Moment | First sun | Last sun | Deer hours | Duck hours | Bird dog hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:40 a.m. | 7:31 p.m. | 7:10 a.m. to 8:01 p.m. | 7:10 a.m. to 7:31 p.m. | 7:40 a.m. to 7:31 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Muzzleloader opens | 8:01 a.m. | 6:59 p.m. | 7:31 a.m. to 7:29 p.m. | 7:31 a.m. to 6:59 p.m. | 8:01 a.m. to 6:59 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opens | 7:30 a.m. | 5:34 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 6:04 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. | 7:30 a.m. to 5:34 p.m. |
| Dec 6, 2026 | Gun deer closes | 7:44 a.m. | 5:30 p.m. | 7:14 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. | 7:14 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. | 7:44 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:54 a.m. | 5:33 p.m. | 7:24 a.m. to 6:03 p.m. | 7:24 a.m. to 5:33 p.m. | 7:54 a.m. to 5:33 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery closes | 7:58 a.m. | 5:52 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 6:22 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 5:52 p.m. | 7:58 a.m. to 5:52 p.m. |
| Apr 16, 2027 | Spring turkey | 7:12 a.m. | 8:20 p.m. | 6:42 a.m. to 8:50 p.m. | 6:42 a.m. to 8:20 p.m. | 7:12 a.m. to 8:20 p.m. |
Hours rules from the ODWC big game regulations and the 2026-2027 Oklahoma Fishing and Hunting Regulations; sunrise and sunset worked out for this location with the NOAA solar formula (Central Time); checked November 3, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Optima WMA photo row
Where to shoot paper on Optima Wildlife Management Area
Optima Wildlife Management Area has its own ODWC range, set up for rifle and handgun. Renovated range reopened with a ribbon cutting on October 23, 2025 (ODWC news, December 9, 2025).
From ODWC’s WMA shooting range list and WMA pages, operators’ pages and directory listings, checked November 3, 2026.
Optima WMA: short answers
Does the 400-square-inch orange rule apply on Optima WMA?
Gun and muzzleloader big game hunters need 400 square inches of orange; archers in open gun dates need an orange cap or upper garment.
Which public area is nearest to Optima WMA?
Optima Lake (Corps), about 0.9 mi southeast.
Is Optima WMA productive for deer?
24 reported deer in 2025-26.
What are the shooting times at Optima WMA?
Deer and other big game: half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset; on November 21, 2026 that works out to 7:00 a.m. to 6:04 p.m. for Texas County.
What CWD rule applies to deer from Optima WMA?
Yes. Texas County SSA rules apply.
What are the camping rules for Optima WMA?
Two designated primitive camping areas are offered on the area. The towns of Hardesty and Hooker offer fuel and food. Both lodging and restaurants are available in Guymon. The Hooker Chamber of Commerce can be reached at (580) 652-2809 . The Guymon Chamber of Commerce can be reached at (580) 338-3376 .
What are the archery and gun deer dates at Optima WMA?
Statewide archery runs Oct 1, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027 and gun Nov 21, 2026 to Dec 6, 2026; area rules can close segments.
Are there elk near Optima WMA I can hunt?
Only by controlled hunt on public ground; Texas County sits in Panhandle Zone for private land.
What is the published size of Optima WMA?
The figure used is 8,062 acres, from the ODWC area page.
Where would I find Optima WMA on a road map?
Look in Texas County; ODWC places it in the ODWC Northwest Region. The closest town page is Adams, 7.2 mi away.
What doe limit goes with Optima WMA?
It falls in Zone 1 (Closed to antlerless muzzleloader; gun 1 antlerless). Confirm on the ODWC zone map near a boundary road.
What permits do hunters carry on Optima WMA?
Licenses as for any Oklahoma hunt; ODWC lists no extra area permit.
Other photos on this page: DrunkDriver (CC BY-SA 3.0); Joseph Gage (CC BY-SA 2.0); YellowstoneNPS (Public domain).