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Oklahoma Corps and Department lakes for hunters
23 Corps of Engineers lakes and 9 open Department fishing lakes: what the records hold, the Department lake season window and what the Tulsa District pages could not confirm.
Photo: Thomas & Dianne Jones (CC BY 2.0)
Corps of Engineers lakes
The Tulsa District says Corps hunting areas are generally open for all legal species and weapons in season, except areas designated for restricted hunting, developed recreation areas and lands around dams and structures. ODWC adds that Corps land open to hunting but not licensed to the Department follows the dates and rules of the Department-managed land at the project, that baiting is banned on Corps lands, and that loaded firearms are allowed only for hunting in season. The Tulsa District hunting page returned an error to scripted reads and was used only as a summary, so these records carry no land acreage, species list or hunt map. The lake surface acres shown are water. Many Corps lakes have an ODWC WMA on project land, linked on each page, and that is where most hunting happens.
| Lake | County | Lake surface acres | Controlled hunts 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broken Bow Lake (Corps) | McCurtain | 13,493 | – |
| Canton Lake (Corps) | Blaine, Dewey | 8,128 | – |
| Chouteau Lock and Dam (Arkansas River) (Corps) | – | – | – |
| Copan Lake (Corps) | Washington | 3,258 | Yes |
| Eufaula Lake (Corps) | McIntosh, Pittsburg… | 102,067 | Yes |
| Fort Gibson Lake (Corps) | Wagoner, Cherokee | 16,822 | – |
| Fort Supply Lake (Corps) | Woodward | 1,678 | – |
| Heyburn Lake (Corps) | Creek | 931 | Yes |
| Hugo Lake (Corps) | Choctaw | 11,255 | Yes |
| Hulah Lake (Corps) | Osage | 3,149 | – |
| Kaw Lake (Corps) | Kay, Osage | 17,099 | Yes |
| Keystone Lake (Corps) | Pawnee, Osage… | 22,867 | Yes |
| Lake Texoma (Corps) | Marshall, Bryan… | 121,760 | Yes |
| Oologah Lake (Corps) | Rogers, Nowata | 28,576 | Yes |
| Optima Lake (Corps) | Texas | 5,344 | – |
| Pine Creek Lake (Corps) | McCurtain | 4,978 | – |
| Robert S. Kerr Reservoir (Corps) | Sequoyah, Haskell… | 64,046 | – |
| Sardis Lake (Corps) | Pushmataha, Latimer… | 14,328 | – |
| Skiatook Lake (Corps) | Osage | 10,607 | Yes |
| Tenkiller Ferry Lake (Corps) | Cherokee, Sequoyah | 13,492 | Yes |
| Waurika Lake (Corps) | Jefferson, Stephens… | 9,853 | Yes |
| Webbers Falls Reservoir (Corps) | – | – | – |
| Wister Lake (Corps) | Le Flore | 3,058 | – |
Tulsa District hunting (summary), Department-Managed Area Rules, Corps Lakes Gateway. Checked November 3, 2026.
Department fishing lakes open to hunting
Department fishing lakes that allow hunting follow statewide seasons, but only from September 1 through the end of spring turkey season. Deer hunting is limited to shotgun, muzzleloader or archery (shotgun or archery only at Nanih Waiya, Ozzie Cobb and Schooler), and trapping is prohibited. Visitors need a fishing or hunting license or a Wildlife Conservation Passport. Four Department lakes are closed to all hunting and trapping: Elmer, Carl Etling, Raymond Gary and Watonga.
| Lake | County | Acres (incl. water) |
|---|---|---|
| American Horse Lake | Blaine | 405 |
| Lake Burtschi | Grady | 762 |
| Lake Evans Chambers | Beaver | 204 |
| Lake Hall | Harmon | 158 |
| Lake Jap Beaver | Jefferson | 208 |
| Lake Nanih Waiya | Pushmataha | 199 |
| Lake Ozzie Cobb | Pushmataha | 287 |
| Lake Schooler | Choctaw | 160 |
| Lake Vanderwork | Washita | 446 |
Department-Managed Area Rules. Checked November 3, 2026.
Oklahoma Corps and Department Lakes for Hunting: photos
Lake hunting questions
Is Tulsa District Corps land open to hunters?
Generally yes in season, except restricted areas, developed recreation areas and around dams; unlicensed Corps land follows the ODWC area rules at the project.
How many huntable acres do the Oklahoma Corps lakes have?
Not known here: the Tulsa District maps and acreage could not be read.
When can I hunt a Department lake?
September 1 through the end of spring turkey season, on statewide dates.
Can I use a rifle for deer at a Department lake?
No. Shotgun, muzzleloader or archery only, and shotgun or archery only at three lakes.
May hunters bait on Corps project land?
No; ODWC rules bar baiting on Corps lands.
Which lakes are closed?
Elmer, Carl Etling, Raymond Gary and Watonga Department lakes.
Other photos on this page: Pondfishfarmer (CC BY-SA 4.0); U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Southwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Southwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0).