Home › Oklahoma › Public land › Lake Nanih Waiya
Department lake · 2026-27
Lake Nanih Waiya Department Lake for hunters
Rules, permits and dates for this Department fishing lake, 199 acres, in Pushmataha County.
Photo: Thomson200 (CC0 1.0)
Getting to Lake Nanih Waiya Department Lake
Parking, trailheads and gates near Lake Nanih Waiya Department Lake
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 0.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 0.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 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.
Rules to know before hunting Lake Nanih Waiya
ODWC lets hunters use Lake Nanih Waiya from September 1 until spring turkey closes, under the normal state seasons. ODWC restricts deer weapons on these lake areas to shotguns, muzzleloaders and archery gear, and bans trapping. ODWC names Lake Nanih Waiya on its nonresident check-in list (listed as "Lake Nanih Waiya"). Lake Nanih Waiya is a Conservation Passport Area: hikers and birders carry the passport ($46 resident / $239 nonresident) or a hunting or fishing license.
Lake Nanih Waiya heading notes
- Open only from Sept. 1 through the end of spring turkey season each year. Deer hunting restricted to shotgun or archery only.
Lake Nanih Waiya has 0 restricted seasons, 3 closed ones and 0 left at statewide dates in the special regulations.
| Season | Status | Printed rule |
|---|---|---|
| Bear Muzzleloader | Closed | – |
| Turkey Fall Gun | Closed | – |
| Trapping | Closed | – |
Sources: source, source, source, source (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation). Checked November 3, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Lake Nanih Waiya Department Lake
Lake Nanih Waiya in numbers and names
By the ODWC WMA layer, Lake Nanih Waiya measures 199 acres. Pushmataha County has 6 records with acreage here; Lake Nanih Waiya is number 6. Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation is the managing agency, and the ODWC Southeast Region covers it.
Pushmataha County holds 124,055 acres of public land on the GIS layers.
From the agency record (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation); checked November 3, 2026.
Lake Nanih Waiya zones and limits
| Item | Pushmataha County |
|---|---|
| Antlerless zone | 10 |
| Elk zone | Southeast |
| Bear area | Yes |
| Pronghorn | No season |
| Fall gun turkey | Closed |
| Pheasant | No season |
| Duck dates | Zones 1 and 2 |
| Crane, jackrabbit | No season |
| CWD surveillance | Outside |
| ODWC region | Southeast |
| Warden district | No. 3 |
For does, Lake Nanih Waiya falls in Zone 10 (Muzzleloader 1, gun 1). Check the ODWC antlerless zone map if you hunt near a zone road. Zone limits sit inside the statewide six-deer total; only two may carry antlers of 3 inches or more. Pushmataha County lies in the Southeast Zone (quota 5) for elk. Zone elk hunting is private land only, with written landowner permission; public ground elk come only by controlled hunt. Black bear season reaches Pushmataha County: archery Oct 1, 2026 to Oct 18, 2026; muzzleloader Oct 24, 2026 to Nov 1, 2026. See the bear area page for the exact lines. Fall gun turkey is closed in Pushmataha County, one of 13 closed counties; fall archery stays open statewide.
ODWC antlerless deer zones, elk zones, bear area, fall turkey counties, CWD rules; checked November 3, 2026.
Lake Nanih Waiya on the map with its neighbors
Sardis Lake (Corps) sits 5.6 mi to the west, the nearest public area outside the OLAP program. The closest OLAP walk-in tract is Pittsburg OLAP tract H001, 26 mi away.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | County | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sardis Lake (Corps) | Corps lake | – | Pushmataha, Latimer | 5.6 mi | west |
| Pushmataha WMA | WMA | 19,247 | Pushmataha | 9.5 mi | southwest |
| Yourman WMA | WMA | 2,860 | Latimer | 12 mi | north |
| Gary Sherrer WMA | WMA | 1,280 | Pittsburg | 14 mi | west |
| Honobia Creek WMA | WMA | 78,998 | Pushmataha | 18 mi | south |
| Robbers Cave WMA | WMA | 6,180 | Latimer | 25 mi | north |
Points: ODWC Public WMA Boundaries layer (WMATYPE PFA) (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
What hunters took near Lake Nanih Waiya
Statewide rank 24 of 77: Pushmataha County logged 2,049 deer in 2025-26, 1,084 antlered. Methods: 1,037 gun, 425 muzzleloader, 587 archery. The county logged 9 black bear last season.
ODWC 2025-26 Big Game Harvest Report and earlier ODWC harvest reports (harvest.json); checked November 3, 2026.
Lake Nanih Waiya: nearest towns, offices and shops
Lake Nanih Waiya lies 1.0 mi from Tuskahoma. Wilburton counted 2,280 people in 2024, the most of the five. Smaller Census places closer in: Albion (12 mi, 61 people). Call (580) 513-2305 (Todd Tobey, District 3) about wardens in Pushmataha County.
| Community | County | Residents | Straight line | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuskahoma | Pushmataha | – | 1.0 mi | east |
| Clayton | Pushmataha | 555 | 4.5 mi | southwest |
| Nashoba | Pushmataha | – | 12 mi | southeast |
| Talihina | Le Flore | 932 | 17 mi | northeast |
| Wilburton | Latimer | 2,280 | 20 mi | north |
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.
When each season opens near Lake Nanih Waiya
Oklahoma runs one set of deer dates statewide; Lake Nanih Waiya sits in antlerless Zone 10, which only changes how many does a hunter may take. The 58 rows below are from the ODWC regulation pages.
| Game | Method | Covers | Opening day | Closing day | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Zone 10 | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth gun | Zone 10 | Oct 16, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Muzzleloader | Zone 10 | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun | Zone 10 | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Holiday antlerless | Zone 10 | Dec 18, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Mule deer | All deer seasons | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Elk | Archery | Southeast elk zone | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Elk | Youth elk gun | Southeast elk zone | Oct 16, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Elk | Muzzleloader | Southeast elk zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Elk | Gun | Southeast elk zone | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Elk | Holiday antlerless elk | Southeast elk zone | Dec 18, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Archery | Bear area | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Muzzleloader | Bear area | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 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 | |
| Rabbits | Season | Statewide | 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 | Zones 1 and 2 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 7, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular segment 1 | Zones 1 and 2 | Nov 14, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular segment 2 | Zones 1 and 2 | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Youth and veteran day | Zones 1 and 2 | Feb 6, 2027 | Feb 6, 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 | |
| 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.
Hunts, dinners and trials by Lake Nanih Waiya Department Lake
Rows marked for this land use it as the venue; the others lie within about 10 miles. In all, 2 upcoming listings. The 2 controlled hunts here were filled by the ODWC random drawing that closed in May.
Scheduled dates
| Date | Event | Miles off | Location | Sign-up or details | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 16–Nov 15, 2026 | Pushmataha WMA youth deer hunt | 10 | Event details | Source | |
| Dec 11–13, 2026 | Pushmataha WMA deer controlled hunt | 10 | Event details | Source |
Lake Nanih Waiya hunting hours on season dates
Squirrel, rabbit and prairie dog hours run from half an hour before sunrise to sunset in Lake Nanih Waiya.
| Date | Why it matters | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer and elk | Migratory | Quail, pheasant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:15 a.m. | 7:07 p.m. | 6:45 a.m. to 7:37 p.m. | 6:45 a.m. to 7:07 p.m. | 7:15 a.m. to 7:07 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Muzzleloader opens | 7:34 a.m. | 6:38 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 7:08 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 6:38 p.m. | 7:34 a.m. to 6:38 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opens | 7:00 a.m. | 5:15 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. |
| Dec 6, 2026 | Gun deer closes | 7:14 a.m. | 5:12 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 5:42 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. | 7:14 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:24 a.m. | 5:15 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. | 7:24 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery closes | 7:28 a.m. | 5:33 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 6:03 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 5:33 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 5:33 p.m. |
| Apr 16, 2027 | Spring turkey | 6:50 a.m. | 7:53 p.m. | 6:20 a.m. to 8:23 p.m. | 6:20 a.m. to 7:53 p.m. | 6:50 a.m. to 7:53 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.
Oklahoma views around Lake Nanih Waiya
Zeroing a rifle on the way to Lake Nanih Waiya (Department Lake)
The closest ODWC bench to Lake Nanih Waiya (Department Lake) is James Collins WMA Rifle Range, roughly 30 miles off as the crow flies. The remaining cards show non-WMA ranges within 30 miles.
From ODWC’s WMA shooting range list and WMA pages, operators’ pages and directory listings, checked November 3, 2026.
Lake Nanih Waiya questions and answers
What public land neighbors Lake Nanih Waiya?
Sardis Lake (Corps) sits 5.6 mi away.
Is an orange cap enough on Lake Nanih Waiya?
For firearm big game, 400 square inches total; other hunters wear an orange cap or vest during those dates.
What time does legal hunting start and stop on Lake Nanih Waiya?
6:30 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. on November 21, 2026 for big game.
How many deer were reported near Lake Nanih Waiya?
2,049 deer, 24th statewide, in 2025-26.
Do elk seasons reach Lake Nanih Waiya?
Southeast Zone applies to private land; public areas need a controlled hunt.
When is the gun opener near Lake Nanih Waiya?
Bow: Oct 1, 2026 to Jan 15, 2027. Gun: Nov 21, 2026 to Dec 6, 2026.
Where exactly is Lake Nanih Waiya, county and region?
Lake Nanih Waiya is in Pushmataha County, part of the ODWC Southeast Region. Drive toward Tuskahoma, about 1.0 mi straight line.
Roughly how big is Lake Nanih Waiya in acres?
199 acres on file, from the ODWC WMA layer.
What should be in my wallet before hunting Lake Nanih Waiya?
Your hunting license plus any deer, turkey or waterfowl licenses the season needs.
How many antlerless deer can I take around Lake Nanih Waiya?
Zone 10 (Muzzleloader 1, gun 1). Zone lines follow roads, so check the ODWC map.
What are the bait rules on Lake Nanih Waiya?
No; baiting is banned on Department-managed land.
Which species are open on Lake Nanih Waiya?
No species list was published.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Public domain); Jack Gray (CC BY 2.0); Billy Hathorn (CC BY-SA 3.0).