Enjoy the great outdoors with your family

by Mike Newell

Oklahomans live in a great state with a wealth of outdoor activities. There is virtually something for every outdoor taste, whether it be fishing, hunting, hiking or biking, something will spark your outdoor interest.

Recently I sat down with a few other outdoor folks - biologists, guides, and journalists - and we composed a list of outdoor things to do with your family this coming year. There are far too many outdoor activities in this area to compile a complete list, so we narrowed it down to our 10 favorites.

See the Sandhill Cranes at Hackberry Flat
Standing 3-feet tall with a wingspan of more than 6-feet, the Sandhill crane is one of the largest birds that visits Oklahoma. Large numbers of Sandhills, and a few of their endangered cousins, the whooping crane, visit Hackberry Flat, near Frederick, each year. The sight and sound of these majestic birds will amaze you-- and while you are there, stop in at the new visitors center to lean more about the history of this unique wetland area.

Feed the Birds
No other outdoor activity can be as easily accomplished as setting up a backyard bird feeding station. With just a feeder or two and some inexpensive bird seed, you can bring the great outdoors to your backyard. Since Oklahoma lies between the East and West migration routes, you might get some interesting birds coming for a meal. Pick up a bird guidebook so you can identify the different species and see how many different types of birds stop in.

Call in a Tom Turkey
While drought has been tough on some wildlife, turkey numbers have actually been on the rise. During the mating season in late March to early May, the males will put on quite a show, strutting and gobbling to attract a mate. If you are a hunter, or just enjoy watching wildlife, the event is worth a trip to the field. Turkeys are found in almost every creek bottom in southwest Oklahoma.

Catch a Hybrid
For this activity, Waurika is the place. Hybrid striped bass are flourishing at Waurika, and when the wind is right, big hybrids can be taken-- some more than 10-pounds. Not only do they put up an excellent fight, they make great table fare as well. If you are lucky, you might catch a fish large enough to hang on the wall.

Bats, Bats and more Bats
Looking for a summer excursion to take the kids on? Head just a couple of hours north to Freedom, Oklahoma and the Selman Bat Cave. Every evening during the summer more than one million Mexican free-tailed bats exit the cave in search of insects. The tour provided by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife gives information about the bats as well as transportation from Alabaster Caverns to the secret location. The tours fill quickly, so register early.

Take a trip on the Great Plains Trail
If you have a few days to kill and don't mind a little drive, you can visit all or part of the Great Plains Trail, a driving loop that covers 33 counties and more than 1700 miles of western Oklahoma. See buffalo, prairie dogs and other wildlife while discovering the Old West as it was then and remains today. For maps and other information, go to www.wildlifedepartment.com/wildlifetrails.htm.

Catch and eat a Saugeye
This may sound a little sick to some unfamiliar with one of Oklahoma's best tasting fish. A cross between a walleye and a sauger, saugeyes grow fast, fight hard, and best of all taste great. One of the best places to catch a keeper is just north of here at Ft. Cobb Reservoir.

Bugling in the Wichitas
There may be no more majestic event than to see and hear a big bull elk bugling during the mating season. During early fall in the Wichita Mountains, the woods come alive with the songs of elk love. The Wildlife Refuge offers bugling trips into the special use areas of the refuge every September.

Watch the Eagles Soar
Our national symbol, the eagle, pays a special trip each winter to lakes across the state, but Altus-Lugert may be the best place to see bald eagles in southwest Oklahoma. Several birds migrate to the Quartz Mountains in winter to search for fish in the lake. Brilliant white heads and a 6-foot wing span are evidence of why this magnificent creature was chosen to represent our country.

Help the Harvest
There may not be a better success story in Oklahoma wildlife history than the white-tailed deer. In fact, 30 years ago just seeing a deer track was a thrill, and now deer are everywhere. As beautiful as they are, biologists encourage us to join in the harvest to help keep the population healthy. Oklahoma has a 16-day deer gun season and a bow season that runs more than 3-months. With this year's harvest once again expected to eclipse the 100,000 mark, it is imperative that hunters help to manage the expanding deer herd.

Hopefully these ideas helped you to realize the great abundance of outdoor activities around us. The key to outdoor family fun in Oklahoma is simple-just grab your kid and introduce him/her to the great outdoors.


Mike Newell is a Lawton native and graduate of Cameron University. He has been a biologist with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife and a biology teacher. He is also a freelance writer.