Spanning nearly 8,000 acres, the Red Slough Wildlife Management Area (RSWMA)is a successful project that has enhanced wildlife and recreation in the area southeast of Broken Bow, Oklahoma.
In the late 1960, this Red Slough area was cleared and drained for agricultural use, eliminating wetlands that helped maintain a natural flood cycle. In 1997, landowner Philip Hogan placed more than 5,800 acres into the Wetlands Reserve Program administered by the National Resources Service (NRCS). In the following years, additional acres were added, increasing the expanse of the project. Then in 2003-4, the Red Slough Wildlife Management Area received a grant to provide a stable water supply from the reservoirs, enhance the adjacent wetlands area and acquire additional key property.
The result is that today, the area is a mecca for diverse plant and animal life. The habitat includes mudflats and marshes, shallow water impoundments and deep-water reservoirs, riparian zones, hardwoods, scrub, and wet prairies. It has become a prime destination for birders who delight in the variety of species—similar to what they’d find in the Gulf Coast habitats of Louisiana and Florida. 34 types of shorebirds have been spotted, as have more rare avian species, such as piping plovers, prairie falcons, and golden eagles. Come winter, visitors will find thousands of ducks flocking to the area. And RSWMA is the only documented breading area in Oklahoma for the American Alligator—about one nest is discovered each year.
Known as a top waterfowl hunting area, Red Slough is also a prime fishing area, thanks to 414 acres of reservoirs. There is only walk-in access, but that means more opportunity to explore the wildlife as you walk to your fishing spot.
Red Slough Wildlife Management Area
E2240, Haworth, OK
501-321-1270
Whether you’re coming to hunt, fish, or check out the wildlife, you’ll find a perfect night’s rest just 30 minutes north at Eagle Ridge, a spacious hilltop retreat that sleeps eight people. It’s one of the many luxury cabins available at Beavers Bend Creative Escapes.