Page 40 - SeptOct2019

38 OUTDOOR OKLAHOMA The Baron Fork Creek provides some excellent stream fishing opportunities at the Thomas A. Bamberger Sr. WMA. Thomas A. Bamberger Sr. Wildlife Management Area Nestled in the Ozark highlands, the Thomas A. Bamberger Sr. Wildlife Management Area rests along the banks of Baron Fork Creek in an area known as the Dissected Springfield Plateau Ecoregion. The creek and its steep closed canopy oak-hickory forest host an assortment of fish and wildlife. “From fast paced ultralight fishing for smallmouth, to bottomland rabbit hunting to pursuing an old gobbler on the high ridge, the Bamberger WMA has a lot to offer packed into just over 300 acres,” said area Wildlife Biologist Curt Allen. Situated just west and south of Proctor, the area offers hunters, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts pristine wilderness and stream access. Hunters will find white-tailed deer and wild turkey, while wildlife viewers can observe nesting bald eagles perched high on the surrounding hillsides. Feisty smallmouth bass and a variety of sunfish await anglers willing to wet a line. The Adair County property provides diverse habitat consisting of upland forest and ripar- About a mile of the Baron Fork Creek flows through the Thomas A. Bamberger Sr. WMA. A view from the Thomas A. Bamberger Sr. WMA in Adair County. SKYLAR ST. YVES/ODWC SKYLAR ST. YVES/ODWC SKYLAR ST. YVES/ODWC