Find a Spectacular Hunting and Fishing Paradise in Oklahoma

Situated in the Cookson Hills at the western edge of the Ozarks along one of Oklahoma’s most cherished clearwater rivers, Tahlequah beckons the sportsman seeking outdoor adventure in the region Oklahomans call Green Country.

The site of Oklahoma’s oldest main street, Tahlequah has been the capital of Cherokee Nation since their forcible removal to what was known as Indian Territory in 1839. It has also been the seat of Cherokee County—as part of the state of Oklahoma—since 1907, and is currently home to nearly 17,000 residents, Northeastern State University and thriving businesses across a wide range of industry sectors, from technology to energy to farming and a slew of others.

FERTILE WATERSHEDS

The Illinois River Basin, which comprises the Illinois River and several tributaries, as well as 12,900-acre Tenkiller Ferry Lake (Lake Tenkiller), is practically Tahlequah’s backyard. The landscape boasts rich forested hillsides, rugged terrain and clearwater streams that have long inspired fans of the book and movie, Where The Red Fern Grows. In fact, the town holds an annual “Red Fern Festival” each April, when the songs of hounds hot on a trail still ring through the forest.

Just over the hill, there’s another watershed. A 20-minute drive west gets you to the Grand River and Fort Gibson Lake. Downstream, a 40-minute drive southwest of Tahlequah, the Grand and Verdigris rivers converge at Three Forks. That’s their confluence with the giant Arkansas River, along which stretches 20,800-acre Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), at the upper reaches of Robert S. Kerr Reservoir, about an hour’s drive from town.

GAME HIGH AND LOW

A lot of water means opportunities abound for waterfowl hunters, whose daily mixed bag might include mallards, blue- and green-winged teal, pintails, wood ducks, gadwalls, shovelers, wigeon and Canada and white-fronted geese.

Between all those water bodies are forested hills and farmlands where dove hunting in September can be as hot as the midday temperature.

Visiting deer hunters will be glad to know that Oklahoma’s whitetail population is substantial, with record harvest numbers in recent years (more than 131,000 during the 2022-23 season) and Cherokee County annually ranking among the top-producing counties.

Instead of raccoons, hounds in the Green Country region these days more frequently chase feral hogs. Considered a nuisance, they can be hunted year-round, both day and night. Public lands do place some limits on hog hunting, so be sure to check the regulations.

Hunters who do their homework even have a chance at a black bear or an elk. These, however, require special licensing and are mostly private-land hunts. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation requires written permission from a landowner for elk hunting.

Cherokee County and neighboring Sequoyah County also top the list of eastern Oklahoma counties for wild turkey harvests, with numbers of Eastern and hybrid Eastern-Rio Grande birds that some years rival those of western counties renowned for their plentiful and cooperative Rios.

Thirteen public hunting areas fall within an hour’s drive of Tahlequah, most within 30 to 40 minutes. Also open to the public are various areas managed by the Tulsa District of the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and the Oklahoma National Guard’s Camp Gruber.

The area’s top public hunting tracts include previously mentioned Sequoyah NWR, 15,281-acre Cookson Wildlife Management Area, and 21,798-acre Fort Gibson Public Hunting Area and 9,366-acre McClellan-Kerr WMA, which respectively include protected waterfowl areas of 3,500 and 250 acres.

The jewel, however, is Cherokee WMA, where 31,360 acres are divided into a 16,000-acre Public Hunting Area and a 15,360-acre Game Management Area. Regulations vary between them, but both are open to hunting. Cherokee WMA, by the way, is also adjacent to Camp Gruber’s public hunting areas.

GAMEFISH GALORE

The list of target species available to anglers is a long one. Trout Unlimited’s chapter for eastern Oklahoma annually holds a contest requiring members to catch 15 different species on the fly, and everything from rainbow trout to toothy gars and prehistoric spoonbills (paddlefish) have been documented by participating fly-anglers. Some have caught 11 or 12 species in just the seven miles of tailwaters below Lake Tenkiller, the stretch designated as the Lower Illinois River. Of course, these waters are not for fly-fishers only.

Rainbow trout are stocked below the dam to create one of only two year-round trout fisheries in the state. The Lower Illinois also holds white bass, hybrid striped bass and large stripers drawn to the clear and cool waters in the summer months. Public access points are plentiful for DIY anglers, whether they prefer to wade, fish from shore or from a watercraft, and there’s no shortage of guides for hire.

The Upper Illinois, which flows past Tahlequah (at Tahlequah Creek), is a summertime playground for float trips. It can sometimes be crowded, but local fishing guides know how to navigate around the crowds, even on the busiest days. The Upper is best known for its smallmouth bass, including the smaller yet mighty Neosho, a genetically unique Oklahoma smallmouth subspecies, as well as beefy hybrids or Tennessee-strain smallies that may top 20 inches in length. Fly and light spinning gear are, therefore, perfect for the Upper and clear-water tributaries, such as Baron Fork Creek.

Home to healthy populations of smallmouths, largemouths and Kentucky spots, Lake Tenkiller is a bass fishing paradise, which is why its giant blue catfish, crappie and white bass fisheries are often ignored. Nevertheless, every spring folks in the know flock to the lake’s upper reaches, around Horseshoe Bend Public Use Area, Cherokee State Park or the mouth of Caney Creek, where the current of the Illinois River begins to slow. There, white bass (which Okies call “sand bass”) are squeezed into a more confined space as they migrate upstream to spawn.

Similar opportunities are found throughout the region. Fort Gibson Lake is a bass tournament lake, too. It doesn’t have smallmouths, but it’s also known for its white bass and crappie fishing, as well as its robust paddlefish population. The same applies to the Three Forks area of the Arkansas River, another site for national pro bass events.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

• Opportunities abound in Tahlequah for fun-seeking travelers.

Visiting history buffs will enjoy the Cherokee National History Museum, the Cherokee Supreme Court Museum, the John Hair Cultural Center and Keetoowah Museum. Each presents a facet of the Cherokee journey, including the conflict within the Nation during the Civil War. Tahlequah, incidentally, is also the headquarters of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians, one of only three federally recognized Cherokee tribes in the United States.

Numerous shops and boutiques around town offer a chance to browse for antiques or find Cherokee gifts, apparel and jewelry. Take a stroll through the historic Main Street area and you’re sure to find something you like.

The city also has great places for dining and gaming. Cherokee Casino and its White Wolf Steakhouse top both lists. The Hangry Bear at the Kroner & Baer Craft Brewery and Pub is the place for wood-fired pizza, and Linney Breaux’s Cajun Eatery offers a taste of the Gulf Coast. To sample Oklahoma’s delicious smoked meats, try My Place BBQ or Roxie’s BBQ & Lover’s Leap Bar. And should you crave Mexican or Asian cuisine, Tahlequah has some good options.

For more information about Tahlequah and the surrounding area, go to tourtahlequah.com, tahlequahmainstreet.com or greencountryok.com.

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• This article was featured in the November 2025 issue of Game & Fish magazine. Click to subscribe.

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