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Colby Farquhar, an avid angler and Wildlife Department biologist stationed at Sans Bois Wildlife Management Area, loves most everything about fishing. He loves the challenge; he loves the escape; and he especially loves seeing and singing the praises of Oklahoma’s native fishes, including the often overlooked and underappreciated nongame fish. To keep track of all the fish he’s caught, Farquhar has created a “fishing life list” that ranges from some of the state’s larger species, to some of the smallest. |
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 Katherine Stroh
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Summer is the peak season of one of Oklahoma’s most beloved reptiles, the Texas horned lizard. These spikey species of greatest conservation need forage primarily for ants and other insects by lying motionless along ant trails and capturing insects as they pass by. The lizards do best in sandy soils with moderate grass cover where they can easily navigate the landscape in the active season and can burrow in the ground during the dormant season.
This female Texas horned lizard is part of a squad of lizards found on Tinker Air Force Base, near Oklahoma City, that has been providing biologists with information about the species. It first joined the long-term study as a hatchling in 2018 and was tracked by University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma City Zoo staff for two years before shedding its tracker. It was recaptured in 2022 during a summer sweep of the study area and will once again share information about its movements with researchers.
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 Provided by Jared Wood.
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American alligators have been documented in southeastern Oklahoma as far back as the late 1800s, and the bulk of current population remains near the Red River and the present-day Red Slough Wildlife Management Area. To learn more about this species of greatest conservation need, the Wildlife Department has partnered with Southeastern Oklahoma State University, located in Durant, and Southwestern Adventist University, located in Keene, Texas.
For the next two years, the research teams will conduct a variety of surveys to get a headcount of alligators on the management area and evaluate the age and sex structure of the population. Individual alligators will also be tracked to learn more about their daily patterns, movements, and habitat needs. Additional surveys will be conducted off the management area to better evaluate the status of species in the state.
The companion projects both started on July 1 and are expected to continue until 2024.
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 Nate Gomez/ODWC Shutter Slam 2021
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With its amazingly diverse wildlife community, sweeping landscapes, and abundant recreational opportunities, Outdoor Oklahoma is a photographer's paradise! To better bring our state's rich photo ops – and the photographers behind the shot – into focus, the Wildlife Department has created a Shutter Slam challenge.
Photographers can share their images and stories in the four challenges: The Feeling Birdy, Hunt for Herptiles, and Outdoor Explorer challenges are open to all ages while the Budding Naturalist challenge is open to photographers 16 and under.
All entrants will receive an all-weather sticker for the respective ODWC Shutter Slam.
P.S. If you plan to use a hummingbird feeder to lure your photo subjects closer to your lens or back porch, we recommend the recipe of one part sugar to four parts water. Replace the solution regularly, especially during times of high heat, and clean feeders to avoid the buildup of mold and bacteria.
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