Bow Hunters Find Challenge At McAlester Army Ammunition Plant

One of Oklahoma’s most challenging and sought out hunting grounds is on federal property.  The McAlester Army Ammunition Plant base is larger than Washington D.C. – giving wildlife plenty of room to roam. That's why it’s a target for hunters nationwide. 

For six weeks during deer season, the camp fire is always burning at the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant with 300 hunters camping out each weekend. 

"This place is amazing, it has great tradition," said Darrell Steele, a hunter from Oklahoma City.

One of those traditions is that a stone is planted to every great legend harvested at the base. And there have been many, including the buck taken by Darrell Steele in October.

"You just have to look at the wall of pictures and see the huge deer that they've managed down here. They've been managing deer really well for a long time, and if you don't shoot the little ones, they can grow up and get big," Steele said.

MCAAP’s wildlife strategy is so effective it's earned nationwide respect and national awards, like the Department of Defense "Large Installation Management Program of the Year." Ryan Toby is the natural resources manager.

“A lot of other Army installations try to run their program based on how we do things,” Toby said. “We have a lot of old bucks and a very balanced sex ratio.”

The deer at MCAAP have plenty of room to grow old and big, thanks to the 45,000 acres, or 70 square miles, of mostly undisturbed land.

"When they do start to rut, it's very intense," Toby said. "You get to see things, hear things that you don't necessarily see in a lot of places. Lots of fighting. Lots of bucks chasing does."

For that reason, it’s one of the most highly recognized controlled hunts in the state. And while each year thousands of hunters hope they’ll get a shot at MCAAP, it takes some hunters years before they're drawn for a hunt.

"Each year we get about 20,000 applications for our 1,500 to 1,600 spots," said Ryan Toby, McAlester Ammunition Plant natural resources manager.

The hunts are a team effort between MCAAP and the Oklahoma Wildlife Department - to help manage the population. 
 
Toby says those lucky enough to draw out likely won’t be so lucky in the field.

"Our success rate runs about 13 percent, so most people leave without a deer," he said. 
                
The that’s because the hunts are strictly for traditional bow hunting: no compound bows, no crossbows and no guns.

“With a compound bow, I can shoot 60 yards. On a good day, I can shot 30 yards with this. So you have to get really close,” Steel said.

That makes the three-day hunts a challenge, but it's also what keeps hunters coming back. 

“They get to experience things they might not anywhere else,” Toby said. “We always say a hunter will remember and talk about seeing a huge buck that's just out of range way longer than he'll remember harvesting a small buck.” 

Before being allowed to hunt on the base, all hunters go through a background check, then a security and safety briefing.

“It's pretty unique in that it's still open to the public. A lot of installations, for security reasons and things of that nature, aren't open to the public,” Toby said. “So far we’re still open to the public. We hope to keep it that way for a long time.”
                
There are some areas of the base that are off-limits.