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Oklahoma WRP Project Offers Slew of Sights
One of the prettiest Oklahoma sunrises I have ever seen was near Red Slough
in McCurtain County, in southeastern Oklahoma.
Fittingly, the sun was a huge red plate in the sky, and it hit the marshy
land with a palette of light that turned a routine morning into something
special.
Not
long afterward, still somewhat stunned by the sun's greeting, I watched flocks
of large American white pelicans cruise the water's surface to land among
feeding geese and ducks. Graceful, long-legged shorebirds stalked the shallows,
and the cries of many species blended in a wilderness melody the start of
another perfect day at Red Slough.
When you tell people about Red Slough, you often get blank stares. And when you
tell people it is one of the few places in Oklahoma where you can see
alligators, those blank stares often turn to suspicious looks. When you ask
people where Red Slough is, most can't tell you. It may be one of the most
important yet least appreciated wildlife management areas in Oklahoma.
South of Idabel and just a stone's throw from Texas, Red Slough Wildlife
Management Area is a 5,800-acre maze of reservoirs, moist soil management units
(think swampy) and forest. Red Slough is cooperatively managed by the
Ouachita National Forest,
state Wildlife Conservation
Department, and the Natural Resource
Conservation Service. It is one of the largest wetland projects of its kind.
Robert Bastarache, district wildlife biologist for the Ouachita National Forest,
admits that it is a bit unusual to think about wetlands being a part of the
National Forest Service. He says it adds a "unique component" to his job.
Bastarache and personnel from the other agencies involved at Red Slough have
rescued an Oklahoma treasure that was almost lost.
In the late 1960s, the Red Slough area was converted from a forested wetland,
with open expanses of water and hardwood forests, to rice fields. In the 1990s,
landowner Phillip Hogan enrolled it in the
Wetlands Reserve Program
through the Natural Resource Conservation Service.
Twenty-five miles of levees and other water control structures were built, and
Red Slough slowly returned closer to its natural state. Bastarache estimates it
is about 80 percent of the way back.
The final major phase of the revival is restoration of the hardwood element.
Areas are being replanted, and the real picture may become complete in 20 years
when those trees mature.
The resurrection of Red Slough led to the return of abundant wildlife to the
region.
During annual migrations, it is a stopover for hundreds of species of birds,
many of them rare. If you know how to identify a king rail, a purple gallinule,
a dunlin or a Wilson's phalarope, you probably know about Red Slough. Tropical
species such as the roseate spoonbill have been seen here, and tundra swans,
visitors from the northern climes, have frequented the area.
About 271 bird species have been documented here, astounding for such a small
area. It is popular with bird watchers from at least four states. Some birders
add four or five species to their lists on just one visit.
Because it is a wildlife management area, it is also open to legal hunting
during season. Waterfowl hunters from across the United States have come to what
is considered one of the finest duck and goose hunting areas in this part of the
country. Ducks Unlimited, a group dedicated
to preserving waterfowl habitat, is a consulting partner in the project.
"We have people from as far as Minnesota and South Carolina who come here
specifically to hunt Red Slough," Bastarache says. "It's exciting to know that
it is a destination and they are not just passing through to go somewhere else."
Red Slough has also become a haven for other wildlife. Species such as
white-tailed deer, beaver, mink and nutria are common. Black bears and river
otters are also known to be in the area.
The star resident of Red Slough, though, may be the American alligator. Common
in neighboring Louisiana, it occurs rarely in Oklahoma. Ten to 15 are known to
inhabit Red Slough. It is not difficult to see alligators here, but you must be
here at the right time.
"The best chance is around the middle of summer until the middle of fall, say
June through September or October," Bastarache says "When the weather warms up,
they really like to bask out on the back banks of these reservoirs or out on a
log or a sandbar. That's when you are more likely to find one."
When you visit, you should bring binoculars and wear comfortable shoes, for much
of Red Slough is composed of walk-in areas. Insect repellent and sunscreen are
recommended.
You will be rewarded with spectacular sights, serenaded by more songbirds than
you knew existed, and you may get to see one of Oklahoma's rarest creatures. Ron
Stahl is marketing director for Oklahoma State Parks, Resorts and Golf.
Story by Ron Stahl, The Oklahoman.
Image: Brood of black-bellied whistling ducks in Red Slough. Image by Berlin
Heck.
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