Washita NWR
Custer County, OK · 130 mi SE
!4 special✕2 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣
5.9K huntable acres
Optima NWR hunt unit map
Hunt units are colored by 2026–2027 status. Toggle layers for FWS-owned land, the approved refuge boundary and private easements. Use satellite imagery to scout marshes, timber edges and access points.
Loading interactive map…
OpenSpecial regulationsClosedFWS-owned landWPA (public)Refuge boundaryEasement (private)
Tip: switch to Satellite or USGS Topo in the layer menu · click the map for GPS coordinates
Hunting at Optima NWR
- Big Game
-
Waterfowl - Wild Turkey
- Upland Birds
- Migratory Birds
- Small Game
-
Feral & Exotic -
Fishing
Hunters can pursue big game, wild turkey, upland birds, migratory birds, and small game here, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules.
Optima National Wildlife Refuge is known for the healthy mixed grass prairie on its 4,200 acres, where there are often abundant quail populations.
Big GameWhite-tailed and mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and other large mammalsWild TurkeySpring and fall wild turkeyUpland BirdsPheasant, quail, grouse, prairie chicken and partridgeMigratory BirdsMourning dove, woodcock, snipe, rails, gallinules and sandhill craneSmall GameSquirrel, rabbit, hare, raccoon, opossum and other small mammals
Categories are those listed by USFWS for this station; exact species, seasons and bag limits follow Oklahoma regulations plus refuge-specific rules.
Hunt units (1)
- Special regulations4,341 ac 100%
| Unit | Status | Acres | Permit | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open on entire refuge | !Special regs | 4,341 | — |
Permits & licenses
Refuge permit
Not listed
USFWS does not list a separate refuge permit for this station. Specific units or hunts (e.g. quota deer hunts) may still require one — check the hunt brochure.
You'll also need
- A valid Oklahoma hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
- Federal Duck Stamp (waterfowl hunters 16+) and HIP certification for migratory birds
- Non-toxic shot for waterfowl (federal requirement)
- Hunter education certification where your state requires it
- The current refuge hunt brochure / regulations (often must be signed and carried)
Fishing at Optima NWR
USFWS does not list fishing opportunities for Optima NWR.
How to get to Optima NWR
Navigate
Destination: Optima National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)
- Decimal
36.64131, -101.21182- DMS
36°38′28.7″N 101°12′42.6″W
Nearest towns
- Garden City, KS94 mi S of town
- Dodge City, KS101 mi SW of town
- Woodward, OK102 mi W of town
- Amarillo, TX104 mi N of town
Closest airports
- AMA Rick Husband Amarillo102 mi
- LBB Lubbock Preston Smith209 mi
Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.
The navigation point is the station reference location published by USFWS — often the headquarters or main entrance. For a specific hunt unit, open its page or click it on the map for coordinates and parking planning.
Sunrise, sunset & shooting hours
Today at Optima NWR
Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–
*½ hour before sunrise — the standard federal shooting-hour start for migratory game birds. Times in Chicago local time.
Full season calculator →2026–2027 season sun table
| Date | Shooting light | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Sep 1, 2026 | 6:45 AM | 7:15 AM | 8:15 PM | 12h 60m |
| Tue, Sep 15, 2026 | 6:56 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:54 PM | 12h 28m |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | 7:08 AM | 7:38 AM | 7:30 PM | 11h 51m |
| Thu, Oct 15, 2026 | 7:20 AM | 7:50 AM | 7:09 PM | 11h 19m |
| Sun, Nov 1, 2026 | 6:37 AM | 7:07 AM | 5:49 PM | 10h 42m |
| Sun, Nov 15, 2026 | 6:52 AM | 7:22 AM | 5:37 PM | 10h 15m |
| Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | 7:08 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:29 PM | 9h 52m |
| Tue, Dec 15, 2026 | 7:19 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:30 PM | 9h 41m |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | 7:26 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:38 PM | 9h 42m |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | 7:26 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:50 PM | 9h 55m |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | 7:17 AM | 7:47 AM | 6:08 PM | 10h 22m |
Computed for 36.641, -101.212 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.
7-day hunting weather
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Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.
Optima NWR FAQ
Is hunting allowed at Optima NWR?
Yes. Optima National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 1 unit (4,341 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, wild turkey, upland birds, migratory birds, and small game. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.
Do I need a permit to hunt Optima NWR?
FWS data does not list a separate refuge hunting permit for Optima NWR. You still need a valid state license, any required state tags or stamps, and (for waterfowl hunters 16+) a Federal Duck Stamp.
Where is Optima NWR located?
Optima National Wildlife Refuge is in Texas County, Oklahoma, about 94 miles S of Garden City, KS (straight-line). GPS: 36.64131, -101.21182.
What are legal shooting hours at Optima NWR?
Migratory game bird shooting hours are generally one-half hour before sunrise to sunset; big game and other seasons follow state rules. See the sunrise/sunset table on this page and confirm in the refuge hunt brochure.
Nearby refuges & public land
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Data: USFWS National Hunt Units 2026–2027, Hunting & Fishing Opportunities, Realty Boundaries & Tracts. Page updated September 29, 2026.