Watchable Wildlife

Northeast Oklahoma’s forested hillsides and wide open prairies give wildlife plenty of roaming room. From free ranging buffalo herds to wild horses and bald eagles, you'll have abundant opportunities to spot wild creatures in Green Country. Visit the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Pawhuska to explore 40,000 acres of pristine prairie where a herd of 2,500 bison, one of the largest herds in the country, graze freely. Take a scenic drive on Highway 123 near Bartlesville to catch a glimpse of wild horses that sometimes graze near enough to the road to be seen. Head to the J. T. Nickel Family Nature & Wildlife Preserve in Tahlequah where you can hike and spot majestic elk roaming the rugged topography.  

Watch bald eagles swoop, catch fish and feed their young in the areas around Green Country's lakes where they spend their winters. Head to Grand Lake and observe pelicans swimming and fishing in the lake as they migrate through the area each fall. Photograph a scissor-tailed flycatcher, our state bird, as it darts above prairie lands snatching bugs in midair, using its unique tailfeathers to stabilize its maneuvers. Spot wild turkeys, deer, raccoons and other popular animals all over Green Country as you discover our treasure trove of watchable wildlife.