O'Keefe Wildlife Area Anchors Hunting Economy and Conservation in Quitman County
The 5,914 acre O'Keefe Wildlife Management Area south of Lambert is a major public asset for recreation and wildlife conservation, managed by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks. With roughly 600 acres managed as flooded fields and greentree reservoir for waterfowl, the WMA supports local hunting tourism, wildlife habitat, and community outdoor access.
O'Keefe Wildlife Management Area occupies 5,914 acres of bottomland hardwood south of Lambert and stands as one of the largest contiguous timber tracts in the Northwest Delta. Managed by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks the WMA is intensively managed to benefit migratory waterfowl while also providing habitat and regulated hunting for resident deer and gray squirrel. Approximately 600 acres, or about 10 percent of the WMA, are maintained as flooded fields and greentree reservoir to enhance waterfowl use.
The tract was purchased from the Department of Corrections in 2001 and converted to public WMA land, a transition that created lasting public access for hunting conservation and outdoor recreation. The MDWFP provides directions rules maps and greentree flood maps for O'Keefe and remains the authoritative source for seasonal dates and regulatory details that affect Quitman County hunters and visitors.
For Quitman County the WMA is both an environmental and economic resource. Public hunting seasons and waterfowl migration draw regional visitors who use local lodging fuel and retail services and contribute to the small town economies around Lambert. Conserving a large contiguous bottomland hardwood tract also preserves breeding and stopover habitat for waterfowl and supports deer and squirrel populations that are important to local harvests and subsistence uses.
Policy and management choices at O'Keefe will shape conservation outcomes and local economic activity over the coming decades. Continued investment in managed flooding infrastructure monitoring and public access will be important to sustain waterfowl use and hunting opportunities. Likewise adherence to MDWFP regulations and timely posting of maps and seasonal rules helps protect both wildlife and the public while providing predictability for businesses that serve hunters.
Residents and visitors planning trips to O'Keefe should consult the MDWFP page for current maps directions and regulatory information. As a large conserved bottomland hardwood area near Lambert O'Keefe WMA remains a central asset for conservation recreation and the local economy in Quitman County.
