bubba
I feel your pain! I live near Muskogee and for years I have seen this change from handshakes to greenbacks. Sometimes you just have to adapt and overcome. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Where there's a will there's a way , etc. All these phrases apply. I know public land is not usually everyone's dream hunting area, but there is approx. 16,000 acres in the county to the west of you that is wildlife department land for public hunting. Sometimes you have to work a little harder than the next guy on public land, but the oppurtunities are still there, especially during the rut. Also remember that the larger leasers are also looking for larger areas to lease. I have killed several big deer on small tracts ( 40 acres or less) that the "lease guys" usually overlook.
My dad always said "the bucks are where you find them" What I've told a lot of people is this "You don't need thousands of acres to kill big deer, just 20 or 40 in the right spot." Those kind of places are everywhere , you just have to find them.

BTW, Tishomingo WMA is public land, over 13,000 acres. It's pretty close to you also. ALSO, the largest nontypical killed in Oklahoma was shot with a recurve(i think) on "Tish" . It's not the official state record because it was shot before the Cy Curtis program began(which I disagree with, but oh well), but it is the largest. I think it scored 247 and some change.
Anyhow, just keep a positive attitude and be willing to work a little, and you'll find a place to hunt. And if it is private land, try to establish a good personal relationship with the owner. Look out for his interests all you can , and he'll be much less likely to sell out to the big lease groups.

Good Luck!!!