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Deer - Big Game Season

ATTENTION Cimarron, Texas, Woodward, Major, and Woods County Hunters!

New rules for hunters can be found HERE.

Combined Season Limit

  • ​​​​​Six: no more than two may be antlered.

This includes deer archery, youth deer gun, deer muzzleloader, and deer gun seasons.

Deer taken during Jan. 1-15, 2025, count toward the 2024 combined season limit.

Deer taken during controlled hunts or during the holiday antlerless deer gun season do not count toward the combined season limit.

Antlered Deer Definition

Any deer, regardless of sex, with at least three inches of antler length above the natural hairline on either side.

Tracking Devices

Telemetric radio tracking devices for deer hunting are legal. However, thermal tracking devices are illegal.

Hunters in the Know Take a Doe!

WANT TO HARVEST A BIG BUCK? START BY HARVESTING A DOE...

With antlerless deer harvest trending downward the past few years, hunters are urged to take advantage of the state's more liberal bag limits and more open days for antlerless harvest. There are several benefits to additional antlerless harvest, and the most notable is a more even buck-to-doe ratio. Healthier deer, better hunting, and better antler development all begin with a more even buck-to-doe ratio.

In addition to increased opportunities for antlerless hunting, the Wildlife Department's Deer Management Program (DMAP) helps landowners intensively manage deer herds on private land. It is designed to give cooperators -- whether landowners, hunt clubs, or lease operators -- extra assistance in managing deer. Under the program, cooperators set their own management goals ranging from producing maximum numbers of harvestable deer to producing trophy bucks. Because it is very difficult to manage deer and achieve realistic goals on small parcels of land, a minimum of 1,000 acres is required. Potential applicants with less than 1,000 acres may combine lands with adjoining landowners to meet the required minimum.

For more information visit our antlerless harvest page.

 


 

Antlerless Deer Zones

Antlerless deer may only be harvested during firearm seasons on specified days and in zones open to antlerless harvest (see Antlerless Deer Zones).

Unfilled Antlered Deer Licenses

An unfilled deer antlered license may be used to harvest an antlerless deer on the last day of that deer season in zones open to antlerless harvest.

Hunters must still comply with the limit restriction of no more than four antlerless deer during the deer muzzleloader and/or gun seasons (see Antlerless Deer Zones).

Unfilled Deer Licenses

Unfilled resident and nonresident deer licenses are not valid for any other deer season. For example: an unfilled deer muzzleloader license is not valid for the deer gun or holiday antlerless deer gun seasons.

Unfilled resident youth deer gun licenses are valid for deer gun and holiday antlerless deer gun seasons. Antlered youth deer gun licenses are not valid for holiday antlerless deer gun season.

 


 

License Requirements

Hunters must be in possession of all appropriate licenses before hunting a deer. Hunters using an air-powered arrow rifle must purchase a one-time Arrow Rifle Permit.

Youth Resident (unless exempt):

  • Resident youths under 16 years of age must possess a resident youth deer license for that particular season for each deer hunted.
  • Resident youths 16 and 17 years of age must possess a resident youth hunting license and a resident youth deer license for that particular season for each deer hunted.

Jan. 1-15: must be in possession of a resident hunting license and a resident deer archery license for the current calendar year. Unfilled deer archery license (Jan. 1-15) may be used the following fall season.

Resident (unless exempt):

  • Resident Hunting License, and
  • Resident Deer License for that particular season for each deer hunted.

Jan. 1-15: must be in possession of a resident hunting license and a resident deer archery license for the current calendar year. Unfilled deer archery license (Jan. 1-15) may be used the following fall season.

Nonresident Youth (unless exempt):

  • Nonresident Youth Deer Either Sex License (exempt from nonresident hunting license) for that particular season for each deer hunted, or
  • Nonresident Youth Deer Antlerless License (exempt from nonresident hunting license) for that particular season for each deer hunted, or
  • Nonresident Deer License (exempt from nonresident hunting license) for that particular season or a resident lifetime hunting or combination hunting/fishing license.

Nonresident (unless exempt):

  • Nonresident Deer License (exempt from nonresident hunting license) for that particular season or a resident lifetime hunting or combination hunting/fishing license.

 


 

Season Dates & Bag Limits

Deer Archery

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  • Six: no more than two may be antlered. All deer taken during the deer archery season count toward the hunter’s combined season limit of six deer.

Youth Deer Gun

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  • Two: no more than one may be antlered. Harvest of antlerless mule deer is prohibited. All deer taken during the youth deer gun season are included in the hunter’s combined season limit of six deer, but are not included as part of the hunter’s regular deer gun season limit of four deer.

Youth Deer Gun Age Requirements

  • 17 years old and younger. All youth hunters must be accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older.

Deer Muzzleloader

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  • Four: no more than one may be antlered. Harvest of antlerless mule deer is prohibited. Antlerless harvest limits are set by zone. Zone 1: No antlerless harvest. Zones 2, 7 & 8: four antlerless. Zones 3, 4, 5, 6 & 9: two antlerless. Zone 10: one antlerless. See Antlerless Deer Zones for the Antlerless Deer Zones map. All deer taken during the deer muzzleloader season count toward the hunter’s combined season limit of six deer.

Deer Gun

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  • Four: no more than one may be antlered. Harvest of antlerless mule deer is prohibited. Antlerless harvest limits are set by zone. Zone 1: one antlerless. Zones 2, 7 & 8: four antlerless. Zones 3, 4, 5, 6 & 9: two antlerless. Zone 10: one antlerless. See Antlerless Deer Zones for the Antlerless Deer Zones map. All deer taken during the deer gun season count toward the hunter’s combined season limit of six deer.

Holiday Antlerless Deer Gun

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  • Two: antlerless only. Harvest of antlerless mule deer is prohibited. Deer taken during the holiday antlerless deer gun season do not count toward the hunter’s combined season limit of six deer.

Youth Deer Gun Accompanying Hunter Requirements

Accompanying adult hunter may not gun hunt, but may archery hunt provided they have the appropriate licenses.

Accompanying adult hunter may not possess any firearms for hunting purposes, see the Carry of Firearms section on General Hunting Regulations for constitutional carry exemption(s).

Youth Fall Turkey Opportunity

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Resident youths participating in the youth deer gun season may harvest a turkey (see map on Turkey Regulations for open counties and legal means of take), provided they have a fall turkey license (unless exempt). Nonresident youths participating in the youth deer gun season may also harvest a turkey (see map on Turkey Regulations for open counties and legal means of take) but must possess a nonresident hunting license and a fall turkey license (unless exempt).

Legal means of taking are the same as equipment described as legal for the fall turkey season (see Turkey Regulations). Turkey cannot be harvested within 100 yards of any bait (see Turkey Regulations). A turkey taken during the Youth Deer Gun season counts toward the statewide fall turkey bag limit of one.

 


 

Antlerless Deer Zones

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2021 Antlerless Deer Zones

Zone 1 Antlerless Days

  • Archery Season: Oct. 1, 2023 - Jan. 15, 2024
  • Youth Deer Gun Season: Oct. 20 - 22, 2023
  • Muzzleloader Season: No antlerless days
  • Deer Gun Season: Nov. 18 - Dec. 3, 2023
    • The harvest of antlerless mule deer is prohibited.
  • Holiday Antlerless Deer Gun Season: Closed

Zones 2, 7 & 8 Antlerless Days

Zones 2, 7, and 8 have a four antlerless deer limit for deer muzzleloader season and a four antlerless limit for deer gun season. See Deer - Big Game Season info.

A combined season bag limit of no more than six antlerless deer applies.  

  • Archery Season: Oct. 1, 2023 - Jan. 15, 2024
  • Youth Deer Gun Season: Oct. 20 - 22, 2023
  • Muzzleloader Season: Oct. 28 - Nov. 5, 2023
  • Deer Gun Season: Nov. 18 - Dec. 3, 2023
  • Holiday Antlerless Deer Gun Season: Dec. 18 - 31, 2023

Zones 3, 4, 5, 6 & 9 Antlerless Days

Zones 3, 4, 5, 6, and 9 have a two antlerless deer limit for deer muzzleloader season and a two antlerless deer limit for deer gun season.  See Deer - Big Game Season info.

A combined season bag limit of no more than six antlerless deer applies.

  • Archery Season: Oct. 1, 2023 - Jan. 15, 2024
  • Youth Deer Gun Season: Oct. 20 - 22, 2023
  • Muzzleloader Season: Oct. 28 - Nov. 5, 2023
  • Deer Gun Season: Nov. 18 - Dec. 3, 2023
  • Holiday Antlerless Deer Gun Season: Dec. 18 - 31, 2023
    • The bag limit for the Holiday Antlerless Deer Gun Season is 2 antlerless deer. Antlerless deer harvested during the holiday antlerless deer gun season are bonus deer and do not count against the season bag limit.  

Zone 10 Antlerless Days

  • Archery Season: Oct. 1, 2023 - Jan. 15, 2024
  • Youth Deer Gun Season: Oct. 20 - 22, 2023
  • Muzzleloader Season: Oct. 28 - Nov. 5, 2023
  • Deer Gun Season: Nov. 18 - Dec. 3, 2023
  • Holiday Antlerless Deer Gun Season: Dec. 18-31, 2023
    • The bag limit for the Holiday Antlerless Deer Gun Season is 2 antlerless deer. Antlerless deer harvested during the holiday antlerless deer gun season are bonus deer and do not count against the season bag limit.