GENERAL REGULATIONS FURBEARERS

 License Requirements

Resident: A hunting license (see page 5) and a fishing & hunting legacy permit or proof of exemption.

In addition to a hunting license, a trapping license is required for all persons who trap any furbearer, unless otherwise exempt. The trapping license shall expire on Jan. 31 of each year. Therefore, a 2008 - 2009 trapping license must be purchased to trap beaver, bobcat, nutria, striped skunk and coyote after Jan. 31, 2008.

A fur license is required for all (regardless of age) who take these species by any means (trapping, firearms or archery) unless exempt. Such license is valid for raccoon, gray/red fox and river otter Dec. 1, 2007 - Jan. 31, 2008. For bobcat, the license is valid Dec. 1, 2007 - Feb. 28, 2008.

Lifetime hunting or combination license holders or senior citizen hunting or senior citizen combination license holders must purchase a trapping license to trap.

Nonresident: A hunting license (see page 5) and a fishing & hunting legacy permit or proof of exemption.

In addition, a nonresident (professional) trapping license is required for all persons who trap any furbearer. This trapping license shall expire on Jan. 31 of each year. Therefore, a 2008 - 2009 trapping license must be purchased to trap beaver, bobcat, nutria, striped skunk, and coyote after Jan. 31, 2008.

A nonresident fur license is required for all who take these species by any means (trapping, firearms or archery). Such license is valid for raccoon, gray/red fox and river otter Dec. 1, 2007 - Jan. 31, 2008. For bobcat, the license is valid Dec. 1, 2007 - Feb. 28, 2008.

Seasons on public lands may vary from statewide seasons. Consult WMA regulations.

When youth antlerless deer gun, deer muzzleloader, deer gun, special antlerless deer gun (in open zones), elk gun (in open counties) and antelope (in open areas) seasons overlap with furbearer seasons, all furbearer hunters and trappers hunting during daylight hours must conspicuously wear either a head covering or an outer garment above the waistline consisting of hunter orange.

Carcasses or parts of legally acquired furbearing animals and coyotes may be purchased, bartered, traded, sold or offered for sale.

No bobcat or river otter pelt may be held in possession after 10 working days after the close of furbearer season by the taker or buyer, sold, purchased or bartered within Oklahoma, nor taken out of Oklahoma, without having first affixed a permanent tag to the pelt, and no one may possess any Oklahoma bobcat or river otter pelt without a permanent tag affixed to the pelt. This tag shall serve as an export tag. The tag must be affixed by an authorized employee of the Department or designated private tagging agent.

It is the responsibility of the possessor of the bobcat or river otter pelt, not the Department, to ensure that the pelt is legally tagged. No untagged bobcat or river otter harvested in another state may be possessed in Oklahoma. Tags are available from any game warden, wildlife biologist, state fish hatcheries, Department field offices and specifically designated private tagging stations. Designated private tagging stations may charge a fee of 75 cents per tag. 2007-2008 bobcat or river otter export tags will not be affixed after March 14, 2008.

Persons taking pelts during the season shall have 10 working days after the close of the season to sell or dispose of the pelts or notify the Department in writing of intent to hold pelts after the 10-day deadline. All pelts held after the 10-day deadline must be inventoried on a form provided by an authorized Department employee. All bobcats and river otters must have a permanent tag affixed for the current year, prior to being held for later sale.
 

It shall be illegal to possess live animals, carcasses or raw furs of ringtail, spotted skunk, swift fox or bear unless it can be proven that each carcass or hide was taken legally outside of Oklahoma. Proof of legality or origin for carcasses or green hides shall be a tag or other marking or device attached to or imprinted on each and every hide in such a way that it cannot be removed intact. The tag or marking must be the official method used by the issuing agency. If an identification is not required by the issuing agency, a hunting or trapping license appropriate to the species taken is required as proof.

Daylight only: Any legal firearm or archery equipment.

Nighttime only: Hunters may possess a .22 caliber rimfire rifle or .22 caliber rimfire pistol and a light carried on the person while in pursuit of furbearers with hounds during the legal, open furbearer season, while possessing a valid hunting license and fishing & hunting legacy permit, unless exempt.

Legal traps: Box traps; smooth-jawed, single-spring, leg-hold steel traps with a jaw spread no greater than eight (8) inches; smooth-jawed, double-spring offset jawed, leg-hold steel traps with a jaw spread no greater than eight (8) inches.

Setting traps: No trap may be set in the open or in paths, roads, or runways commonly used by persons, dogs or other domestic animals.

Visiting traps: Traps must be tended once each 24-hour period.

Legal number of traps: Persons trapping under the general annual resident trapping license may use no more than 20 traps. There is no limit for persons holding the professional license.

Identification of traps: All traps must have the owner’s name attached, except for any person trapping on his own property. All traps on Department-managed lands, regardless of species being sought, must have the owner’s name attached.

Posting of traps: When double-spring offset jawed steel traps are used, signs must be posted conspicuously to the right and left of all entrances from public roads and highways and from adjacent lands at corners of perimeter fences. Signs must have minimum dimensions of five (5) inches by eight (8) inches and the wording "Traps" must be included and be conspicuous on the signs and printed in letters at least two (2) inches tall. Persons trapping on their own property are not subject to this requirement.

Permission to trap: No person may trap on the inhabited land of another without first obtaining from the owner or occupant thereof a written permit to do so. This permit must be carried whenever traps are being tended. Said permission is also required to hunt but it need not be in writing.

Nothing in this regulation prevents the killing of furbearers actually found destroying livestock or poultry. In addition, nothing in this regulation prevents the running or chasing of coyote, bobcat, fox or raccoon with dogs for sport only, except on those public lands where such activity is prohibited.

Dec. 1, 2007 - Jan. 31, 2008; statewide.

Raccoon: Daily limit 10, season limit 40, possession limit 40 per license.

Other species: No limit.

Dec. 1, 2007 - Feb. 28, 2008; statewide.

No daily limit, season limit 20, possession limit 20 per license.

Year-round; statewide.

No daily, season or possession limit.

Open year-round, except it shall be unlawful to hunt, take or attempt to take coyotes from dark to daylight with the aid of any artificial light and any sight dog.

No daily, season or possession limit.

Dec. 1, 2007 - Jan. 31, 2008; statewide

Daily combined limit two (2), with no more than one (1) red fox. Season limit six (6), with no more than two (2) red fox.

Dec. 1, 2007 - Jan. 31, 2008.

The following counties are open: Adair, Atoka, Cherokee, Choctaw, Coal, Haskell, Latimer, Le Flore, McCurtain, McIntosh, Muskogee, Pittsburg, Pushmataha and Sequoyah counties.

No daily limit, season limit two (2).

Closed year-round; statewide.

MOUNTAIN LION

Residents & Nonresidents: A hunting license (see page 5) and a fishing & hunting legacy permit or proof of exemption.

Mountain lions can be taken year-round when committing or about to commit depredation or when deemed a nuisance, safety or health hazard.

You must immediately call a game warden or other Department employee if you kill a mountain lion. The carcass (including hide) will be examined by a Department employee within 24 hours for biological data collection, which may include the removal of a tooth.

updated March 04, 2008 07:47 AM