Deer - Big Game Season | Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation

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

To monitor CWD presence, hunters should read the Selective Surveillance Area (SSA) rules and regulations.

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.

Antlerless Deer Zones

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

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.

Resident Youth (unless exempt):

Youth Annual Super Hunting License

Resident (unless exempt):

Resident Annual Hunting License, and
Resident Deer License for that particular season.

Nonresident Youth (unless exempt):

Nonresident Youth 5-day Super Hunting or
Nonresident Youth Annual Super Hunting License

Nonresident (unless exempt):

Nonresident Annual Hunting License, and
Nonresident Deer License for that particular season.

*** The adult nonresident 5-day hunting license is not valid for hunting deer.

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.

Season Dates & Bag Limits

Deer Archery

Oct 1, 2024 - Jan 15, 2025

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

Oct 18, 2024 - Oct 20, 2024

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

Oct 26, 2024 - Nov 3, 2024

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

Nov 23, 2024 - Dec 8, 2024

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

Dec 18, 2024 - Dec 31, 2024

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
Oct 18, 2024 - Oct 20, 2024
Resident and nonresident 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). 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.