Migratory Game Bird Regulations

In addition to the license requirements below, all hunters, unless otherwise exempt, are required to have the HIP permit, Oklahoma Waterfowl license and Federal Duck Stamp.

Resident Youth (unless exempt): 

• Youth Annual Super Hunting License (only required if hunting waterfowl)

Resident (unless exempt):

• Resident Annual Hunting License

Nonresident Youth (unless exempt):

• Nonresident Youth 5-day Super Hunting or 
• Youth Annual Super Hunting License (only required if hunting waterfowl)

Nonresident (unless exempt):

• Nonresident Annual Hunting License

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

Federal law requires that every waterfowl hunter 16 and older must carry on their person a valid Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, signed in ink across the face. These are available for $25 at U.S. post offices, or for $29 at any Oklahoma license dealer as well as at GoOutdoorsOklahoma.com. “Waterfowl” refers to ducks, mergansers and geese only. No federal duck stamp is required for coot or sandhill crane hunting. Valid July 1 through the following June 30.

Every resident age 18-64 and every nonresident age 18 and older must have in their possession an Oklahoma Waterfowl Hunting License while hunting waterfowl, unless exempt. Licenses are available from any Oklahoma license dealer. Licenses are also available at GoOutdoorsOklahoma.com (a $3 convenience fee will be applied to your total). “Waterfowl” refers to ducks, mergansers and geese only. No state waterfowl license is required for coot or sandhill crane hunting. Valid July 1 through the following June 30.

Hunters exempt from the Oklahoma Waterfowl License include:

• Residents and nonresidents under 18 years of age and in possession of a youth super hunting license.
• Residents age 65 or older.
• Oklahoma resident lifetime hunting, resident lifetime combination, senior citizen lifetime hunting or senior citizen lifetime combination and lifetime disabled veterans license holders.
• Resident landowners hunting on their own land.
• Anyone holding a Lifetime Oklahoma Duck Stamp

All crane hunters must possess a $3 federal sandhill crane permit (valid July 1 to the following June 30). Permits are available from any Oklahoma hunting license dealer. Permits also are available free of charge at
GoOutdoorsOklahoma.com.

Unless specified otherwise, the possession limit is one daily bag limit for anyone who has hunted for one day. The possession limit increases to two daily bag limits for anyone who has hunted for two days. The possession limit increases to three daily bag limits for anyone who has hunted for three days. No one may possess more than three daily bag limits at any time.

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

One-half hour before official sunrise to official sunset, unless otherwise provided.

Shotgun (conventional or muzzleloading), archery equipment or legal raptors and as otherwise provided under General Hunting Regulations.

For hunter orange requirements, see Big Game Regulations.

No person shall take migratory game birds:

• With a trap, snare, net, rifle, pistol, swivel gun, shotgun slug, shotgun larger than a 10-gauge, punt gun, battery gun, machine gun, fishhook, poison, drug, explosive, or stupefying substance.
• With a shotgun capable of holding more than three shells, in the magazine and chamber combined, unless otherwise provided.
• From or by means, aid, or use of a sink box (a low floating device, having a depression affording the hunter means of concealment beneath the surface of the water.)
• From or with the aid or use of a vehicle or other motor-driven land conveyance, or any aircraft, except that paraplegics and single- or double-amputees of the legs may take from any stationary motor vehicle or stationary motor-driven land conveyance. Paraplegic means an individual afflicted with paralysis of the lower half of the body with involvement of both legs usually due to disease of or injury to the spinal cord.
• From or by means of any motorboat or sailboat unless the motor has been completely shut off and/or the sail furled, and its progress therefrom has ceased.
• By the use or aid of live decoys. All live, tame or captive ducks and geese shall be removed for a period of 10 consecutive days prior to hunting, and confined within an enclosure which substantially reduces the audibility of their calls and totally conceals such tame birds from the sight of migratory waterfowl.
• Using records or tapes of migratory bird calls, or sounds or electronically amplified imitations of bird calls, unless otherwise provided.
• By driving, rallying, or chasing birds with any motorized conveyance or any sailboat to put them in range of the hunters.
• By the aid of baiting on or over any baited areas where a person knows or reasonably should know that the area is or has been baited. A baited area is considered to be baited for 10 days after complete removal of any bait. Baiting includes placing, exposing, depositing, distributing or scattering of salt, grain, or other feed that could serve as a lure or attractant for migratory game birds to, on, or over areas where hunters are attempting to take them. Agriculture areas must be prepared in accordance with official recommendations to be legally hunted. It is a separate offense to place or direct placement of bait on or adjacent to an area that causes, induces, or allows another to hunt by the aid of bait on or over a baited area. Hunters are responsible for ensuring that an area has not been baited and should verify its legality prior to hunting.

No person shall possess more than one daily bag limit, tagged or not tagged, while in the field or while returning from the field to one’s vehicle, hunting camp, home, etc.

All downed migratory game birds shall be retrieved, if possible, and retained in the custody of the hunter in the field.

No person shall give, put or leave any migratory game birds at any place or in the custody of another person unless the birds are tagged by the hunter with the hunter’s name, signature and address, total number of birds involved by species and the dates such birds were killed.

Tagging is required if the birds are being transported by another person for the hunter, or if the birds have been left for cleaning, storage (including temporary storage), shipment, or taxidermy services.

Wounded birds shall be immediately killed and included in the daily limit.

No person shall ship migratory game birds unless the package is marked on the outside with the name and address of the person sending the birds, the name and address of the person to whom the birds are being sent, and the number of birds, by species, contained in the package.

No person shall completely field dress any migratory game bird (except doves and band-tailed pigeons) and then transport the birds from the field. The head or one fully feathered wing must remain attached to all such birds while being transported from the field to one’s home or to a migratory bird preservation facility.

For information regarding the importation of migratory birds killed in another country, hunters should consult 50 CFR 20.61 through 20.66. One fully feathered wing must remain attached to all migratory game birds being transported between the port of entry and one’s home or to a migratory bird preservation facility. No person shall import migratory game birds killed in any foreign country except Canada, unless such birds are dressed (except as required in 20.63), drawn, and the head and feet are removed. No person shall import migratory game birds belonging to another person.

A hunter who hunts in two states having separate daily limits, may not exceed the largest number of birds that can legally be taken in one of the states in which they take birds.

Violations of state migratory game bird regulations are also violations of federal regulations.

For a more complete summary of federal regulations, visit fws.gov.

Federal regulations related to migratory game birds are located in Title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 20, Caution: more restrictive regulations may apply to National Wildlife Refuges open to public hunting. For additional information of federal regulations, contact Resident Agent-In-Charge, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, (405) 715-0617.

All waterfowl (ducks, mergansers and geese) and coot hunting is restricted to use of federally approved nontoxic shot in all areas of the state. Unless otherwise provided, all shotgun hunting on state wetland development units and state waterfowl refuges is restricted to federally approved nontoxic shot only. Possession of lead shot while hunting waterfowl or coots and for all shotgun hunting on state wetland development units and state waterfowl refuges is prohibited. For more information on federally approved nontoxic shot types, see fws.gov/story/2022-04/nontoxic-shot-regulations-hunting-waterfowl-and-coots-us.

If you have found or harvested a banded bird, please report it at reportband.gov. You’ll need the band number, or numbers, if the bird has more than one band. You’ll also be asked where, when and how you recovered the bird. Your contact information will be requested in case there are any questions. The U.S. Geological Survey’s Patuxent Bird Banding Lab will email you a certificate of appreciation that includes information about the sex, age and species of the bird, and where and when it was banded. You may keep the band. 

Please note: Even if the band you recover is inscribed with a 1-800 telephone number you can only report it at reportband.gov.