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Public Hunting Areas: Special Regulations

In addition to general hunting regulations, statewide species regulations and Department-managed area rules, this section addresses special regulations that apply to public hunting lands.  If a species or season is not listed, refer to statewide seasons and regulations.

  • Areas are closed to all activities during controlled hunts and other listed closure dates.
  • Areas with controlled hunts are subject to change annually.  Visit controlled hunts for information on applying for elk, antelope, deer, youth deer, deer hunts for Motor Vehicle or Non-Ambulatory Permittees, spring turkey and youth spring turkey controlled hunts.
  • The application period for controlled hunts generally opens early April.

CONSERVATION PASSPORT AREA: People who use Department-owned areas for nonhunting or nonfishing activities, such as bird-watching or photography, are required to have either a Wildlife Conservation Passport or any current hunting or fishing license issued by the Wildlife Department.  For complete conservation passport license info go here.

  = Conservation Passport Area

Kaw WMA

Kay, Osage
Closed Seasons
Feral Hog
Same As Statewide Seasons
Deer Archery, Youth Deer Gun, Deer Muzzleloader, Holiday Antlerless Deer Gun, Dove, Rail, Gallinule, Crow, Waterfowl, Turkey Fall Archery, Predator/Furbearer Calling, Trapping
Seasons w/ Special Restrictions
  • Deer Gun

Open during the first nine days only.

  • Pheasant, Snipe, Woodcock, Rabbit, Squirrel

Closed during the first nine days of deer gun season.

  • Quail

Closed during the deer muzzleloader season and the first nine days of deer gun season.

  • Turkey Fall Gun

 Tom only, shotgun only.

  • Pursuit with Hounds for Furbearers

Closed from the opening day of deer archery season through deer gun season.

  • Turkey Spring, Youth Turkey Spring

One-tom limit; seasons combined, area combined.

Additional Restrictions:

Hunter and angler camping is allowed in designated areas.

Keystone WMA

Creek, Osage, Pawnee

That portion of the Arkansas Arm of the Keystone WMA that was previously the Waterfowl Refuge is open to restricted hunting. Lands in Osage County and the Arkansas River are restricted to archery and shotgun with pellets only. Lands in Pawnee County are restricted to archery only. The western boundary of these restricted hunting areas is a northern extension of Swan Drive in the city of Cleveland; the southern boundary is the old railroad trestle.

All shotgun hunting is restricted to federally approved nontoxic shot on the Boston Pool, Buckeye Creek and Cottonwood Creek WDU portions.

Same As Statewide Seasons
Deer Archery, Deer Muzzleloader, Youth Deer Gun, Dove, Rail, Gallinule, Turkey Fall Archery
Seasons w/ Special Restrictions
  • Deer Gun

Open during the first nine days only and Cottonwood Creek Wetland Development Unit lands are closed.

  • Holiday Antlerless Deer Gun

Same as statewide seasons except Cottonwood Creek Wetland Development Unit lands are closed.

  • Crow, Quail, Woodcock, Snipe, Rabbit, Squirrel, Predator/Furbearer Calling, Pursuit with Hounds for Furbearers

Closed during the first nine days of deer gun season.

  • Turkey Fall Gun

Tom only, shotgun only.

  • Waterfowl

Hunting hours for waterfowl close at 1 p.m. daily on the WDU portions.

  • Trapping

Open to water sets, live box traps and enclosed trigger traps only.

  • Turkey Spring, Youth Turkey Spring

One-tom limit; seasons combined, area combined.

Additional Restrictions:

Hunter and angler camping is allowed within 50 yards of open roads.

Lexington WMA 

Cleveland

Area closed to all activities (except shooting range) for controlled deer hunts Nov. 16-17 and Nov. 20-21, 2024.

Closed Seasons
Deer Gun, Holiday Antlerless Deer Gun, Turkey Fall Archery, Turkey Fall Gun
Same As Statewide Seasons
Youth Deer Gun, Deer Muzzleloader
Seasons w/ Special Restrictions
  • Deer Archery

Closed during the first nine days of deer gun season.

  • Dove, Rail, Gallinule, Crow, Snipe, Waterfowl, Rabbit, Squirrel, Quail, Woodcock, Pursuit with Hounds for Furbearers, Predator/Furbearer Calling

Closed from the opening day of deer archery season through the first nine days of deer gun season.

  • Turkey Spring, Youth Turkey Spring

One-tom limit; seasons combined.

  • Trapping

Open to water sets, live box traps and enclosed trigger traps only.​​​

Additional Restrictions:

Closed to all nonhunting activities, except hunter camping, from Oct. 1 - Feb. 15. However, fishing and angler camping is permitted at Lake Dahlgren.

Lake Dahlgren is closed to all activities during controlled hunts.

Hunter and angler camping is allowed in designated areas.

Little River NWR

McCurtain

Contact the Refuge for general hunting or special use permits. All shotgun hunting is restricted to federally approved nontoxic shot.

Area closed to all activities for controlled deer hunts Oct. 25-27, Nov. 1-3, Nov. 8-10, 2024 and Apr. 11-13, Apr. 25-27, 2025.

Closed Seasons
Bear Archery, Bear Muzzleloader, Deer Gun, Deer Muzzleloader, Youth Deer Gun, Holiday Antlerless Deer Gun, Turkey Fall Gun, Turkey Spring, Youth Turkey Spring, Quail, Rail, Snipe, Gallinule, Woodcock, Dove, Crow, Predator/Furbearer Calling
Seasons w/ Special Restrictions
  • Deer Archery

Closed the Friday before deer muzzleloader season through the Sunday after the last controlled deer hunt.

  • Rabbit, Squirrel

Closed the Friday before deer muzzleloader season through the Sunday after the last controlled deer hunt and closes Jan. 31.

  • Turkey Fall Archery

Closed the Friday before deer muzzleloader season through the Sunday after the last controlled hunt.

  • Pursuit with Hounds for Furbearers

Closed the Friday before deer muzzleloader season through the first nine days of deer gun season. Raccoon season same as statewide season dates. Contact the Refuge for permits.

  • Waterfowl, Trapping

Contact the Refuge for special restrictions.

Love Valley WMA

Love

All shotgun hunting is restricted to federally approved nontoxic shot on the Stevens Springs WDU portion.

Same As Statewide Seasons
Deer Archery, Youth Deer Gun, Deer Muzzleloader, Deer Gun, Holiday Antlerless Deer Gun, Dove, Rail, Gallinule, Crow, Turkey Fall Archery
Seasons w/ Special Restrictions
  • Quail, Snipe, Woodcock, Rabbit, Squirrel, Pursuit with Hounds for Furbearers, Predator/Furbearer Calling

Closed during the first nine days of deer gun season.

  • Waterfowl

Hunting hours for waterfowl close at 1 p.m. daily on the WDU portion.

  • Turkey Fall Gun

Tom only, shotgun only.

  • Trapping

Open to water sets, live box traps and enclosed trigger traps only.

  • Turkey Spring, Youth Turkey Spring

One-tom limit; seasons combined.

Additional Restrictions:

Hunter and angler camping is allowed within 50 yards of open roads.

Lower Illinois River PFHA 

Sequoyah

All hunting is restricted to shotguns with pellets or archery equipment only.

Closed Seasons
Turkey Fall Gun
Same As Statewide Seasons
Dove, Deer Archery, Rail, Gallinule, Crow, Waterfowl, Turkey Fall Archery, Trapping, Quail, Snipe, Woodcock, Rabbit, Squirrel, Pursuit with Hounds for Furbearers, Predator/Furbearer Calling
Seasons w/ Special Restrictions
  • Youth Deer Gun, Deer Muzzleloader, Deer Gun, Holiday Antlerless Deer Gun

Archery equipment only. Archery equipment can be used to fill a youth deer, deer muzzleloader, deer gun or holiday antlerless deer gun license.

  • Turkey Spring, Youth Turkey Spring

One-tom limit; seasons combined.

Additional Restrictions:

No camping allowed.

Major County WMA 

Major
Closed Seasons
Holiday Antlerless Deer Gun, Rail, Gallinule, Pheasant
Same As Statewide Seasons
Youth Deer Gun, Dove, Waterfowl, Sandhill Cranes, Turkey Fall Gun, Turkey Fall Archery, Deer Archery
Seasons w/ Special Restrictions
  • Crow, Snipe, Woodcock, Rabbit, Squirrel

Closed during the first nine days of deer gun season.

  • Deer Muzzleloader

Closed to antlerless hunting.

  • Deer Gun

Open during the first nine days only. Closed to antlerless hunting.

  • Quail

Closed during the first nine days of deer gun season. Hunting hours close at 4:30 p.m. daily. Closed to non-resident hunters February 1-15.

  • Pursuit with Hounds for Furbearers, Predator/Furbearer Calling

Closed during deer gun season.

  • Trapping

Open to water sets, live box traps and enclosed trigger traps only through Jan 31. Open same as statewide Feb 1 through end of February.

Additional Restrictions:

No camping allowed.

McAlester AAP

Pittsburg

All hunting seasons are closed except controlled deer and turkey hunts.

McClellan-Kerr WMA

Haskell, Muskogee, Sequoyah, Wagoner

All shotgun hunting is restricted to federally approved nontoxic shot on both Billy Creek and Chouteau WDU portions.

Closed Seasons
Bear Archery, Bear Muzzleloader
Same As Statewide Seasons
Deer Archery, Youth Deer Gun, Deer Muzzleloader, Deer Gun, Holiday Antlerless Deer Gun, Dove, Rail, Gallinule, Crow, Turkey Fall Archery, Turkey Fall Gun, Trapping, Turkey Spring, Youth Turkey Spring
Seasons w/ Special Restrictions
  • Quail, Snipe, Woodcock, Rabbit, Squirrel, Pursuit with Hounds for Furbearers, Predator/Furbearer Calling

Closed during the first nine days of deer gun season.

  • Waterfowl

Hunting hours for waterfowl close at 1 p.m. daily on the WDU portions.

Additional Restrictions:

Vann’s Lake Refuge is closed to public access except for controlled hunt permittees on the days of their hunt. Public access for wildlife viewing is allowed from Old Highway 69 road and bridge as signed. Lands east of Old Highway 69 are open to fishing and nonhunting use from Feb. 1 - Oct. 14. Lands west of new U.S. 69 are open for hunting, fishing and public use from Feb. 1 - Oct. 14.

The discharge of firearms for purposes other than hunting is prohibited.

No camping allowed.

McClellan-Kerr WRP

Muskogee

All shotgun hunting is restricted to federally approved nontoxic shot.

Closed Seasons
Deer Gun, Deer Muzzleloader, Youth Deer Gun, Holiday Antlerless Deer Gun, Turkey Fall Gun, Bear Archery, Bear Muzzleloader
Same As Statewide Seasons
Turkey Spring, Youth Turkey Spring
Seasons w/ Special Restrictions
  • Deer Archery, Dove, Rail, Gallinule, Crow, Quail, Snipe, Woodcock, Waterfowl, Rabbit, Squirrel, Turkey Fall Archery, Pursuit with Hounds for Furbearers, Predator/Furbearer Calling, Trapping

Closed Oct. 15 - Jan. 31.

Additional Restrictions:

The discharge of firearms for purposes other than hunting is prohibited.

Public access is prohibited from Oct. 15 - Jan. 31, unless otherwise provided.

No camping allowed.