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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

McCurtain County Wilderness Area 

McCurtain

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

Additional Restrictions:

The self-guided nature trail is open year-round.

No public entry, except by persons possessing prior written permission from the Director of the Department or his designated representatives; Department employees; or by the Oklahoma Board of Agriculture, Division of Forestry personnel engaged in fire protection or suppression activities.

No camping allowed, except by permit.

McGee Creek WMA

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

Closed during the first nine days of deer gun season.

  • Rail, Gallinule, Crow, Snipe, Woodcock, Waterfowl, Rabbit, Squirrel

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

  • 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 and closed during spring turkey season.

  • 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:

Closed to all nonhunting activities, except hunter camping, from Oct. 1 - Jan. 31 and during spring turkey season.

Camping is allowed in designated areas.

Mountain Park WMA

Kiowa

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

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

  • 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.

  • Turkey Spring, Youth Turkey Spring

One-tom limit; seasons combined. Hunting hours close at 7:00 p.m. daily.

  • Quail

Closed during the first nine days of deer gun season. Closed to non-resident hunting February 1-15.

Additional Restrictions:

Hunter and angler camping is allowed in designated areas.

Closed to all air-driven watercraft on WDU portion.

Nanih Waiya 

Pushmataha

Open only from Sept. 1 through the end of spring turkey season each year. Deer hunting restricted to shotgun or archery only.

Closed Seasons
Bear Muzzleloader, Turkey Fall Gun, Trapping

Neosho WMA 

Craig, Ottawa

Area closed to all activities for controlled deer hunts:

Oct. 12-13, 2024

Nov. 2-3, 2024

Nov. 9-10, 2024

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

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

  • 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:

No camping allowed.

Okmulgee GMA 

Okmulgee

Area closed to all activities for controlled deer hunts Nov. 2-3, Nov. 9-10, and Nov. 16-17, 2024.

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

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

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

  • Waterfowl

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

  • Turkey Spring, Youth Turkey Spring

One-tom limit; seasons combined.

Additional Restrictions:

Closed to all nonhunting activities from Oct. 1 - Feb. 15.

No camping allowed.

Okmulgee PHA 

Okmulgee

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

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

Closed to antlerless hunting.

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

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

  • Turkey Fall Gun

Tom only, shotgun only.

  • Crow

Open Dec. 9 - March 4.

  • Waterfowl

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

  • Turkey Spring, Youth Turkey Spring

One-tom limit; seasons combined.

Additional Restrictions:

Closed to all nonhunting activities, except hunter camping, from Oct. 1 - Feb. 15.

Hunter and angler camping is allowed in designated areas.

Oologah WMA

Nowata, Rogers

All shotgun hunting is restricted to federally approved nontoxic shot on both Overcup Bottoms and Upper Verdigris WDU portions.

Closed Seasons
Holiday Antlerless Deer Gun, Turkey Fall Gun
Same As Statewide Seasons
Dove, Rail, Gallinule, Crow, Turkey Fall Archery, Turkey Spring, Youth Turkey Spring, Trapping
Seasons w/ Special Restrictions
  • Deer Archery, Youth Deer Gun, Deer Muzzleloader, Deer Gun

Goose Island is archery only. All other portions of the WMA are open to legal means of taking for each particular season.

  • Quail, Snipe, Woodcock, Rabbit, Squirrel, Predator/Furbearer Calling

Closed during the first nine days of deer gun season.

  • Pursuit with Hounds for Furbearers

Closed during deer gun season.

  • Waterfowl

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

Additional Restrictions:

The portion of Oologah WMA known as Goose Island is restricted to shotguns with pellets and archery only.

Hunter and angler camping is allowed in designated areas.

Optima NWR

Texas

All hunting is restricted to shotgun or archery only.

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

Closed during the first nine days of deer gun season.

  • Turkey Spring, Youth Turkey Spring

Controlled hunts only.

Optima WMA

Texas
Closed Seasons
Rail, Gallinule, Holiday Antlerless Deer Gun
Same As Statewide Seasons
Youth Deer Gun, Dove, Waterfowl, Sandhill Cranes, 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.

  • Pursuit with Hounds for Furbearers, Predator/Furbearer Calling

Closed during deer gun season.

  • Pheasant

Closed during the first nine days of deer gun season. Hunting hours close at 4:30 p.m. daily.

  • Turkey Fall Gun

Shotgun only.

  • 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.

  • Turkey Spring, Youth Turkey Spring

One-tom limit; seasons combined. Hunting hours close at 7:00 p.m. daily.

  • Quail

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

Additional Restrictions:

Hunter and angler camping is allowed in designated areas.