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Pre-Season Scouting
Deer Archery Season
Youth Antlerless Deer Gun
Deer Primitive Firearms (muzzleloader) Season
Deer Gun Season
Special Antlerless Deer Season
Antlerless Zones 2006 {MAP}
Deer Regulations
Record of Game (idea)
Sunrise-Sunset Table - (since
the time varies based on your location in Oklahoma)
Email (trino@cwis.net)
The Deer Hunter is up to date as of October 25, 2006. All dates and regulations are as they appear in the Oklahoma Hunting Guide 2006-2007.
Probably the most important part of deer hunting is pre-season scouting.
If you are hunting public or private land out of your state or even out of your city then you need to start scouting early in the fall. When you find a spot where you find deer and you know that's where your going to hunt then the first thing you should do is to get a topo map of the area (more about topo maps in hunting grounds.
You should talk with someone familiar with the area. If you are going to be hunting public land then you can ask the local game warden, Soil Conservation officer, or someone familiar with the area. If you are going to be hunting private land then you first need to get permission of course, then you can ask the land owner, or someone familiar with the area. Ask them questions like. If, what time, and where they have been seeing deer. Ask, what have the deer been feeding on? Where is the best source of that type of foliage? Where is the best habitat that provides feeding, bedding, and cover in a localized area? While you are in the area you may want to go ahead and scout the terrain. Get an idea how the land lays, which way is the best way to enter and exit the woods to where you are going to hunt. Concentrate more on the deer movements, feeding habits and what time of day the deer are bedding down the closer it gets to season.
This page is just hit and miss on pre-season scouting. But I hope it gives you an
idea on what to do when going out of your community to hunt Whitetail deer. Do a little
research of your own, check out some of my links for
more helpful tips and ideas.
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License Requirements
Resident: Annual hunting
or combination license, lifetime hunting or lifetime combination license, youth
hunting or youth combination license, senior
citizen hunting or senior citizen combination license, a fishing and hunting
legacy permit or proof of exemptions. In
addition, all deer hunters must possess a deer archery license for each deer
hunted or proof of exemption.
Nonresident:
All nonresident deer hunters must possess a fishing and hunting legacy
permit and a nonresident deer archery
license for each deer hunted or proof of exemption. Holders of nonresident
lifetime hunting and lifetime combination licenses are not exempt from
purchasing deer licenses. Nonresident deer hunters are exempt from purchasing an
annual nonresident hunting license if only hunting deer. See pg. 10 of your
2006-2007 Oklahoma Hunting Guide or click
here.
Jan. 1-15: All hunters must possess a
hunting license and a deer
archery license for the current calendar year, unless otherwise exempt. Most
annual licenses are valid
from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31.
| OPEN | October 1, 2006 | CLOSE | January 15, 2007 | Statewide |
NOTE:
SEASONS ON PUBLIC LANDS MAY VARY FROM STATEWIDE SEASONS.Archery Limit
Combined Season Limit
The combined season bag limit for deer
archery, youth antlerless deer, deer muzzleloader, and deer gun seasons
is no more than six (6) deer per individual. This limit
may include no more than three (3) antlered deer.
Deer taken by hunters participating in special antlerless
deer gun season or controlled hunts are not included in the hunter's combined
season limit.
Legal Means of Taking
Bow:
Minimum of forty (40) pounds or more draw weight. Hand-held releases are
legal.
Broadheads: Hunting type points not less than 7/8 inches wide and
not less than 1-1/2 inches long.
Illegal Devices: Laser sights
and any device that permits a bow to be held mechanically at
full or partial draw.
Firearms
Restriction: No person may carry or use any firearm in conjunction with archery
equipment during the archery season while hunting deer, except under provisions of
the Oklahoma Self Defense Act.
Hunters are allowed to carry both archery equipment and a
muzzleloader during the muzzleloader season provided they have the appropriate
licenses and follow other muzzleloader season regulations. Hunters also are
allowed to carry both archery equipment and legal firearms during any modern gun
season, again provided they have the appropriate licenses and follow other
regulations to participate in those seasons.
Hunter Orange
Archery hunters hunting during the youth antlerless deer
gun, deer muzzleloader, deer gun, special antlerless deer gun seasons (in open
zones), elk gun (in open counties), or antelope (in open areas) must conspicuously wear either a head covering
or an outer garment above the waistline consisting of
hunter orange. Camouflage
hunter orange is legal.
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Age Requirements
Youth under 18 years of age. All youth while hunting are required to
be accompanied by an adult, 18 years old or older. The adult shall not gun hunt,
but may archery hunt while accompanying the youth hunter. The adult hunter may
not possess any firearms.
License Requirements
Resident youth under 16 years of age: Exempt from the
purchase of an annual hunting license and the fishing and hunting legacy permit, but must have successfully completed a
hunter education course.
All youth deer hunters must possess a youth deer gun antlerless license or proof of exemption. Those exempt include holders of a lifetime
hunting license or lifetime combination license.
Resident youth 16 and 17 years old: Must possess an annual
hunting or combination license, any lifetime hunting or lifetime
combination license, or proof of exemption, and have successfully completed a
hunter education course.
In addition, youth deer hunters must possess a youth
deer gun antlerless license or proof of exemption. Those exempt include holders
of a lifetime hunting license or lifetime combination license.
Nonresident youth: See Nonresident Deer Licenses
section on pg. 10 of you 2006-2007 Oklahoma Hunting Guide or
click here.
Antlerless deer may only be harvested on
specified days and in zones open to antlerless harvest (see pg. 14 of your
2006-2007 Oklahoma Hunting Guide or click the link below.
Antlerless Deer Hunt Zones 2006 {MAP}
| OPEN | October 20, 2006 | CLOSE | October 22, 2006 | Statewide |
NOTE:
SEASONS ON PUBLIC LANDS MAY VARY FROM STATEWIDE SEASONS.Youth Antlerless Deer Gun Limit
Combined Season Limit
The combined season bag limit for deer
archery, youth antlerless deer, deer muzzleloader, and deer gun seasons
is no more than six (6) deer per individual. This limit
may include no more than three (3) antlered deer.
Deer taken by hunters participating in special antlerless
deer gun season or controlled hunts are not included in the hunter's combined
season limit.
Unfilled Youth Deer Gun Antlerless Licenses
Youth hunters who do not
harvest an antlerless deer during the youth antlerless deer
gun season may use their unfilled license during the regular deer gun season
to take an antlerless deer on days and in zones open to antlerless deer hunting.
Legal Means of Taking
Equipment described as legal for
deer gun season.
Hunter Orange
Hunters participating in the youth antlerless deer gun season
must conspicuously wear both
a head covering and an outer garment above the waistline, both consisting of
hunter orange color totaling at least 400 square inches. Camouflage
orange is legal.
Hunters participating in the youth antlerless deer gun season
using archery equipment must conspicuously wear either a head covering or
an outer garment above the waistline consisting of hunter orange.
Camouflage hunter orange is legal.
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Antlerless deer may only be harvested on specified days and in zones open to antlerless harvest (see pg. 14 of your 2006-2007 Oklahoma Hunting Guide or click the link below.
| OPEN | October 28, 2006 | CLOSE | November 5, 2006 | Statewide |
NOTE:
SEASONS ON PUBLIC LANDS MAY VARY FROM STATEWIDE SEASONS.Muzzleloader Limit
Combined Season Limit
The combined season limit for deer
archery, youth antlerless deer, deer muzzleloader, and deer gun seasons
is no more than six (6) deer per individual. This limit
may include no more than three (3) antlered deer.
Deer taken by hunters participating in special antlerless deer
gun season or controlled hunts are
not included in the hunter's combined season limit.
Unfilled Antlered Deer Permits
Hunters who do not harvested a deer during
muzzleloader season may use their unfilled deer primitive firearms antlered
license to harvest an antlerless deer on the last day of the muzzleloader season in
zones open to antlerless harvest.
Hunters must still comply with the limit restriction of
no more than one (1) antlerless deer during muzzleloader season.
Unfilled primitive firearms licenses are not valid during any
other deer season.
Legal Means of Taking
Muzzleloading
rifles: Forty (.40) caliber or larger; flintlock or percussion cap
or shotgun primer; single slug or
ball; blackpowder, Pyrodex or modern smokeless powder; double barreled
muzzleloader rifles; in-line muzzleloader rifles; metallic sights and
optical sights are legal.
Muzzleloading
shotguns: Smoothbore muzzleloading shotguns, 20
gauge or larger and firing a single projectile are legal..
Muzzleloading
pistols: Single shot or
revolver with characteristics described al legal for muzzleloading rifles are
legal.
Archery: Archery equipment
described as legal for deer archery
season.
Illegal devices:
Blackpowder firearms loaded from the breech, laser sights and light enhancement devices
(night scopes) are illegal.
Hunter Orange
Hunters participating in the deer muzzleloader season
using a muzzleloading firearm must conspicuously wear both
a head covering and an outer garment above the waistline, both consisting of
hunter orange color totaling at least 400 square inches. Camouflage
orange is legal.
Hunters participating in the
deer muzzleloader season
using archery equipment must conspicuously wear either a head covering or
an outer garment above the waistline consisting of hunter orange.
Camouflage hunter orange is legal.
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License Requirements
Resident: Annual hunting
or combination license, lifetime hunting or lifetime combination license, youth
hunting or youth combination license, senior
citizen hunting or senior citizen combination license, fishing and hunting
legacy permit or proof of exemption. In
addition, all deer hunters must possess a deer gun (antlered or
antlerless) license for each deer hunted or proof of exemption.
Hunters under 18 years of age may purchase the youth
deer gun license.
Nonresident:
All nonresident deer hunters must possess a nonresident deer gun
(antlered, antlerless or combination) license for each deer hunted, a fishing and hunting legacy permit or proof of
exemption. Holders of nonresident lifetime hunting and lifetime combination
licenses are not exempt from purchasing deer licenses. Nonresident deer hunters
are exempt from purchasing an annual nonresident hunting license if only hunting
deer. See Nonresident Deer Licenses
section on pg. 10 of your 2006-2007 Oklahoma Hunting Guide or
Click Here.
Antlerless deer may only be harvested on specified days
and in zones open to antlerless harvest (see pg. 14 of your 2006-2007 Oklahoma
Hunting Guide or click the link below.
Antlerless Deer Hunt Zones 2006 {MAP}
| OPEN | November 18, 2006 | CLOSE | December 3, 2006 | Statewide |
NOTE:
SEASONS ON PUBLIC LANDS MAY VARY FROM STATEWIDE SEASONS.Deer Gun Limit
Combined Season Limit
The combined season bag limit for deer
archery, youth antlerless deer, deer muzzleloader, and deer gun seasons
is no more than six (6) deer per individual. This limit
may include no more than three (3) antlered deer.
Deer taken by hunters participating in special antlerless
deer gun season or controlled hunts are not included in the hunter's combined
season limit.
Unfilled Antlered Deer Permits
Hunters who have not harvested a deer during
deer gun season may use their unfilled deer gun antlered license to harvest an antlerless deer on the last day of the deer gun season.
Hunters must still comply with the bag limit restriction of
no more than one (1) antlerless deer during deer gun season.
Unfilled deer gun licenses are not valid during the
special antlerless deer gun season.
Youth Deer Gun Antlerless Licenses
Youth hunters who do not harvest an antlerless
deer during the youth antlerless deer gun season may use their unfilled youth
antlerless deer gun license during the regular deer gun season to take an
antlerless deer on days and in zones open to antlerless deer hunting.
Youth hunters who have harvested and antlerless deer during
the youth antlerless deer gun season may purchase another youth antlerless deer
license and harvest an antlerless deer during the regular deer gun season on
days and in zones open to antlerless deer hunting.
Legal Means of Taking
Rifles: Centerfire rifles firing
at least a 55 grain weight
soft-nosed or hollow point bullet and having an overall cartridge case length of
1 1/4 inches or longer (9mm rifles are not legal). Clips or magazines of all .22 caliber centerfire
firearms may not be capable of holding more than seven (7) rounds of ammunition.
Muzzleloaders: Equipment
described as legal for deer
muzzleloader
season and blackpowder firearms loaded from the breach are legal.
Shotguns: Twenty
(20) gauge or larger, firing a single rifled slug are legal.
Centerfire
Handguns: Chambered
for a .24 caliber or larger and 100-grain or heavier soft-nosed bullet having
and overall cartridge case length of 1-1/4 inches or longer are legal (.357 or
larger) and a minimum barrel length of four (4) inches.
Semi-automatic Handguns:
Chambered for any centerfire ammunition with a 100-grain or heavier soft-nosed
bullet and having a cartridge case size of .40 cal. or larger (includes 10mm,
.357 Sig., and 40 cal. or larger) and a minimum barrel length of four (4)
inches.
Handguns chambered for any centerfire rifle ammunition:
Chambered for any centerfire rifle ammunition using at least a 55-grain
soft-nosed bullet and having an overall cartridge case length of 1 1/4 inches or
longer and a minimum barrel length of four (4) inches.
Archery: Equipment
described as legal for deer archery
season.
Illegal devices:
Fully automatic firearms, silencers, laser sights and light enhancement devices
(night scopes) are illegal.
Hunter Orange
Hunters participating in the deer gun
season using firearms described as legal must
conspicuously wear both a head covering and an outer garment above the
waistline both consisting of hunter orange color totaling at least 400 square
inches. Camouflage
hunter orange is legal.
Hunters participating in the deer
gun season using archery equipment must conspicuously wear either
a head covering or an outer garment above the waistline consisting of hunter orange. Camouflage
hunter orange is legal.
License Requirements
Resident: Annual hunting
or combination license, any lifetime hunting or lifetime combination license, youth
hunting or youth combination license, senior
citizen hunting or senior citizen combination license, a fishing and hunting
legacy permit or proof of exemptions.
In
addition, all deer hunters must possess a special antlerless deer license or the youth
special antlerless deer gun license (under 18) or proof of exemption.
This license will remain valid for the duration of the special antlerless deer
gun season (including any days that extend into the following calendar year). Those exempt include holders of a lifetime hunting license, lifetime combination
license, senior citizens license (65 yrs. and older), residents born before Jan.
1, 1923, and resident veterans 100 percent disabled.
Nonresident:
All nonresident deer hunters must possess a nonresident special
antlerless deer gun license and a fishing and hunting legacy permit or proof of
exemption. This license will remain valid for the duration of the special
antlerless deer gun season. Holders of nonresident lifetime hunting and lifetime combination
licenses are not exempt from purchasing deer licenses. Nonresident deer hunters
are exempt from purchasing an annual nonresident hunting license to deer hunt if
only hunting deer. See Nonresident Deer Licenses section on pg. 10 of your
2006-2007 Oklahoma Hunting Guide or
Click Here.
Antlerless deer may only be harvested on
specified days and in zones open to antlerless harvest (see pg. 14 of your
2006-2007 Oklahoma Hunting Guide or click the link below.
Antlerless Deer Hunt Zones 2006 {MAP}
|
Refer to Antlerless Deer Hunting Zones Map on page 14 of your 2006-2007 Oklahoma Hunting Guide (or click here) and WMA Regulations beginning on page 37 of your 2006-2007 Oklahoma Hunting Guide! |
NOTE:
SEASONS ON PUBLIC LANDS MAY VARY FROM STATEWIDE SEASONS.
Special Antlerless Deer Gun Limit:
Combined Season Limit
The combined season bag limit for deer
archery, youth antlerless deer, deer muzzleloader, and deer gun seasons
is no more than six (6) deer per individual. This limit
may include no more than three (3) antlered deer.
Deer taken by hunters participating in special antlerless
deer gun season or controlled hunts are not included in the hunter's combined
season limit.
Unfilled Deer Licenses
Unfilled youth deer gun antlerless, deer primitive firearms and deer gun
licenses are not valid during the special antlerless deer gun season.
Hunters participating in the special antlerless deer gun
season must purchase a special antlerless deer gun license, or a youth special
antlerless deer gun license (under 18) unless exempt.
Legal means of taking:
Equipment described as legal for
deer gun season.
Hunter Orange
Hunters participating in the special
antlerless deer season using firearms described as legal must
conspicuously wear both a head covering and an outer garment above the
waistline both consisting of hunter orange color totaling at least 400 square
inches. Camouflage
hunter orange is legal.
Hunters participating in the
special antlerless deer season (in open zones) using archery equipment must conspicuously wear either
a head covering or an outer garment above the waistline consisting of hunter orange. Camouflage
hunter orange is legal.
Nonresident Deer Licenses
Combined Season Limit
The combined season bag limit for deer
archery, youth antlerless deer, deer muzzleloader, and deer gun seasons
is no more than six (6) deer per individual. This limit
may include no more than three (3) antlered deer.
Deer taken by hunters participating in special antlerless
deer gun season or controlled hunts are not included in the hunter's combined
season limit.
Public Lands
Shooting Hours
One-half hour
before official sunrise to one-half hour after official sunset.
Antlered Deer Definition
Any deer
regardless of sex, with at least three (3) inches of antler length above the natural hairline
on either side.
White Deer
It is unlawful to
kill a white deer without specific written permission of the Wildlife Department director.
Tagging
Upon harvesting a deer, all annual
license/permit holders are required to complete the "Record of
Game"
section on the back of the license form. In addition all persons, including lifetime license holders, shall immediately upon harvesting
a deer securely attach their name and
hunting license number to the carcass. The attached item can be anything, as
long as it contains the hunter's name and license number. This must remain
attached to the carcass until it is checked at the nearest open hunter check
station.
Checking
The person who harvested the deer must check it at
the nearest open hunter check station or with an authorized Department employee where the
deer will be tagged with a carcass tag. The carcass tag must remain with the
carcass through processing and/or storage at commercial processing or storage facilities.
Carcasses may be checked in quartered with the sex
organs naturally attached and head accompanying the carcass.
More Than One Method of Take in the Field
Hunters are allowed to carry
both archery equipment and a muzzleloader during the muzzleloader season
provided they have the appropriate licenses and follow other muzzleloader season
regulations.
Hunters also are allowed to carry both archery equipment and legal
firearms during any modern gun season, again provided they have the appropriate
licenses and follow other regulations to participate in those seasons.
Tracking Devices
Telemetric radio tracking
devices for deer hunting are legal. However, thermal tracking devices are illegal.
Carcass Disposal
No person may dump the carcass
of any dead animal in any well, spring, pond, or stream of water or leave it
within 1/4 mile of any occupied dwelling or public highway without burying the
carcass in an appropriate manner where it is not liable to become exposed
through erosion of the soil or where such land is subject to overflow.
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| Back in the early part of the last century, seeing a
white-tailed deer was a rare event. If fact, sometimes a sighting would
make the local paper! The Wildlife Department took up the call to once
again have healthy deer populations across the state. Part of this
conservation effort began with the historic deer trap and transplant
projects in the 1950s and '60s and these projects were very successful. Deer hunting is the most popular hunting season in Oklahoma. The overall economic impact on our state is over $600 million. More than 84,000 archers, nearly 108,000 primitive firearms hunters and over 155,000 gun hunters enjoy the great heritage of Oklahoma deer hunting each year. |
Statewide Deer Harvest Totals 2006 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ? 2005 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101,056 2004 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94,689 2003 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100,602 2002 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98,581 2001 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101,635 2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102,100 1999 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89,724 If you'd like to see more detailed breakdowns of harvest statistics by county, WMA, controlled hunts, sex, etc., as well as plenty of other information about deer and deer hunting in Oklahoma, log on to: |
Maximum Penalties for
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