Okla. Admin. Code § 800:25-7-53

Current through Vol. 42, No. 4, November 1, 2024

Section 800:25-7-53 - Deer - gun

The following hunting dates, bag limits and legal means of taking apply to hunting deer with gun:

(1)Dates. The dates for the deer gun season shall be the Saturday prior to Thanksgiving and run for sixteen (16) consecutive days in management zones as designated by Commission resolution.

(2)Bag limit. Up to six (6) deer including no more than one (1) antlered deer. A separate license is required for each deer to be hunted or harvested. All deer taken are included in the combined season statewide bag limit. Individual Management Zone antlerless bag limits and antlerless days will be determined by resolution and published in the Hunting Guide. An unfilled deer gun antlered license may be used to harvest an antlerless deer in designated areas on the last day of the deer gun season.

(3)Legal means of taking. The legal means of taking deer with gun shall be as follows:

(A) Rifles (conventional or muzzleloading), handguns, shotguns or bow and arrows, see 800:25-7-54. All public lands within the state are open to rifles, handguns, shotguns or bows unless otherwise specified.

(B) Muzzleloading firearms that are legal for the primitive (muzzleloading) season shall also be legal in all areas open to rifles, except black powder firearms loaded from the breech are also legal. Metallic and/or optical sights may also be used on muzzleloading firearms during the deer gun season.

Muzzleloading pistols (single shot or revolver) with characteristics that are described for rifles are permissible.

(C) Hunters choosing to hunt with primitive (muzzleloading) firearms, air powered arrow rifles or air rifles must possess appropriate deer gun license and comply with fluorescent clothing and bag limit requirements as set for the Deer Gun Season.

(D) Laser sights are illegal.

(E) Air powered arrow rifles shall be legal during any open rifle season. No arrow rifle may be transported in a motorized vehicle unless projectile has been removed from the barrel assembly and arrow rifle has been decocked.

(4)Zone Management Hunts

(A) Dates and open areas: The Commission may, by resolution, establish an antlerless deer gun season at any time in designated management zones or on designated Wildlife Management Areas, as published in the current Oklahoma Hunting Guide and Regulations, during any dates as established by the Commission.

(B) Bag Limit: Zone Management Hunt bag limits will be established by resolution. Antlerless deer taken during a Zone Management Hunt are considered bonus deer and do not count against the statewide deer bag limit. Unfilled deer gun licenses for the deer gun season or controlled hunts are not valid for Zone Management Hunts.

(C) Legal means of taking: Same as deer gun season.

(5)The harvest of antlerless mule deer shall be prohibited during the deer gun seasons.

Okla. Admin. Code § 800:25-7-53

Amended at 9 Ok Reg 364, eff 11-15-91 (emergency); Amended at 9 Ok Reg 3075, eff 7-13-92; Amended at 11 Ok Reg 4289, eff 7-25-94; Amended at 12 Ok Reg 1529, eff 5-26-95; Amended at 13 Ok Reg 3433, eff 8-12-96; Amended at 18 Ok Reg 1801, eff 6-1-01; Added at 20 Ok Reg 2223, eff 7-1-03

Amended by Oklahoma Register, Volume 37, Issue 24, September 1, 2020, eff. 9/11/2020

Amended by Oklahoma Register, Volume 40, Issue 2, October 1, 2022, eff. 8/22/2022

Amended by Oklahoma Register, Volume 40, Issue 24, September 1, 2023, eff. 9/11/2023

Amended by Oklahoma Register, Volume 41, Issue 22, August 1, 2024, eff. 8/11/2024