Oklahoma is famous for hunting. Hunters come to this State from all over the USA for its diverse hunting games and hunters friendly regulations. Read this article to know all the necessary aspects regarding hunting in Oklahoma.
Hunter Education for hunting in Oklahoma
Like most of the state’s law in USA, hunting education certification is mandatory for hunting alone in Oklahoma. Anyone can take hunting education here. Hunting education class is available to take both in person and online. However, a person below 10 years old can take hunter education class but won’t get any certification. All the hunters who are 31 years old or older do not need a hunter education certificate for hunting in Oklahoma.
If someone is below 10 years old or for any other reason couldn’t take hunter education certificate, still can apply for apprentice-designated hunting license. In that case he/she will be allowed to hunting as an apprentice with a permitted hunter.
Hunter education classes will covers different types of firearms safety, wildlife identification, wildlife conservation and management, responsibility etc.
Enlisted instructors will take 8 hour long hunter education classes. Good news is all hunter education classes are completely free of cost.
Oklahoma accepts hunter education certificates taken from any other states of USA.
Get detailed information on hunting education in Oklahoma here.
License Types in Oklahoma
Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) is the responsible authority to permit hunting by giving hunting licenses. They provide different varieties of hunting licenses specified for different hunter and hunting categories.
Based on hunters, hunting licenses can be divided into two major group i.e. resident and non-resident hunting license. Like everywhere a resident hunter gets some favors over non-resident hunters especially in the case of license fees.
Apart from residency, age specific licenses are available for the hunters who are 16 and 17 years old (youth license) and for senior citizens who are above 64 years old. Youth hunting license is only available for Oklahoma residents.
Additional hunting licenses are also required for different game type’s i.e. migratory waterfowl, antelope, fur, elk, turkey, bear etc. They have different fees as well.
Hunting licenses are also varied upon their validity time such as lifelong hunting license, 5- years hunting license, annual hunting licenses etc.
License Types in OklahomaResidency requirement for hunting license in Oklahoma
To claim a resident hunting license a hunter must prove that he has been staying in Oklahoma for the last six months and willing to stay here for a permanently. For that he/she has to submit any of the following documents:
Price of Hunting license in Oklahoma
Around sixty different types of hunting license option with different associated fees are available in Oklahoma.
Among them, prices of most common licenses are:General License
Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation provides three different types of general hunting licenses for hunting different games. These licenses are required for the entire resident, nonresident who enters department owned land. However, these licenses are exempted for some individuals.
HIP free of cost
Wildlife conservation passport – 26$
3-days wildlife conservation passport – 15$Hunting license price for Oklahoma residents, Adult hunter (age 18 -34)
Residence life time Hunting – 625$
Residence life time fishing and hunting combo – 775$
5 year Hunting fishing combo license – 148$ (Validity covers all hunting seasons within five fiscal years)
Annual Fishing and hunting combo license – 42$ (Validity covers only hunting season of one same calendar year).
Resident hunting and fishing combo Fiscal Year – 53$ (Validity covers all hunting seasons within one fiscal year, from July to June next year)
5 – Year Hunt – 88$ (validity covers all hunting seasons within five fiscal year)
Annual Hunting – 25$ (Validity covers only hunting season of one same calendar year)
Resident hunting fiscal year – 32$ (Validity covers all hunting seasons within one fiscal year, from July to June next year)
Additional Hunting Licenses
Hunters who already possess any above license will be required to purchase additional hunting license depending on game types. Prices of some common license are:
Resident deer Archery – 20$ (Validity covers only archery season of one same calendar year. Also, valid for hunting only one antlered or one antlerless deer)
Resident deer primitive (antlered) – 20$ (Validity covers only muzzleloader season of one same calendar year. Also, valid for hunting only one antlered deer)
Resident antelope – 51$ (Validity covers only muzzleloader season of one same calendar year)
Resident deer gun (antlered)/ Resident deer gun antlered (antlerless) – 20$ each (Validity covers deer gun season of one same calendar year. Also, valid for hunting only one antlered or antlerless deer)
Resident elk – 51$ (Validity covers elk hunting season of one calendar year. Also, valid for hunting only one elk)
Resident trapper – 10$ (Validity covers end to July to end of February next year)
Resident Beer – 101$ (Validity covers elk hunting season of one calendar year)
Turkey (spring/fall) – 10$Hunting license price for Oklahoma residents (youth, 16-17 years old)
Resident youth combo hunting and fishing – 9$
Resident youth combo hunting and fishing fiscal year – 19$
Resident youth annual hunting – 5$Additional hunting license for youth in Oklahoma
Resident deer gun hunting license (antlered/ antlerless) – 10$ each (Validity covers only muzzleloader season of one same calendar year. Also, valid for hunting only one antlered or antlerless deer).
Resident deer primitive (antlered/ antlerless) – 10$ each (Validity covers only muzzleloader season of one same calendar year. Also, valid for hunting only one antlered or antlerless deer).
Resident youth deer archery – 10$ (Validity covers only archery season of one same calendar year. Also, valid for hunting only one antlered or one antlerless deer).
Additional hunting license for youth in Oklahoma
Resident deer gun hunting license (antlered/ antlerless) – 10$ each (Validity covers only muzzleloader season of one same calendar year. Also, valid for hunting only one antlered or antler-less deer).
Resident deer primitive (antlered/ antlerless) – 10$ each (Validity covers only muzzleloader season of one same calendar year. Also, valid for hunting only one antlered or antlerless deer).
Resident youth deer archery – 10$ (Validity covers only archery season of one same calendar year. Also, valid for hunting only one antlered or one antler-less deer).
Price of Non-resident Hunting License in Oklahoma
Non-resident hunting fiscal year – 176$ (Validity covers all hunting seasons within one fiscal years (July-Jun), allowed only for small games. However, special license will be needed for hunting turkey.)
Non-resident hunt – 142$ (Validity covers hunting seasons within one year, allowed only for small games. However, special license will be needed for hunting turkey.)
NR Hunt 5-Day (Is valid for pheasant, but NOT valid for big game, turkey or quail) – 75$ (Validity cover July- December, same year)
Non-resident antelope/ non-resident elk – 306$ each (Validity covers all hunting season within one year)
Non-resident deer archery/ non-resident deer gun/ non-resident primitive deer – 280$ each (Validity covers all hunting season within one year)
See all the options here: https://www.wildlifedepartment.com/forget1/LicenseDescription.aspx
Available animals for hunting in Oklahoma
Hunting deer in Oklahoma
In Oklahoma, as a sport hunting deer is really, really popular; it’s even more popular than the football! Among the Oklahomans deer hunting is not a mere sporting event, it’s a long cherished tradition to them.
During deer gun season there hunters become nuts, it’s like a festival. You will find hardcore deer hunters all over the Oklahoma are getting prepared for the hunting season. All the outdoor games and sports stores become busy with zealous hunters. Therefore, deer hunting impacts significantly on Oklahoma’s economy. According to the ODWC’s official website, this impact is over 600 million dollars per year.
If I say, Oklahoma is the haven for hunting deer, I am not overstating. So, if you are a hardcore deer hunter then don’t miss this place during the deer hunting season and don’t forget to purchase proper licenses.
Hunting hogs (Feral Swain) in Oklahoma
Feral swains are considered as vermin by the Wildlife Department. The abundance of this creature in Oklahoma sometimes becomes a huge problem for the land owners. Therefore, the state policy encourages hunting wild hogs.
In private land, hunters don’t even need a hunting license for hunting hogs. They just need the permission from the land owner. Hunters can hunt as much as they want, from half an hour prior to sunrise to half an hour after the sundown.
Land owners can easily get special permission for hunting hogs at night. All his family members and also other hunters can assist him in hunting at night. A permitted land owner can provide permission to any hunters in written form to hunt hogs in his land at night.
Although, night time hunting is allowed in private lands, a permitted land owner or his appointed hunters must follow some strict rules during other big game hunting season. Hunters must have appropriate licenses of that big game in the case of hunting hogs at night during a big game hunting season with a fire arms. He must acquire license for hunting with any fire arms or rifles larger than .22 calibers.
Also, they must inform the game wardens before hunting hogs at night during a deer hunting season. It can be done either by calling the warden or by texting him.
A land owner doesn’t need to worry about anything if he’s hunting hogs during a off season of other hunting games.
In private land, hunting feral swine or hogs is allowed in an authorized hunting season with proper hunting license. Hunting hogs at night with firearms isn’t allowed in public land in Oklahoma. Hunters may take on hogs at night with other weapons i.e. bows in an authorized season. But, they’ll have to acquire proper permission from the Wildlife Department for that.
Hunting duck/ waterfowl in Oklahoma
Diverse species of waterfowl and ducks gather in Oklahoma during winter. These make Oklahoma a great for visit during duck hunting season. Available waterfowls include teals, mallards, geese etc.
Hunting Turkey in Oklahoma
Three subspecies of turkeys are available in Oklahoma - Eastern, Rio Grande and Merriam's. Rio Grande turkeys are widely found here among other subspecies. Check this link to see the availability map for each subspecies. Roost shooting isn’t allowed in any season.
Oklahoma hunting laws provide fall and spring turkey seasons for legal hunting. Hunter must acquire proper hunting license for each season.
During spring hunting, only Toms are allowed to hunt. Only bows and conventional shotguns are allowed for taking turkeys. Rifles and other
Fall turkey season has much more flexibility in the case of choosing weapons. Apart from archery, shotgun and muzzleloader, hunter can use rifles and handgun for taking turkeys. However, they must maintain approved calibers for those firearms.
Baiting turkeys isn’t allowed. Also, hunters can’t use any recorder turkey call or live decoy for hunting them. Though, artificial decoy and call is allowed. Hunter orange is mandatory during hunting turkeys.
During turkey season, turkeys are allowed to hunt from one-half hour before the dawn to one-half hour before the dusk.
Waterfowls, Pheasants, Migratory birds and Quails
Oklahoma is famous for dove and other migratory birds hunting. You can find detailed information on dove hunting here.
Oklahoma can also be a good place for waterfowl hunter. It offers a huge number of various species of waterfowls. Get more information here: https://www.wildlifedepartment.com/hunting/species/waterfowl.
Oklahoma offers a good opportunity to hunt Quails. Hunting quails in a traditional sport in this state. Hunters can find two subspecies of quails in Oklahoma - the northern bobwhite and the scaled quails. The northern bobwhite is found abundantly in Oklahoma and the most harvested one. Scaled quails aren’t allowed to hunt everywhere because of scarcity. Check this link to know more.
Apart from the above species, Oklahoma State also provide adequate opportunity to hunt elks, black bears, antelopes etc.
Conclusion
Oklahoma is a great place for hunting provides ample amount of deer, hogs, waterfowls, turkeies etc. For a non-resident hunting license and regulation may seem a little out of the hand for some. Nevertheless, for deer hunters this place would be undoubtedly a good choice.