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Nonresident deer hunting in Oklahoma?

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23 July 2004, 11:10
JLHeard
Nonresident deer hunting in Oklahoma?
My brother-in-law's family owns about 150 acres in southern OK. And since we struck out in AZ, we are thinking of heading back there to hunt whitetails.

Does anyone have any experience with the OK Game and Fish, getting tags, permits, what you need to do, etc?
23 July 2004, 11:57
dogcat
I live in OK. You can get your tags over the counter at a Wal-Mart or wherever. THe deer hunting is spotty, the rifle season is 16 days around Thanksgiving. You can get plenty of info via the Oklahoma Dept of Wildlife Conservation website. I do not think the non-resident tags are very expensive as compared to other states.

There is a lot of public land to hunt but it is heavily hunted. Bow hunters have a 3 or 4 month season.

THe best areas are in NE OK in Osage County, the counties bordering Kansas and in the canyons in the Panhandle.

I typically go to Texas and I live here, so unless you have a good spot or lease, pickin's might be a little slim.
23 July 2004, 12:00
Rob1SG
http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/hunting.htm is the web site for your info you can even buy a license on-line.
23 July 2004, 12:16
Wendell Reich
The license is a little over $200. Private land in the areas mentioned above is good. From I35 West along the Red River and straight up the side of the Texas Panhandle should be good. The farther West you go, the better it is (in Southern OK at least).

The season is with the rut (I believe)

Good luck.
23 July 2004, 13:57
GonHuntin
Quote:

The farther West you go, the better it is (in Southern OK at least).



The season is with the rut (I believe)









The deer population is much higher in SE Oklahoma than in SW Oklahoma.



Rifle season is usually at the very end or after the rut for most of the state......the peak of the rut is usually the 10 days before rifle season........



non-resident deer tags are $251



HOWEVER



Unless your state offers "general unrestricted nonresident licenses" for deer season, then you can't legally buy a deer tag in Oklahoma!



Quote:

The Department shall not issue any nonresident

deer license to residents of any other state

which has a deer season but does not allow

Oklahoma residents the opportunity to purchase

general unrestricted nonresident licenses in their

state."




24 July 2004, 03:10
DesertRam
Quote:

The Department shall not issue any nonresident
deer license to residents of any other state
which has a deer season but does not allow
Oklahoma residents the opportunity to purchase
general unrestricted nonresident licenses in their
state."



Just curious here - does this mean that a NR must come from a state with over the counter tags, or that there must be an unlimited opportunity to draw tags, like we now have in AZ? I'm not sure how many states are strictly draw for deer, but this is an interesting clause. I'm sure NM will go full draw for deer within the next several years (well they will if Tony's right and the G&F isn't all about making cash). If I interpret the quote correctly, JL's out of the running for an Oklahoma tag, as I think AZ is full draw.

JL, there is some nice country in OK. I had the opportunity to hunt turkey there when I was in high school. Did a lot of fishing during the summer I spent there too. Man talk about the catfish. Sure caught a pile of them.
24 July 2004, 04:13
GonHuntin
Quote:

- does this mean that a NR must come from a state with over the counter tags



I believe that is exactly what it means.......however, if you want it straight from the source, you can e-mail Paul Moore at: pmoore@odwc.state.ok.us and ask him.........
24 July 2004, 05:03
DesertRam
Thanks GH. Mostly I was just curious. I have too many other irons in the fire to go to OK again. I was just wondering. I think that's a little restrictive since a single dude can't make state-wide wildlife decisions, but it does make sense. At least your G&F is looking out for their people. I sure saw some nice bucks over there too. Plenty of coyotes as well...
24 July 2004, 06:18
JLHeard
I spoke to OK Game and Fish and was told that the only people kept out are Kansans. I was told that Kansas wont let out of staters in their draws? Or something like that. So, I'm good there.
24 July 2004, 06:21
GonHuntin
This law was passed mainly because Kansas residents were coming to Oklahoma to hunt deer, while Kansas did not offer the same opportunity to Oklahoma residents......
24 July 2004, 06:26
GonHuntin
JLH



I'd certainly want to talk to someone in enforcement before I made the trip! Kansas does allow Oklahoma residents to apply in their drawing now.........



I'll send an e-mail to Paul Moore and see what he says......I'll report back.......