Deer Gun Season Underway
November 18th - December 3rd
The most highly anticipated day of the year for thousands of Oklahoma hunters arrived last Saturday, Nov. 18, as the state’s deer gun hunting season officially began a half-hour before sunrise.
For many sportsmen and sportswomen, this is the best time to put venison in the freezer and maybe hang a trophy on the wall. Deer gun season runs 16 days, through Sunday, Dec. 3.
This year’s Rut Report indicates plenty of hunter success is likely, as plenty of deer movement is being reported in all regions of the state.
Big Game Biologist Dallas Barber with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, is reminding deer hunters that harvesting antlerless deer remains an important part of the state’s deer herd management strategy.
“Antlerless deer harvest is even more important when populations are growing,” Barber said.
To encourage a greater harvest of does, the
Department allows each hunter to take as many as eight antlerless deer combined over the various hunting seasons, and has increased open dates for antlerless deer harvest. Hunters who applied for this year’s controlled hunts may take even more antlerless deer, as controlled hunt deer harvests do not count toward a hunter’s overall season limit. ODWC continues to promote the “Hunters in the Know ... Take a Doe!” public awareness campaign.
Barber praised hunters for their voluntary participation in the past, which has helped with overall herd health across the state. Every time a hunter takes a shot, he or she had made a decision about deer herd management. And with about 95 percent of Oklahoma’s land under private ownership, hunter participation is critical to effectively manage deer statewide.
SOUTHEAST REGION
Reported by Eric Suttles, Southeast Region Supervisor
Current Buck Rutting Activity: Field reports seemed to suggest that peak activity might have occurred early in November. However, there is plenty of activity ongoing throughout the region.
Habitat Conditions: With mild weather and recent rainfall, food availability is not an issue for herd health. Acorns are spotty with many trees in the white oak group throughout the region having a down year in production. Limited acorn production typically trends for better hunting success. Resources on the landscape are more concentrated, allowing for deer to hold on to tighter behavior patterns.