Deer Hunting Seasons
The regulations on this page apply to all Big Game Seasons (see Big Game Regulations)
For requirements on hunter orange, legal means of taking, public lands, shooting hours, carcass disposal, more than one method of take in the field, tracking with dogs, field tagging and checking requirements, see Big Game Regulations.
Combined Season Limit
- Six: no more than two may be antlered.
This includes deer archery, youth deer gun, deer muzzleloader and deer gun seasons.
Deer taken during Jan. 1-15, 2025, count toward the 2024 combined season limit.
Deer taken during controlled hunts or during the holiday antlerless deer gun season do not count toward the combined season limit.
Antlered Deer Definition
Any deer, regardless of sex, with at least three inches of antler length above the natural hairline on either side.
Tracking Devices
Telemetric radio tracking devices for deer hunting are legal. However, thermal tracking devices are illegal.
Antlerless Deer Zones
Antlerless deer may only be harvested during firearm seasons on specified days and in zones open to antlerless harvest (see Antlerless Deer Zones).
License Requirements
Hunters must be in possession of all appropriate licenses before hunting a deer. Hunters using an air-powered arrow rifle must purchase a one-time Arrow Rifle Permit.
Resident Youth (unless exempt):
- Youth Annual Super Hunting License
Resident (unless exempt):
- Resident Hunting License, and
- Resident Deer License for that particular season.
Nonresident Youth (unless exempt)
- Nonresident Youth 5-day Super Hunting or Nonresident Youth Annual Super Hunting License
Nonresident (unless exempt):
- Nonresident Annual Hunting License, and
- Nonresident Deer License for that particular season.
The adult nonresident 5-day hunting license is not valid for hunting deer.
Season Dates & Bag Limits
Deer Archery
- Oct. 1, 2024 - Jan. 15, 2025
- Six: no more than two may be antlered. All deer taken during the deer archery season count toward the hunter’s combined season limit of six deer.
Youth Deer Gun
- Oct. 18-20
- Two: no more than one may be antlered. Harvest of antlerless mule deer is prohibited. All deer taken during the youth deer gun season are included in the hunter’s combined season limit of six deer, but are not included as part of the hunter’s regular deer gun season limit of four deer.
Youth Deer Gun Age Requirements
- 17 years old and younger. All youth hunters must be accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older.
Deer Muzzleloader
- Oct. 26 - Nov. 3
- Four: no more than one may be antlered. Harvest of antlerless mule deer is prohibited. Antlerless harvest limits are set by zone. Zone 1: No antlerless harvest. Zones 2, 7 & 8: four antlerless. Zones 3, 4, 5, 6 & 9: two antlerless. Zone 10: one antlerless. See below for Antlerless Deer Zones map. All deer taken during the deer muzzleloader season count toward the hunter’s combined season limit of six deer.
Deer Gun
- Nov. 23 - Dec. 8
- Four: no more than one may be antlered. Harvest of antlerless mule deer is prohibited. Antlerless harvest limits are set by zone. Zone 1: one antlerless. Zones 2, 7 & 8: four antlerless. Zones 3, 4, 5, 6 & 9: two antlerless. Zone 10: one antlerless. See below for Antlerless Deer Zones map. All deer taken during the deer gun season count toward the hunter’s combined season limit of six deer.
Holiday Antlerless Deer Gun
- Dec. 18-31
- Two: antlerless only. Harvest of antlerless mule deer is prohibited. Deer taken during the holiday antlerless deer gun season do not count toward the hunter’s combined season limit of six deer.
Youth Deer Gun Accompanying Hunter Requirements
Accompanying adult hunter may not gun hunt, but may archery hunt provided they have the appropriate licenses.
Accompanying adult hunter may not possess any firearms for hunting purposes, see Carry of Firearms section in General Hunting Regulations for constitutional carry exemption(s).
Youth Fall Turkey Opportunity
- Oct. 18-20
Resident and nonresident youths participating in the youth deer gun season may harvest a turkey.
Legal means of taking are the same as equipment described as legal for fall turkey season (see Turkey Hunting Seasons). Turkey cannot be harvested within 100 yards of any bait (see Turkey Regulations). A turkey taken during the Youth Deer Gun season counts toward the statewide fall turkey bag limit of one.
Selective Surveillance Area (SSA) Rules and Regulations
To monitor CWD presence, hunters who harvest deer or elk within the boundaries of an SSA must process those animals before leaving the SSA.
The following items are the only exceptions:
- (A) Antlers detached from the skull plate, and antlers attached to a clean skull plate or cleaned skulls (all tissue removed)
- (B) Animal quarters containing no spinal materials, or meat with all parts of the spinal column removed
- (C) Cleaned teeth
- (D) Finished taxidermy products
- (E) Hides or tanned products.
The Wildlife Department is providing freezers at voluntary testing sites for hunters to drop off deer heads for testing. Supplies such as sampling tags will be provided in the drop-off freezer.
Cimarron Co. SSA Voluntary Testing Site
- Moore's Food Pride
201 Main St, Boise City

Texas Co. SSA Voluntary Testing Sites
- Hooker EMS Building
112 S Broadway, Hooker - Hardesty Pak-a-Snack
301 Peery St, Hardesty

Woodward Co. SSA Voluntary Testing Sites
- ODWC NW Region Office
3014 Lakeview Dr, Woodward - Mooreland Fire Dept
102 S Main St, Mooreland
