Elk Hunting Seasons

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

• Two: either sex.

This includes elk archery, youth elk gun, elk muzzleloader, elk gun and holiday antlerless elk gun seasons.

Elk taken during Jan. 1-31, 2025, count toward the 2024 combined season limit.

Elk taken during controlled hunts do not count toward the combined season limit.

Legal Elk Definition

A legal bull is defined as any antlered bull, except in the Special Southwest Zone, where a legal bull must have at least five points on at least one side of the antlers (a point is defined as the tip of the main antler beam and any projection arising from the main antler beam that is at least one inch in length).

An antlerless elk is defined as any elk with no visible antlers, regardless of sex.

Written Landowner Permission

All elk hunters must possess written permission from the landowner or, where appropriate, the lessee (tenant). Permission must be carried on the person while hunting elk. Elk hunters may only hunt on those lands for which they have written permission. Landowners, operators and immediate family are exempt from written permission.

Zone Harvest Quota

Before hunting, all hunters must check the Wildlife Department’s website at wildlifedepartment.com to ensure the quota has not been met for the zone in which they will be hunting. Once the zone quota has been met, the season is closed.

Public Lands

Elk hunting is closed on all Department owned or managed lands, except for controlled elk hunt permittees on areas and dates designated on their controlled hunt permit.

License Requirements

Hunters must be in possession of all appropriate licenses before hunting Elk. 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 Elk License (for each elk hunted)

Jan. 1-31: must be in possession of a resident hunting license and a resident elk license for the current calendar year. Unfilled elk license (Jan. 1-31) may be used the following fall 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 Elk License for that particular season (for each elk hunted).

Jan. 1-31: must be in possession of a nonresident elk license for the current calendar year. Unfilled elk license (Jan. 1-31) may be used the following fall season.

The adult nonresident 5-day hunting license is not valid for hunting elk.

Season Dates (only in open zones)

• Elk Archery: Oct. 1, 2024 - Jan. 15, 2025.
• Youth Elk Gun: Oct. 18-20.
• Elk Muzzleloader: Oct. 26 - Nov. 3.
• Elk Gun: Nov. 23 – Dec. 8.
• Holiday Antlerless Elk Gun: Dec. 18-31.

Open Zones

Panhandle Zone: All private lands in Beaver, Cimarron, and Texas counties.

• Zone bag limit: Two (2) elk, one of which must be antlerless.
• Zone harvest quota: Sixty (60) elk.

Special Northwest Zone: All private lands in Woodward, Dewey and Ellis counties, and a portion of Roger Mills County north of State Highways 33 and 47 to the north county line and west to the state border and east to the county line.

• Zone bag limit: One (1) elk, regardless of sex.
• Zone harvest quota: Two (2) elk.

Northwest Zone: All private lands north of Interstate 40 and west of Interstate 35, excluding the counties in the Panhandle Zone and counties or parts thereof in the Special Northwest Zone.

• Zone bag limit: One (1) elk, regardless of sex.
• Zone harvest quota: Eight (8) elk.

Northeast Zone: All private lands north of Interstate 40 and east of Interstate 35.

• Zone bag limit: One (1) elk, regardless of sex.
• Zone harvest quota: Twenty (20) elk.

Southeast Zone: All private lands south of Interstate 40 and east of Interstate 35.

• Zone bag limit: One (1) elk, regardless of sex.
• Zone harvest quota: Five (5) elk.

Southwest Zone: All private lands south of Interstate 40 and west of Interstate 35, excluding the counties in the Special Southwest Zone.

• Zone bag limit: One (1) elk, regardless of sex.
• Zone harvest quota: Thirty (30) elk.

Special Southwest Zone

These season dates are not in addition to the season dates in Open Zones.

These season dates include all private lands in Caddo, Comanche and Kiowa counties.

• Archery: Oct. 5-9 and Dec. 14-18.
• Muzzleloader: Season closed.
• Gun: Oct. 10-13 and Dec. 19-22, 2024.
• Youth Elk Gun: Oct. 18-20.
• Additional Antlerless Gun Season: Nov. 23-Dec. 8, 2024 and Jan. 1-31, 2025; antlerless only.

Zone bag limit: Two (2) elk, regardless of sex, one of which must be antlerless.

Zone harvest quota: There is no quota in this zone.

• Each elk hunting zone (except the Special Southwest Zone) has a quota that limits the number of elk that may be harvested in that zone.
• Hunters must go online to wildlifedepartment.com before hunting to check the elk quota status for the zone in which they are hunting.
• Successful hunters are required to E-Check their elk harvest within 24 hours of leaving the hunt area at wildlifedepartment.com.
• Once a zone’s quota has been met, elk season is closed in that zone.