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Oklahoma

Hunting

Hunting

Hunter Education Requirements

Hunter Education Requirements

No person thirty (30) years of age or younger may purchase or receive any hunting license or hunting tag unless the person possesses and can exhibit a certificate of competency and safety in the use an handling of firearms from the Wildlife Department except those following the apprentice rules. Persons under ten (10) years of age may take the hunter education course but are not eligible to be tested for and receive hunter safety certification. A hunter safety certificate issued by another state or country and approved by the Wildlife Department shall be deemed to meet the requirements of this section. (Youth participating in a youth deer, youth turkey or youth waterfowl season must adhere to accompaniment requirements for those seasons.) (Find hunter education class locations and dates below)

Exempt from Hunter Education

  • Anyone thirty-one (31) or older: Not required to have Hunter Education certification to buy a hunting license in Oklahoma; or
  • Honorably discharged from the U.S. Armed Forces; or
  • Currently on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces; or
  • A member of the National Guard. Question: Can I hunt without hunter education? Answer: Yes, You can hunt with an apprentice-designated license.
  • Hunters thirty (30) and younger: Anyone who is not hunter education-certified may buy an apprentice-designated hunting license. Such hunters must abide by accompanying hunter requirements.
  • Hunters nine (9) and younger: Anyone who is not hunter education-certified may buy an apprentice-designated hunting license. Such hunters must abide by accompanying hunter requirements for all species.

Accompanying Hunter Requirements

  • Big Game (deer, elk, bear and antelope) – accompanying hunter shall be within arms lengths of the apprentice hunter or close enough to take immediate control of the firearm or archery equipment of the apprentice.
  • Small Game (including turkey) – accompanying hunter shall be in sight of and able to communicate with the apprentice hunter in a normal voice without the aid of any communication device. When a license is not required (residents under sixteen (16) years of age, nonresidents under fourteen (14) years of age, the hunter must still be accompanied.
  • Accompanying hunter must be eighteen (18) years of age or older who possesses a certificate of hunter safety or is exempt from the hunter safety certification requirements.

Apprentice Hunter Requirements

An apprentice designation is the option chosen when a hunter 30 or younger has not obtained their Hunter Education Certification. This designation is chosen in lieu of the Hunter Education ID number when purchasing a license. Anyone buying a hunting or season specific license who has not completed Hunter Education Certification will have the hunter education number on that particular license designated as apprentice. An individual who is in possession of an “apprentice-designated” license must abide by accompanying hunter requirements. For those requirements as well as apprentice-designated qualifications, see below:

  • Hunters 30 and younger: Anyone who is not Hunter Education-certified may buy a hunting license that is apprentice-designated. Such hunters must abide by accompanying hunter requirements.
  • Hunters 9 and younger: Anyone who is not Hunter Education-certified may buy a hunting license that is apprentice-designated. Such hunters must abide by accompanying hunter requirements.
  • Accompanying hunter requirements: A person 18 or older who is licensed (unless exempt) and Hunter Education-certified (unless exempt). For big game hunting, an accompanying hunter must be within arm’s length of the apprentice hunter or close enough to take immediate control of the firearm or bow of the apprentice. For small game hunting, the accompanying hunter must be within sight of and able to communicate with the apprentice in a normal voice without aid.
  • Anyone 31 or older is not required to have Hunter Education Certification to buy a hunting license.

I’m a Resident Hunter. What Licenses Do I Need?

This is a reference chart only. Please read through this guide for complete information about hunter education, license requirements, and exemptions. This chart does not apply to good-for-life licenses such as the lifetime hunting or senior citizen licenses. See Licenses & Permits for information on lifetime licenses exemptions.

Species Hunted

License(s) residents need:

Deer: Archery

Hunting license & Deer archery license for each deer hunted (must be valid for the current calendar year)

Deer: Youth Gun

All: Youth deer gun license (antlered or antlerless) for each deer hunted. In addition:

• 16-17 years old: hunting license

• Younger than 16: exempt from hunting license

• Youths may also harvest a turkey in counties having a fall turkey season, provided the hunter has a Fall turkey license.

Deer: Muzzleloader

Hunting license & Deer muzzleloader license (antlered or antlerless) for each deer hunted

Deer: Gun

Hunting license & Deer gun license (antlered or antlerless) for each deer hunted

Deer: Holiday Antlerless

Hunting license & Holiday antlerless deer gun license

Elk

Hunting license & Elk license for each elk hunted and written landowner permission

Antelope

Hunting license & Antelope license for each antelope hunted and written landowner permission

Bear: Archery

Hunting license & Bear license (Must be purchased prior to the start of archery season.)

Bear: Muzzleloader

Hunting license & Bear license

(must be purchased prior to the start of muzzleloader season).
An unfilled bear archery license is also valid

Squirrel, Rabbit or Prairie Dog

Hunting license

Hog (feral swine)

No hunting license is required to pursue hog, except on public lands (see Small Game/Hog Regulations for public land information.) However, individuals pursuing hog on private land during any open big game gun or muzzleloader seasons must have the appropriate license for that season.

Quail & Pheasant

Hunting license

Turkey: Fall Archery

Hunting license & Fall turkey license

Turkey: Fall Gun

Hunting license & Fall turkey license

Turkey: Youth Spring

Hunting license & Spring turkey license

Turkey: Spring

Hunting license & Spring turkey license for bird hunted

Dove, Rail (sora & Virginia), Gallinule (purple gallinule & common moorhen), Woodcock, Common Snipe

Hunting license & HIP (Harvest Information Program) permit

Teal, Resident Canada Goose,

Waterfowl (Ducks, Geese)

Hunting license & HIP (Harvest Information Program) permit & State Waterfowl Stamp & Federal Migratory Bird Stamp

Hunter Education Classes

If you are unable to attend one of the scheduled classes or prefer to complete your hunter education certification online you can take the course online for free. Just go to wildlifedepartment.com click on Hunter Education under the Hunting tab, then Online and finally Take the Hunter Ed Course online. You must pre-register for in-person classes at wildlifedepartment.com. Must be 10 years of age or older to sign up. Due to COVID-19, some classes may be postponed or cancelled (if you are registered for an in-person class and it is postponed or canceled, you will receive an email).

Northeast Region

  • Afton, OK
    August 20, 2022
  • Bristow, OK
    August 20, 2022
  • Jenks, OK
    October 8, 2022
    November 12, 2022
  • Owasso, OK
    August 20, 2022
  • Dewey, OK
    August 28, 2022
  • Edmond, OK
    August 27
    October 13, 2022
    November 12, 2022
  • Ponca City, OK
    August 27, 2022
  • Okmulgee, OK
    September 17, 2022
  • Wagoner, OK
    August 27, 2022
  • Skiatook, OK
    September 10, 2022
  • Stillwater, OK
    August 13, 2022
  • Tahlequah, OK
    September 17, 2022
  • Sallisaw, OK
    September 10, 2022
  • Ft. Gibson, OK
    September 3 , 2022

Northwest Region

  • Guymon, OK
    September 10, 2022
  • Woodward, OK
    September 10, 2022
  • Enid, OK
    September 17, 2022
  • Omega, OK
    November 12, 2022

Southeast Region

  • Ada, OK
    August 6, 2022
  • Durant, OK
    Aug 13, 2022
  • McAlester, OK
    September 17, 2022
  • Broken Bow, OK
    August 27, 2022
  • Antlers, OK
    September 10, 2022
  • Poteau, OK
    August 27, 2022
  • Shawnee, OK
    September 24, 2022
  • Sulphur, OK
    September 4 & 11, 2022

Southwest Region

  • Altus, OK
    August 27, 2022
  • Walters, OK
    August 27, 2022
  • Elk City, OK
    September 17, 2022
  • Granite, OK
    September 17, 2022
  • Ft. Cobb, OK
    August 20, 2022
  • Foss, OK
    October 1, 2022