Upland Bird Hunting in Oklahoma – Season Dates, Fees, and More

Study pheasant, bobwhite quail, scaled quail, and different small sport searching alternatives within the Sooner State.

Oklahoma gives upland chicken searching alternatives for bobwhite quail, scaled quail, pheasant, and extra. Moreover, the Oklahoma Division of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) supplies season updates for some species earlier than opening day. In 2022, hunters harvested about 43,000 pheasants. In line with ODWC upland sport biologist Inform Judkins, “ we’re seeing the statewide common up by about 48% over 2023… Hunters will doubtless discover areas of fine quail numbers the place habitat and climate circumstances had been favorable.” The 2025 season replace is forthcoming.

Though quail and pheasant could also be generally discovered, there may be one other upland chicken that calls Oklahoma residence: the lesser prairie-chicken. “Primarily resulting from large-scale lack of habitat and fragmentation of habitat, their vary distribution has been lowered by roughly 85 %,” states the Pure Sources Conservation Service (NRCS). “About 95 % of the lesser prairie rooster’s habitat is privately owned, making the land administration selections of producers pivotal to the chicken’s success.”

One NRCS initiative is working to guard the remaining lesser prairie-chicken populations: the Lesser Prairie Hen Initiative (LPCI). Oklahoma is part of the five-state undertaking working to guard this declining species. Agricultural producers in Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, and Texas can select to voluntarily preserve their properties as a part of the LPCI. The advantages of volunteering embrace monetary help, technical help, and assist planning and implementing efficient conservation practices.

Lesser prairie-chickens are sometimes known as a “flagship species.” In different phrases, land administration methods which might be carried out to profit the rooster additionally profit different native species. Quail, turkey, songbirds, and pollinators are only a few examples of Oklahoma wildlife that profit from prescribed burning, native plantings, brush administration, and prescribed grazing practices—strategies used to revive and handle prairie rooster habitat.

Oklahoma Upland Chicken And Small Recreation Season Dates And Limits

These dates had been final up to date on July 9, 2025 and will not replicate any modifications since that date. For essentially the most up-to-date data go to the ODWC web site.

Quail Searching in Oklahoma

Two species of quail will be present in Oklahoma: scaled quail and bobwhite quail. “Hunters have harvested an estimated 200,000-500,000 quail yearly in Oklahoma over the past 5 years, which constantly ranks Oklahoma within the prime three for harvest nationally,” based on the ODWC web site.

Scaled quail are predominately discovered within the Oklahoma panhandle. Nonetheless, small populations of them may also be discovered within the state’s southwestern nook. They are often present in areas with mesquite, sunflower, cacti, and different shrubby plant species strewn throughout quick, sparse grasslands.

In Oklahoma, bobwhite quail will be discovered almost statewide. Search for areas with cowl that’s not less than three ft tall and options shinnery oak, native grasses, and sand plum motts.

Relying on the place you hunt, you could come throughout quail wing donation containers. Quail wing donations assist state wildlife biologists conduct quail analysis throughout Oklahoma. Hunters are inspired to donate a wing from the quail they shoot through the open season. You’ll be able to be taught extra about quail wing donation containers on this ODWC video.

Quail wing donation containers will be discovered on the following administration areas:

Relating to quail searching rules, taking pictures quail on the bottom, also referred to as pot taking pictures, is against the law. Quail season runs from November 8, 2025 by way of February 16, 2026; nevertheless, some public lands have completely different season dates. The quail every day restrict is 10 and, after the primary day of the season, the possession restrict is 20. 

Pheasant Searching in Oklahoma

“A terrific searching custom in Oklahoma is the December 1 pheasant opener within the panhandle. The inhabitants of that a part of the state swells on the opening day,” states the ODWC. Ring-necked pheasants are predominately present in Oklahoma’s western and northwestern counties. It thrives within the state’s agricultural panhandle.

The pheasant season closes on January 31, 2026. The every day restrict is 2 cocks and, after December 1, the possession restrict is 4 cocks. Word that the rules state, “Individuals who hunt in two states having separate every day limits could not exceed the most important variety of birds that may legally be taken in one of many states through which they take birds.”

Squirrel And Rabbit Searching In Oklahoma

Squirrel and rabbit searching gives a enjoyable alternative for upland hunters to take residence a combined bag. Each the jap fox squirrel and the jap grey squirrel could also be hunted in Oklahoma. Cottontail rabbits, swamp rabbits, and jackrabbits can also be hunted right here.

The squirrel season dates are beneficiant and happen between Could 15, 2025 and February 28, 2026. Squirrel searching is open to falconers yr spherical. The every day restrict is 25 and the possession restrict is 50.

The rabbit season runs from October 1, 2025 by way of March 15, 2025. Nonetheless, there isn’t a open season on jackrabbits on lands east of I-35. Every rabbit species has its personal bag and possession limits. They’re as follows:

Cottontail: 10 every day, and, after the primary day, 20 possession

Swamp: Three every day and 6 in possession after the primary day

Jackrabbit: Three every day, then six in possession after the primary day aside from Cimarron, Texas, and Beaver counties. In these counties, the every day restrict is 10 and the possession restrict is 20.

Oklahoma Upland Chicken Searching License Charges

These charges had been final up to date on July 9, 2025 and will not replicate any modifications since that date. For essentially the most up-to-date data go to the Oklahoma DWC web site.

Oklahoma Blaze Orange Searching Necessities

Oklahoma requires upland hunters to put on blaze orange or camouflage blaze orange clothes. Throughout any muzzleloader or rifle huge sport season, you should put on both a hat or an higher garment (shirt, vest, jacket, or different upper-body clothes) that’s blaze orange. This regulation is lively in any open searching areas together with lands closed to muzzleloader or rifle searching.

Venture Upland at all times encourages hunters to put on blaze orange, no matter whether or not an enormous sport season is lively or not.

Canine Coaching Laws In Oklahoma

Oklahoma rules state that “Besides as in any other case supplied, nothing shall prohibit the year-round pursuit of sport (species that may be lawfully hunted with canine) for canine coaching… Nonetheless, except in any other case supplied, no individual in pursuit of sport with searching canine exterior the common harvest season shall possess the means to reap such sport.”

In different phrases, you may prepare your canine year-round, however you can’t shoot something except that species’ searching season is open. That mentioned, the exceptions the above textual content alluded to incorporate:

Homeowners, operators, and workers of economic chicken canine coaching companies can’t prepare canine on ODWC lands.

You can not prepare chicken canine on land managed by Oklahoma’s state wildlife division between June 1 and August 31 yearly.

Residents can’t prepare greater than three canine at one time on ODWC lands.

Conservation Organizations In Oklahoma

Oklahoma Quail Eternally & Pheasants Eternally

Geese Limitless – Oklahoma

Oklahoma – Backcountry Hunters & Anglers

Oklahoma Delta Waterfowl

The Nature Conservancy Oklahoma

Learn Extra

The Lesser Prairie Hen (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus): A Prairie Gladiator

Ideas for Searching Early Season Pheasants

A Information to Wild Bobwhite Quail Searching

Searching Wild Bobwhite Quail on Prairie Grasslands