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Southwest Oklahoma county
Jefferson County Hunting
Hunting Jefferson County, Oklahoma: county deer numbers back to 1999, the 2026-27 season table, antlerless zone limits, bird rules, mapped public land and the ODWC region office that covers Waurika.
Photo: Duane Bryce (CC BY 2.0)
Jefferson County antlerless zone and deer limits
The zone map carves Jefferson County into Zone 9 (about 76%) and Zone 8 (about 24%). Because the zone edges are roads drawn on an ODWC map image, treat the county shares here as a guide and confirm your stand on the map.
| Zone | Area share | ML antlerless | Rifle antlerless | Holiday deer | Archery deer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 9 | 76% | 2 | 2 | Two | Either sex |
| Zone 8 | 24% | 4 | 4 | Two | Either sex |
Jefferson County deer season at a glance
| Season | First day | Last day | Deer allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | Either sex |
| Youth gun | Oct 16, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | Two, one antlered |
| Muzzleloader | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | Zone limit applies |
| Gun | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | Zone limit applies |
| Holiday antlerless | Dec 18, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | Two antlerless |
Oklahoma caps each hunter at six deer for the license year, with a ceiling of two bucks. Antlered means three inches of antler or more on either side; button bucks below that are antlerless. Between December 18 and December 31 every zone opens a two-deer antlerless gun hunt that is separate from the season cap. Deer taken from January 1 to 15 still count against the 2026 limit. Buy early if you live out of state: deer licenses purchased after opening day are valid two days later.
Zones and limits from the ODWC deer season page and the ODWC antlerless deer zone map; county shares from the ODWC Deer Zones, Antlerless GIS layer traced over Census county lines; segment dates from the ODWC deer regulations and the 2026-2027 Oklahoma Fishing & Hunting Regulations. Checked November 3, 2026.
Jefferson County deer, counted each fall
1,149 deer came off private and leased ground in Jefferson County in 2025, the 54th highest county count. About 0.9% of the 124,050 county-row deer were taken here. Set against 2024 (1,097 deer), the newest season moved 5% up.
2025 tops the county series at 1,149, while 2001 sits at the bottom with 224. Recent seasons (2016 onward, 9 with data) average near 951.
By method, 2025 split 402 archery, 69 muzzleloader and 678 gun deer; 52% were antlerless.
Recent Jefferson County deer by season type
| Season | Bow | Muzzleloader | Gun | Does | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | — | — | — | — | Not readable |
| 2017 | 199 | 51 | 444 | 274 | 694 |
| 2018 | 128 | 39 | 473 | 247 | 640 |
| 2019 | 222 | 88 | 508 | 279 | 818 |
| 2020 | 295 | 69 | 690 | 435 | 1,054 |
| 2021 | 324 | 48 | 664 | 409 | 1,036 |
| 2022 | 319 | 58 | 618 | 437 | 995 |
| 2023 | 362 | 75 | 640 | 413 | 1,077 |
| 2024 | 379 | 75 | 643 | 509 | 1,097 |
| 2025 | 402 | 69 | 678 | 599 | 1,149 |
Jefferson County before 2016:
- 1999260
- 2000279
- 2001224
- 2003469
- 2004343
- 2005433
- 2006564
- 2007471
- 2008536
- 2009536
- 2010567
- 2011551
- 2012542
- 2013608
- 2014492
Deer checked on Jefferson County public areas
| Area | Fall 2024 | Fall 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Waurika WMA | 122 | 115 |
| Lake Jap Beaver (Department Lake) | 1 | 6 |
All of Oklahoma produced 133,791 deer in 2025, WMA and walk-in land included.
County deer by year from the ODWC Big Game Harvest Reports (report index; 2025 2025-26 report, 2024 2024-25 report, 2016-2023 tables such as 2019-20 Table 1, 1999-2011 county PDFs); public-area deer from the 2025-26 public land table; statewide totals from the 2025-26 Big Game Report. OCR years keep only rows whose columns sum to the printed total. Checked November 3, 2026.
Jefferson County 2026-27 hunting calendar
65 dated rows apply to Jefferson County once area-limited seasons are matched to the county; the right column checks each one against today.
| Animal | Season type | Where | Start | Finish | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Zone 2, 7, 8 | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth gun | Zone 2, 7, 8 | Oct 16, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Muzzleloader | Zone 2, 7, 8 | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun | Zone 2, 7, 8 | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Holiday antlerless | Zone 2, 7, 8 | Dec 18, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Archery | Zone 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth gun | Zone 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 | Oct 16, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Muzzleloader | Zone 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Gun | Zone 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Holiday antlerless | Zone 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 | Dec 18, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Mule deer | All deer seasons | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Elk | Archery | Southwest elk zone | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Elk | Youth elk gun | Southwest elk zone | Oct 16, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Elk | Muzzleloader | Southwest elk zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Elk | Gun | Southwest elk zone | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Elk | Holiday antlerless elk | Southwest elk zone | Dec 18, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth fall turkey | Open counties | Oct 16, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall Gun | Open counties | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 20, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall Archery | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth Spring | Statewide | Apr 10, 2027 | Apr 11, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Spring | Statewide | Apr 16, 2027 | May 16, 2027 | |
| Feral hogs | Private land | Private land | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Quail | Season | Statewide | Nov 14, 2026 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Rabbits | Season | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| Jackrabbit | Season | West of I-35 | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 15, 2027 | |
| Squirrels | Season | Statewide | May 15, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Doves | Segment 1 | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | |
| Doves | Segment 2 | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Dec 29, 2026 | |
| Teal | September Teal | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Youth and veteran day | Zones 1 and 2 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 7, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular segment 1 | Zones 1 and 2 | Nov 14, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular segment 2 | Zones 1 and 2 | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Youth and veteran day | Zones 1 and 2 | Feb 6, 2027 | Feb 6, 2027 | |
| Canada geese | September Canada goose | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 21, 2026 | |
| Dark geese | Segment 1 | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Dark geese | Segment 2 | Statewide | Dec 12, 2026 | Feb 14, 2027 | |
| Specklebellies | Segment 1 | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Specklebellies | Segment 2 | Statewide | Dec 12, 2026 | Feb 7, 2027 | |
| Light geese | Segment 1 | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Light geese | Segment 2 | Statewide | Dec 12, 2026 | Feb 14, 2027 | |
| Light geese | Conservation order | Statewide | Feb 15, 2027 | Mar 30, 2027 | |
| Sandhill crane | Season | West of I-35 | Oct 17, 2026 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Season | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Dec 21, 2026 | |
| Coyote | Year-round | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Furbearer season | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Gray fox | Furbearer season | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Red fox | Furbearer season | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Raccoon | Year-round | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Prairie dog | Year-round | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Beaver | Year-round | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Nutria | Year-round | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Striped skunk | Year-round | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Bullfrogs | Year-round | Statewide | Jul 1, 2026 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Rails | Season | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Gallinules | Season | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 9, 2026 | |
| Snipe | Season | Statewide | Sep 26, 2026 | Jan 10, 2027 | |
| Crows | Segment 1 | Statewide | Oct 10, 2026 | Nov 16, 2026 | |
| River otter | Furbearer season | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Badger | Furbearer season | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Mink | Furbearer season | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Muskrat | Furbearer season | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Opossum | Furbearer season | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Weasel | Furbearer season | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Crows | Segment 2 | Statewide | Dec 9, 2026 | Mar 4, 2027 | |
| Rattlesnakes | Season | Statewide | Mar 1, 2027 | Jun 30, 2027 |
From the ODWC hunting regulations and the 2026-2027 Oklahoma Fishing and Hunting Regulations (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation), checked November 3, 2026.
Elk, bear and CWD notes for Jefferson County
Where Jefferson County fits for elk
For elk, ODWC places Jefferson County in the Southwest Zone, a private-land-only zone that needs written permission from the owner. The elk quota set for 2026-27 reads Southwest Zone 30; elk must be reported through E-Check within 24 hours.
No CWD Selective Surveillance Area reaches Jefferson County, so the on-site processing rule does not apply, but the statewide ban on importing whole cervid carcasses does.
Elk zones and quotas from the ODWC elk regulations; bear area from the ODWC bear page; pronghorn from the ODWC antelope page; CWD areas and rules from the ODWC SSA page and ODWC CWD page; harvest figures from the ODWC Big Game Harvest Reports. Checked November 3, 2026.
Jefferson County bird calendar by zone
Jefferson County fall and spring turkey
The fall gun season reaches Jefferson County, October 31 to November 20, 2026; bows may be used for fall turkey October 1 to January 15, 2027. Youth spring turkey falls on April 10 to April 11, 2027, and the regular spring season follows April 16 to May 16, 2027. Feeders and scattered grain put a 100-yard no-turkey circle around them. There is no county turkey figure for Jefferson County: the only number is the statewide 2025 survey estimate of 11,232 spring turkeys.
Jefferson County upland dates
Jefferson County has no open pheasant season. Quail hunters in Jefferson County work the statewide dates, November 14 to February 15, 2027. Bird hunters on OLAP tracts must quit at 4:30 p.m.
Jefferson County duck hunting
Jefferson County falls in duck Zones 1 and 2, which share every 2026-27 date, so no zone line matters here. Hunters on Waurika WMA should know the 1 p.m. close on Wetland Development Units and the winter closure of refuge portions. Jefferson County lies wholly or partly west of I-35, so sandhill cranes (October 17 to January 17, 2027) and jackrabbits (October 1 to March 15, 2027) are open there.
| Period | Days |
|---|---|
| Regular segment 1 | Nov 14–Dec 6 |
| Regular segment 2 | Dec 12–Jan 31 |
| Youth and veteran day | Nov 7 |
| Youth and veteran day | Feb 6 |
Turkey rules from the 2026-2027 regulations, fall turkey and ODWC turkey regulations; statewide turkey estimate from the 2025 Game Harvest Survey; pheasant from the ODWC pheasant page; ducks from the ODWC duck page; cranes from the ODWC crane page. Checked November 3, 2026.
Open hunting ground in Jefferson County
Jefferson County counts 3 public hunting areas on our Oklahoma list; Waurika Wildlife Management Area covers the most ground (10,580 acres). Roughly 4,831 acres (1.0%) of the county are public on the layers used.
| Area | Program | Acres | Game | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waurika WMA | WMA | 10,580 | deer, doves, woodcock | wetland units, nonresident check-in |
| Lake Jap Beaver (Department Lake) | Department lake | 208 | — | nonresident check-in |
| Waurika Lake (Corps) | Corps lake | — | — | controlled hunts |
Jefferson County headline public tracts
- With 10,580 acres on the books, Waurika WMA is the largest block for Jefferson County hunters, and Cotton County and Stephens County share it. Quarry named for it: deer, doves, woodcock and rabbits. Also flagged: wetland units, nonresident check-in, non-ambulatory access. Hunting questions go to (580) 595-0347.
- Acreage for Lake Jap Beaver (Department Lake): 208; all of it is in Jefferson County. Notes on the record: nonresident check-in.
- Waurika Lake (Corps) shows up on our list as a corps lake that spills into Stephens County and Cotton County. Notes on the record: controlled hunts. The Corps record carries no acreage; its district page could not be read. 1 drawn hunt ran there in 2025.
Jefferson County backup areas beyond the county
- Cross Timbers WMA27 miles straight-line, 10,547 acres in Love County
Areas from our Oklahoma land list (ODWC where to hunt area pages, the ODWC OLAP rules and OLAP layer, USFS, USFWS, Corps and NPS records); acres by kind from the ODWC Public WMA Boundaries layer, USFS, USFWS, USACE Tulsa District and PAD-US layers (GIS measures, not official acreages, lake surfaces removed). Checked November 3, 2026.
Hunts, banquets and trials in Jefferson County
Within the county line: 1 upcoming listing (ODWC youth draw), checked November 3, 2026. The 1 controlled hunt here was filled by the ODWC random drawing that closed in May.
Next on the list
| Date | Event | Location | Sign-up or details | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 7–8, 2026 | Waurika Lake COE youth deer hunt | Event details | Source |
Jefferson County supervisors, wardens and stores
Jefferson County belongs to the ODWC Southwest Region, whose wildlife supervisor is Ron Smith ((580) 591-2397). Captain Mark Walker heads District 6, the game warden district covering Jefferson County. Commission district: District 6. Of the six public ODWC offices, the Lawton one is closest to Jefferson County, near 57 miles as the crow flies. No cash at ODWC field offices; ring before you go.
Jefferson County communities
Jefferson County lists 8 towns or cities with their own government and 0 unincorporated places. Jefferson County centres of population: Waurika (1,842), Ringling (875) and Ryan (668). Jefferson County counted 5,374 people in the Vintage 2024 estimate, 0.6% up on 2020.
- Waurikapop. 1,842 · seat
Jefferson County processors, taxidermists and shops
Jefferson County listings: 1 gun or outdoor shop and 1 commercial hunting area or guide. For game processors and taxidermists, look across the line. The ODWC processor list supplies the tagged processors, some of them Hunters Against Hunger participants; other rows come from business directories.
Jefferson County adjoining counties
| County | Antlerless zone | Elk zone | Fall gun turkey | Ducks | Deer 2025 | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephens County | 9/8/6 | Southwest | Open | Zones 1 and 2 | 1,835 | 26 miles |
| Carter County | 9/6 | Southwest/Special Southeast | Open | Zones 1 and 2 | 2,165 | 33 miles |
| Cotton County | 8 | Southwest | Open | Zones 1 and 2 | 601 | 33 miles |
| Love County | 9 | Southeast/Southwest | Open | Zones 1 and 2 | 1,044 | 35 miles |
Region, supervisor and commission district from the ODWC wildlife region layer and commission district layer; warden district and captain from the ODWC game warden directory; offices from the ODWC office list; towns from the Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; services from the ODWC game processor list, ODWC commercial hunt list, store locators and Yellow Pages as tagged; neighbours from the Census county adjacency file. Checked November 3, 2026.
Sighting in a deer rifle around Jefferson County
Jefferson County lists 1 range, all clubs, shops or private grounds.
Hickory Creek WMA Shooting Range in Love County is the nearest state-run range, roughly 47 miles. Open it
Ranges from ODWC’s WMA shooting range list and WMA pages, operators’ own sites and directory listings, checked November 3, 2026.
First and last shooting light, Jefferson County
Deer, elk, pronghorn, bear and hogs may be hunted from half an hour before official sunrise to half an hour after official sunset; turkey and migratory birds stop at sunset.
| Date | Opener or close | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer | Ducks | Quail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:25 a.m. | 7:17 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 7:47 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 7:17 p.m. | 7:25 a.m. to 7:17 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Muzzleloader opens | 7:43 a.m. | 6:48 p.m. | 7:13 a.m. to 7:18 p.m. | 7:13 a.m. to 6:48 p.m. | 7:43 a.m. to 6:48 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opens | 7:09 a.m. | 5:26 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 5:56 p.m. | 6:39 a.m. to 5:26 p.m. | 7:09 a.m. to 5:26 p.m. |
| Dec 6, 2026 | Gun deer closes | 7:23 a.m. | 5:22 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 5:52 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. | 7:23 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:33 a.m. | 5:26 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 5:56 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 5:26 p.m. | 7:33 a.m. to 5:26 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery closes | 7:37 a.m. | 5:43 p.m. | 7:07 a.m. to 6:13 p.m. | 7:07 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 7:37 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. |
| Apr 16, 2027 | Spring turkey | 7:00 a.m. | 8:02 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 8:32 p.m. | 6:30 a.m. to 8:02 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 8:02 p.m. |
Hours rules from the ODWC big game regulations and the 2026-2027 Oklahoma Fishing and Hunting Regulations; sunrise and sunset worked out for this location with the NOAA solar formula (Central Time); checked November 3, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Jefferson County questions we hear
Which antlerless deer zone covers Jefferson County?
Zone 9 and Zone 8 by the ODWC zone layer; the boundary follows roads, so check the ODWC map near a line.
Which deer processors are closest to Jefferson County?
Red Plains Grand Butchery, Sugar Hill Meat Processing and Temple Processing, nearest first; call before you drop off a deer.
What is the elk quota for Jefferson County?
Southwest Zone: 30.
What share of Jefferson County deer are antlerless?
52% in 2025.
Do turkeys from Jefferson County need E-Check?
Yes, within 24 hours of leaving the hunt area.
Must a Jefferson County deer be processed before moving it?
Only inside a CWD SSA, and none is in the county.
How much public hunting land lies in Jefferson County?
About 4,831 acres by GIS, across 3 listed areas.
When do regular duck dates start in Jefferson County?
November 14, 2026.
How much orange must a Jefferson County deer hunter wear?
400 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange on head and upper body during firearm big game seasons.
What number reaches the Jefferson County region supervisor?
(580) 591-2397.
Answers from the 2026-2027 Oklahoma Fishing & Hunting Regulations, ODWC hunting regulations, the ODWC hunter orange rule, E-Check rules, ODWC seasons, the ODWC Big Game Harvest Reports and the sources above. Checked November 3, 2026.
Jefferson County last checks before the truck is loaded
Near an antlerless zone road in Jefferson County, the ODWC map decides which limit applies.
Sources: 2026-2027 Oklahoma Fishing & Hunting Regulations, ODWC hunting, Census and the sources in each section. Checked November 3, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Gary Leavens (CC BY-SA 2.0).