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Seat: Purcell
McClain County Hunting
From archery in October to spring gobblers, this McClain County guide lists the dates, antlerless zone limits, harvest record, public tracts and contacts for hunters based around Purcell.
Photo: Shiva Shenoy (CC BY 4.0)
Deer zone rules for McClain County
Every acre of McClain County falls in Antlerless Deer Zone 6 on the ODWC map. No county list settles a zone question in Oklahoma: the boundaries are road lines on the ODWC map, which this page links.
| Zone | Part of county | Muzzleloader limit | Gun limit | Holiday limit | Archery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 6 | 100% | 2 | 2 | Two | Either sex |
McClain County deer segments, 2026-27
| Hunt | Starts | Ends | Bag note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Six deer is the combined season limit, and only two of the six may be antlered. The three-inch rule decides the category: antler that long makes the deer antlered. From December 18 to December 31 the holiday antlerless season allows two more does on top of the six-deer limit. January archery deer, through the 15th, are charged to the 2026 season total. ODWC holds back nonresident deer licenses bought mid-season for two days.
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.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around McClain County
McClain County deer numbers by season
For 2025 the county tally stands at 1,250 deer, placing McClain County 49th statewide. That is 1.0% of the 124,050 deer ODWC tallied by county, a figure that leaves out WMA harvest. A year earlier the county reported 1,196, so 2025 came in 5% higher.
Peak and trough in the data: 1,250 deer (2025) and 327 deer (2013). A typical recent season here, averaged over 10 years, is about 960 deer.
Archery produced 29% of the 2025 total and the gun season 62%, while antlerless deer were 545 of 1,250.
McClain County deer by method, 2016-2025
| Year | Archery | ML | Firearm | Antlerless | County total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 183 | 67 | 468 | 254 | 718 |
| 2017 | 226 | 105 | 509 | 291 | 840 |
| 2018 | 206 | 96 | 540 | 310 | 842 |
| 2019 | 257 | 108 | 450 | 317 | 815 |
| 2020 | 253 | 102 | 540 | 382 | 895 |
| 2021 | 279 | 73 | 566 | 348 | 918 |
| 2022 | 311 | 79 | 649 | 457 | 1,039 |
| 2023 | 332 | 104 | 651 | 460 | 1,087 |
| 2024 | 413 | 59 | 724 | 561 | 1,196 |
| 2025 | 364 | 113 | 773 | 545 | 1,250 |
Back years for McClain County:
- 1999337
- 2000455
- 2001489
- 2003487
- 2004405
- 2005439
- 2006552
- 2007416
- 2008564
- 2009531
- 2010455
- 2011470
- 2012474
- 2013327
- 2014516
The statewide figure for 2025 is 133,791 deer.
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.
McClain County 2026-27 dates in one table
Statewide rows plus the zone and area rows that reach McClain County: 65 in all, grouped by species.
| Game | Method | Covers | Opening day | Closing day | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Southeast elk zone | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Elk | Youth elk gun | Southeast elk zone | Oct 16, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Elk | Muzzleloader | Southeast elk zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Elk | Gun | Southeast elk zone | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Elk | Holiday antlerless elk | Southeast elk zone | Dec 18, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| 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.
McClain County big game zones and disease rules
Elk hunting in McClain County
Elk zone lines along the interstates split McClain County between the Southeast Zone and Southwest Zone; all of them are private land only, with written permission. Look up the zone quota (Southeast Zone 5 and Southwest Zone 30) before every elk hunt, because a filled quota closes the zone.
McClain County is outside the four CWD surveillance areas; deer and elk from other states still may not be brought in whole.
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.
Turkey, quail and ducks in McClain County
McClain County turkey rules
Fall turkey here: archery October 1 to January 15, 2027 and gun October 31 to November 20, 2026, one tom for the fall. Next spring, April 16 opens a month of gobbler hunting that ends May 16, 2027; the youth days come a week earlier. Turkey hunters must stay 100 yards from any bait. Turkey harvest is not published for McClain County. Statewide, the 2025 Game Harvest Survey put spring turkeys near 11,232.
Quail and pheasant in McClain County
Pheasant hunting is closed in McClain County. The quail season (November 14 to February 15, 2027) allows 10 birds daily and 20 in possession after day one. Upland hours on OLAP ground end at 4:30 p.m.
Waterfowl around McClain County
Ducks in McClain County follow the Zones 1 and 2 calendar; ODWC publishes no boundary between those two zones and they share dates. West of I-35 in McClain County, cranes may be hunted October 17 to January 17, 2027 with a federal crane permit, and jackrabbits October 1 to March 15, 2027.
| Duck segment | Dates |
|---|---|
| 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.
McClain County public land and acreage
McClain County has no ODWC or federal hunting area of its own; the areas below are the nearest. No public acres turn up for the county on the ODWC, Forest Service, refuge, Corps or Park Service layers.
McClain County hunters can also try these
- Lexington WMACleveland County; centre to centre 14 miles (9,512 ac)
- Grady County WMAGrady County; centre to centre 29 miles (1,037 ac)
- Lake Burtschi (Department Lake)Grady County; centre to centre 35 miles (762 ac)
- Arcadia Conservation Education AreaOklahoma County; centre to centre 42 miles (475 ac)
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.
McClain County ODWC contacts and local help
ODWC runs wildlife work in McClain County from the Central Region; Jeff Pennington is the regional supervisor. Report violations in McClain County to the District 5 wardens; the captain is Gary Emmons. District 5 of the Wildlife Conservation Commission includes McClain County. Plan on about 33 miles in a straight line to reach the agency office in Oklahoma City. Field offices take no cash, so call before driving over.
McClain County town guides
McClain County holds 11 incorporated towns and cities plus 0 unincorporated Census communities. McClain County largest places by the 2024 estimate: Newcastle (14,677), Blanchard (9,869) and Purcell (6,938). McClain County had 48,434 residents in 2024, a 16.3% rise from the 2020 base, spread over 571 square miles of land.
- Purcellpop. 6,938 · seat
McClain County services for hunters
Businesses on file in McClain County: 1 game processor, 3 taxidermists and 1 commercial hunting area or guide. None of our gun and outdoor shops are in McClain County; the list reaches into adjoining counties. Call ahead: directory listings change, and only the tagged rows come from ODWC lists.
McClain County versus its neighbours
| Neighbour | Doe zone | Elk | Fall turkey | Duck zone | 2025 deer | Apart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland County | 6 | Southeast/Southwest | Open | Zones 1 and 2 | 1,545 | 15 miles |
| Garvin County | 6/9 | Southeast/Southwest | Open | Zones 1 and 2 | 2,123 | 23 miles |
| Grady County | 6/8 | Southwest | Open | Zones 1 and 2 | 2,355 | 25 miles |
| Pottawatomie County | 5/6 | Northeast/Southeast | Open | Zones 1 and 2 | 2,590 | 31 miles |
| Canadian County | 6 | Northwest/Southwest | Open | Zones 1 and 2 | 1,277 | 47 miles |
| Pontotoc County | 6/9/5 | Southeast | Open | Zones 1 and 2 | 2,258 | 48 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.
Benches, bays and clay throwers for McClain County
With nothing listed inside McClain County, here are the three nearest choices.
Of ODWC’s 15 WMA ranges, Lexington WMA Shooting Range is closest, about 15 miles from the McClain County centre. Full page
Ranges from ODWC’s WMA shooting range list and WMA pages, operators’ own sites and directory listings, checked November 3, 2026.
McClain County hunting hours on season dates
ODWC prints no sunrise and sunset table, so the times here are worked out for McClain County with the NOAA solar formula.
| Day | Moment | First sun | Last sun | Deer hours | Duck hours | Bird dog hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:23 a.m. | 7:15 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. | 6:53 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. | 7:23 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Muzzleloader opens | 7:42 a.m. | 6:45 p.m. | 7:12 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. | 7:12 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. | 7:42 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opens | 7:10 a.m. | 5:22 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 5:52 p.m. | 6:40 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. | 7:10 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. |
| Dec 6, 2026 | Gun deer closes | 7:24 a.m. | 5:18 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:48 p.m. | 6:54 a.m. to 5:18 p.m. | 7:24 a.m. to 5:18 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:34 a.m. | 5:22 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:52 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. | 7:34 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery closes | 7:37 a.m. | 5:40 p.m. | 7:07 a.m. to 6:10 p.m. | 7:07 a.m. to 5:40 p.m. | 7:37 a.m. to 5:40 p.m. |
| Apr 16, 2027 | Spring turkey | 6:58 a.m. | 8:02 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 8:32 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 8:02 p.m. | 6:58 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.


McClain County rules in brief
Is elk hunting legal anywhere in McClain County?
Yes, on private land with written permission, in the Southeast Zone and Southwest Zone.
Has a wild deer from McClain County tested positive for CWD?
Not in wild deer, by ODWC records; wild cases are in Texas, Woodward and Cimarron.
When is youth spring turkey in McClain County?
April 10 to April 11, 2027.
Can sandhill cranes be hunted in McClain County?
Yes, west of I-35, with the federal crane permit.
If McClain County has little public ground, where is the nearest area?
Lexington Wildlife Management Area, about 14 miles from the county centre.
How do I check a deer killed in McClain County?
Attach a field tag, then E-Check it within 24 hours of leaving the hunt area.
Can feral hogs be hunted year-round in McClain County?
Yes on private land; department lands follow area rules.
Where might a McClain County hunter drop off a deer?
Absolute Taxidermy & Processing heads the distance list.
How many does may a hunter take in McClain County?
Antlerless limits by zone (Zone 6: muzzleloader 2, gun 2), plus two in the holiday hunt, inside the six-deer combined limit.
Which years are missing from the McClain County deer chart?
The 2002 and 2015 county tables are not published in readable form; other gaps are marked on the chart.
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.
McClain County reminders for 2026-27
Get written permission before hunting private land in McClain County, and for elk it is required by rule.
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: Thomas & Dianne Jones (CC BY 2.0).