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Seat: Frederick
Tillman County Hunting
From archery in October to spring gobblers, this Tillman County guide lists the dates, antlerless zone limits, harvest record, public tracts and contacts for hunters based around Frederick.
Photo: Thomas Shahan (CC BY 2.0)
Deer zone rules for Tillman County
Every acre of Tillman County falls in Antlerless Deer Zone 8 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 8 | 100% | 4 | 4 | Two | Either sex |
Tillman 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.
Tillman County deer numbers by season
For 2025 the county tally stands at 866 deer, placing Tillman County 66th statewide. That is 0.7% of the 124,050 deer ODWC tallied by county, a figure that leaves out WMA harvest. A year earlier the county reported 870, so 2025 came in 0% lower.
Peak and trough in the data: 870 deer (2024) and 262 deer (1999). A typical recent season here, averaged over 10 years, is about 707 deer.
Archery produced 27% of the 2025 total and the gun season 65%, while antlerless deer were 413 of 866.
Tillman County deer by method, 2016-2025
| Year | Archery | ML | Firearm | Antlerless | County total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 104 | 24 | 356 | 182 | 484 |
| 2017 | 124 | 39 | 353 | 201 | 516 |
| 2018 | 118 | 48 | 417 | 210 | 583 |
| 2019 | 161 | 57 | 484 | 264 | 702 |
| 2020 | 210 | 52 | 521 | 341 | 783 |
| 2021 | 233 | 34 | 455 | 355 | 722 |
| 2022 | 215 | 28 | 516 | 358 | 759 |
| 2023 | 229 | 32 | 522 | 338 | 783 |
| 2024 | 291 | 40 | 539 | 397 | 870 |
| 2025 | 235 | 64 | 567 | 413 | 866 |
Back years for Tillman County:
- 1999262
- 2000364
- 2001314
- 2003500
- 2004437
- 2005538
- 2006515
- 2007483
- 2008610
- 2009622
- 2010652
- 2011518
- 2012516
- 2013434
- 2014390
Tillman County public-area deer harvest
| Tract | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Hackberry Flat WMA | 19 | 21 |
| Gist WMA | 1 | 8 |
Tillman County harvest of other big game
| Species | Year | Year | Year | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk | 2022: 1 |
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.
Tillman County 2026-27 dates in one table
Statewide rows plus the zone and area rows that reach Tillman County: 60 in all, grouped by species.
| Game | Method | Covers | Opening day | Closing day | 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 | |
| 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.
Tillman County big game zones and disease rules
Elk hunting in Tillman County
Tillman County is Southwest Zone country for elk, which means private acreage, a signed permission and the zone quota. Look up the zone quota (Southwest Zone 30) before every elk hunt, because a filled quota closes the zone.
Tillman County is outside the four CWD surveillance areas; deer and elk from other states still may not be brought in whole.
Tillman County appears at the head of the Cy Curtis records: non-typical whitetail (248 6/8, gun, 2004).
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; records from the Cy Curtis records. Checked November 3, 2026.
Turkey, quail and ducks in Tillman County
Tillman 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 Tillman County. Statewide, the 2025 Game Harvest Survey put spring turkeys near 11,232.
Quail and pheasant in Tillman County
Pheasant hunting is closed in Tillman 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 Tillman County
Ducks in Tillman County follow the Zones 1 and 2 calendar; ODWC publishes no boundary between those two zones and they share dates. Hackberry Flat Waterfowl Refuge Portion and Hackberry Flat WMA: Wetland Development Units close to waterfowl at 1 p.m., nontoxic shot only. West of I-35 in Tillman 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.
Tillman County public land and acreage
The table below lists all 3 public areas on our list that reach into Tillman County. Put together, the agency and federal layers trace about 7,122 public acres, near 1.3% of the county.
| Place | Type | Acres | Hunted for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hackberry Flat WMA | WMA | 7,566 | deer, cranes, quail | wetland units, nonresident check-in |
| Hackberry Flat Waterfowl Refuge Portion | Waterfowl refuge portion | 4,000 | deer, doves, quail | wetland units, nonresident check-in |
| Gist WMA | WMA | 177 | deer, doves, rabbits | nonresident check-in |
Tillman County anchor tracts, largest first
- Hunters reach Hackberry Flat WMA, some 7,566 acres, without leaving Tillman County. Its permitted game runs to deer, cranes, quail and squirrels. Watch for wetland units, nonresident check-in, non-ambulatory access. Phone for hunting questions: (405) 823-8425.
- Hackberry Flat Waterfowl Refuge Portion is listed as a waterfowl refuge portion of about 4,000 acres. The area supports deer, doves, quail and rabbits by the ODWC listing. Also flagged: wetland units, nonresident check-in. Hunting questions go to (405) 823-8425.
- Acreage for Gist WMA: 177; all of it is in Tillman County. The area supports deer, doves, rabbits and squirrels by the ODWC listing. Also flagged: nonresident check-in. Call (405) 823-8425 (hunting).
Tillman County hunters can also try these
- Mountain Park WMAKiowa County; centre to centre 28 miles (5,000 ac)
- Wichita Mountains Wildlife RefugeComanche County; centre to centre 30 miles (58,227 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.
Tillman County ODWC contacts and local help
ODWC runs wildlife work in Tillman County from the Southwest Region; Ron Smith is the regional supervisor. Report violations in Tillman County to the District 7 wardens; the captain is Jeff Headrick. District 7 of the Wildlife Conservation Commission includes Tillman County. Plan on about 35 miles in a straight line to reach the agency office in Lawton. Field offices take no cash, so call before driving over.
Tillman County town guides
Tillman County holds 7 incorporated towns and cities plus 0 unincorporated Census communities. Tillman County largest places by the 2024 estimate: Frederick (3,356), Grandfield (883) and Tipton (832). Tillman County had 6,736 residents in 2024, a 3.2% dip from the 2020 base, spread over 871 square miles of land.
- Frederickpop. 3,356 · seat
Tillman County services for hunters
None of our game processors, taxidermists, gun and outdoor shops and commercial hunting areas and guides are in Tillman County; the list reaches into adjoining counties. Call ahead: directory listings change, and only the tagged rows come from ODWC lists.
Tillman County versus its neighbours
| Neighbour | Doe zone | Elk | Fall turkey | Duck zone | 2025 deer | Apart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 8 | Southwest | Open | Zones 1 and 2 | 907 | 31 miles |
| Cotton County | 8 | Southwest | Open | Zones 1 and 2 | 601 | 32 miles |
| Comanche County | 8 | Special Southwest | Open | Zones 1 and 2 | 910 | 33 miles |
| Kiowa County | 8 | Special Southwest | Open | Zones 1 and 2 | 782 | 38 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 Tillman County
The guide finds 3 ranges inside Tillman County, from WMA benches to gun clubs and indoor lanes.
Of ODWC’s 15 WMA ranges, Lexington WMA Shooting Range is closest, about 110 miles from the Tillman 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.
When legal light begins in Tillman County
ODWC prints no sunrise and sunset table, so the times here are worked out for Tillman 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 | 7:29 a.m. | 7:21 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 7:51 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. | 7:29 a.m. to 7:21 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Muzzleloader opens | 7:48 a.m. | 6:52 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 7:22 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. to 6:52 p.m. | 7:48 a.m. to 6:52 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opens | 7:14 a.m. | 5:29 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 5:59 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 5:29 p.m. | 7:14 a.m. to 5:29 p.m. |
| Dec 6, 2026 | Gun deer closes | 7:28 a.m. | 5:26 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 5:56 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 5:26 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 5:26 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:38 a.m. | 5:29 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 5:59 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 5:29 p.m. | 7:38 a.m. to 5:29 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery closes | 7:42 a.m. | 5:47 p.m. | 7:12 a.m. to 6:17 p.m. | 7:12 a.m. to 5:47 p.m. | 7:42 a.m. to 5:47 p.m. |
| Apr 16, 2027 | Spring turkey | 7:04 a.m. | 8:07 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 8:37 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 8:07 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 8:07 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.
Tillman County rules in brief
Which public area in Tillman County is largest?
Hackberry Flat Wildlife Management Area, about 7,566 acres.
What commission district is Tillman County in?
District 7.
Is a hunter education card needed in Tillman County?
Yes, unless 31 or older, military, or hunting on an apprentice license.
Who can process a Tillman County deer?
Quartz View Meat Company, Lawton Meat Processing and Temple Processing top our distance list.
How many does may a hunter take in Tillman County?
Antlerless limits by zone (Zone 8: muzzleloader 4, gun 4), plus two in the holiday hunt, inside the six-deer combined limit.
How many deer were taken in Tillman County last season?
866 in the 2025-26 seasons, 66th of 77 counties (county rows exclude WMA deer).
Which elk zone does ODWC assign Tillman County to?
Southwest Zone.
Are mule deer found in Tillman County?
ODWC tables list no recent mule deer from the county.
What are the 2026-27 spring gobbler dates for Tillman County?
April 16 to May 16, 2027, one tom.
Is pheasant open in Tillman County?
No.
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.
Tillman County reminders for 2026-27
Get written permission before hunting private land in Tillman 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: Buck Valley Ranch (CC BY 2.0).