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Elk zones
Northwest Elk Zone
Dates, quota and counties for the Northwest Elk Zone, with elk harvest and controlled hunts.
Photo: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Southwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Northwest Elk Zone dates, quota and boundary
Northwest Elk Zone: Private lands north of I-40 and west of I-35, excluding the Panhandle and Special Northwest zones. The quota is 8 and the bag reads "One elk, either sex; zone quota 8. Statewide combined elk limit two (controlled hunts excluded)."
| Season | Opens | Closes | Days | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | 107 | |
| Youth elk gun | Oct 16, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | 3 | |
| Muzzleloader | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 9 | |
| Gun | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | 16 | |
| Holiday antlerless elk | Dec 18, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | 14 |
Every Northwest Elk Zone hunt is on private land with the owner's written permission in hand; check the quota online first, because the zone shuts when it is met.
From the ODWC elk season page and the 2026 elk zone map, checked November 3, 2026.
Northwest Elk Zone counties and elk harvest
County elk harvest for the 17 counties of the Northwest Elk Zone: 16 in 2025, counting each county in full.
| County | Other elk zones | Deer zones | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfalfa County | – | 2 | – | – | – |
| Beckham County | Southwest | 8, 7 | 11 | 4 | 14 |
| Blaine County | – | 2, 7, 6 | – | – | – |
| Canadian County | Southwest | 6 | – | – | 1 |
| Custer County | Southwest | 7, 8 | 1 | – | – |
| Garfield County | – | 2 | – | – | 1 |
| Grant County | – | 2 | – | – | – |
| Harper County | – | 2 | 2 | – | – |
| Kay County | Northeast | 2 | 1 | – | – |
| Kingfisher County | – | 2, 6 | 1 | – | – |
| Logan County | Northeast | 2, 6 | – | – | – |
| Major County | – | 2 | – | – | – |
| Noble County | Northeast | 2 | – | 1 | – |
| Oklahoma County | Northeast, Southeast, Southwest | 6 | – | – | – |
| Roger Mills County | Special Northwest | 7 | – | – | – |
| Washita County | Southwest | 8, 7 | – | 1 | – |
| Woods County | – | 2 | – | – | – |
Counties from the ODWC elk zone map read in regs.json; elk from the ODWC Big Game Harvest Report county tables; checked November 3, 2026.
Public land and the Northwest Elk Zone
No public elk hunt took place in the Northwest Elk Zone counties in 2025.
Elk are not legal on OLAP tracts, and WMAs allow them only on controlled hunts.
From the ODWC 2025 controlled hunt results and the ODWC OLAP regulations, checked November 3, 2026.
Woods County (Northwest Elk Zone) legal light
Big game legal light around Woods County (Northwest Elk Zone) starts 30 minutes before sunrise and ends 30 minutes after sunset; ducks and geese end at sunset.
| Date | Opener or close | Sunrise | Sunset | Deer | Ducks | Quail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 7:50 a.m. | 6:49 p.m. | 7:20 a.m. to 7:19 p.m. | 7:20 a.m. to 6:49 p.m. | 7:50 a.m. to 6:49 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opens | 7:19 a.m. | 5:24 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 5:54 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 5:24 p.m. | 7:19 a.m. to 5:24 p.m. |
| Dec 6, 2026 | Gun deer closes | 7:34 a.m. | 5:20 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:50 p.m. | 7:04 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. | 7:34 a.m. to 5:20 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:44 a.m. | 5:23 p.m. | 7:14 a.m. to 5:53 p.m. | 7:14 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. | 7:44 a.m. to 5:23 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery closes | 7:47 a.m. | 5:41 p.m. | 7:17 a.m. to 6:11 p.m. | 7:17 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. | 7:47 a.m. to 5:41 p.m. |
| Apr 16, 2027 | Spring turkey | 7:01 a.m. | 8:09 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 8:39 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 8:09 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 8:09 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.
Bull elk and cows silhouetted along a ridge against a deep blue sky. Photo: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Southwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Bull elk silhouetted against a golden sunset. Photo: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Southwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Bull elk with heavy antlers standing in a lily pond. Photo: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Southwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Northwest Elk Zone in questions
Northwest Elk Zone quota for 2026-27?
8, counted through E-Check; look it up the morning you hunt.
Elk numbers in the Northwest Elk Zone?
County elk harvest for the 17 counties of the Northwest Elk Zone: 16 in 2025, counting each county in full.
When is elk season in the Northwest Elk Zone?
For the Northwest Elk Zone: Archery Oct 1 to Jan 15; Youth elk gun Oct 16 to Oct 18; Muzzleloader Oct 24 to Nov 1; Gun Nov 21 to Dec 6; Holiday antlerless elk Dec 18 to Dec 31.
Northwest Elk Zone county list?
Private lands north of I-40 and west of I-35, excluding the Panhandle and Special Northwest zones. Counties touched: Alfalfa, Beckham, Blaine, Canadian, Custer, Garfield, Grant, Harper, Kay, Kingfisher, Logan, Major, Noble, Oklahoma, Roger Mills, Washita and Woods.
Public land elk in the Northwest Elk Zone?
No public elk hunt took place in the Northwest Elk Zone counties in 2025. Elk are not legal on OLAP tracts, and WMAs allow them only on controlled hunts.
How many elk can I take in the Northwest Elk Zone?
Northwest Elk Zone: One elk, either sex; zone quota 8. Statewide combined elk limit two (controlled hunts excluded).
Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Southwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Southwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Southwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0).