Oklahoma › Hunting seasons › Elk zones › Special Southwest Elk Zone
Elk zones
Special Southwest Elk Zone
No quota; private land with written permission. Dates, counties, harvest and public draws.
Photo: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Southwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Quota and dates in the Special Southwest Elk Zone
All private lands in Caddo, Comanche and Kiowa counties; these dates replace the open-zone dates. Legal bull must have 5+ points on at least one antler. No quota. That is the Special Southwest Elk Zone, with no quota and this bag: Two elk, either sex, one of which must be antlerless.
| Season | Opens | Closes | Days | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 7, 2026 | 7 | |
| Archery | Dec 12, 2026 | Dec 16, 2026 | 5 | |
| Gun | Oct 8, 2026 | Oct 14, 2026 | 7 | |
| Gun | Dec 17, 2026 | Dec 20, 2026 | 4 | |
| Youth elk gun | Oct 16, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | 3 | |
| Additional Antlerless Gun | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | 16 | |
| Additional Antlerless Gun | Jan 1, 2027 | Jan 31, 2027 | 31 | |
| Muzzleloader | Closed |
Before an Special Southwest Elk Zone hunt, have the landowner's written permission with you; no quota will close the zone early.
- Muzzleloader season closed in the Special Southwest Zone.
From the ODWC elk season page and the 2026 elk zone map, checked November 3, 2026.
Special Southwest Elk Zone by county
The Special Southwest Elk Zone reaches 3 counties. Their combined elk harvest was 741 in 2025 and 727 in 2024.
| County | Other elk zones | Deer zones | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caddo County | – | 6, 8, 7 | 23 | 44 | 53 |
| Comanche County | – | 8 | 444 | 579 | 594 |
| Kiowa County | – | 8 | 76 | 104 | 94 |
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.
Where public elk hunting fits the Special Southwest Elk Zone
Public elk hunting inside the Special Southwest Elk Zone counties happens only on controlled hunts; the 2025 draws there were at Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.
| Area | Hunt | Permits | Hunters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge | Wichita Mts. NWR | 40 Bull Only | 40 |
| Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge | Wichita Mts. NWR | 70 Cow Only | 52 |
| Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge | Wichita Mts. NWR (Walk-in only) | 100 Either-sex | 95 |
| Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge | Wichita Mts. NWR (Walk-in only) | 225 Cow Only | 194 |
Remember: OLAP prohibits elk hunting and Department lands are closed except controlled hunts.
From the ODWC 2025 controlled hunt results and the ODWC OLAP regulations, checked November 3, 2026.
Caddo County (Special Southwest Elk Zone) legal light
The Panhandle sees the sun up to half an hour later than the Arkansas line, so use the times worked out for Caddo County (Special Southwest Elk Zone).
| When | Event | Rise | Set | Big game | Birds | Upland |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:27 a.m. | 7:19 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 7:49 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 7:19 p.m. | 7:27 a.m. to 7:19 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Muzzleloader opens | 7:46 a.m. | 6:49 p.m. | 7:16 a.m. to 7:19 p.m. | 7:16 a.m. to 6:49 p.m. | 7:46 a.m. to 6:49 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opens | 7:14 a.m. | 5:26 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 5:56 p.m. | 6:44 a.m. to 5:26 p.m. | 7:14 a.m. to 5:26 p.m. |
| Dec 6, 2026 | Gun deer closes | 7:28 a.m. | 5:22 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 5:52 p.m. | 6:58 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:38 a.m. | 5:25 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 5:55 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 5:25 p.m. | 7:38 a.m. to 5:25 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery closes | 7:41 a.m. | 5:43 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 6:13 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 7:41 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. |
| Apr 16, 2027 | Spring turkey | 7:01 a.m. | 8:06 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 8:36 p.m. | 6:31 a.m. to 8:06 p.m. | 7:01 a.m. to 8:06 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 grazing on winter grassland below a mesa. 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)
Special Southwest Elk Zone: answers
Where is public elk ground in the Special Southwest Elk Zone?
Public elk hunting inside the Special Southwest Elk Zone counties happens only on controlled hunts; the 2025 draws there were at Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Remember: OLAP prohibits elk hunting and Department lands are closed except controlled hunts.
Special Southwest Elk Zone harvest?
The Special Southwest Elk Zone reaches 3 counties. Their combined elk harvest was 741 in 2025 and 727 in 2024.
Is the Special Southwest Elk Zone quota-limited?
No quota is set for this zone in 2026-27.
Is my county in the Special Southwest Elk Zone?
All private lands in Caddo, Comanche and Kiowa counties; these dates replace the open-zone dates. Legal bull must have 5+ points on at least one antler. No quota. Counties touched: Caddo, Comanche and Kiowa.
Special Southwest Elk Zone calendar?
In order: Archery Oct 1 to Oct 7; Archery Dec 12 to Dec 16; Gun Oct 8 to Oct 14; Gun Dec 17 to Dec 20; Youth elk gun Oct 16 to Oct 18; Additional Antlerless Gun Nov 21 to Dec 6; Additional Antlerless Gun Jan 1 to Jan 31.
What elk are legal in the Special Southwest Elk Zone?
ODWC bag for the Special Southwest Elk Zone: Two elk, either sex, one of which must be antlerless.
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).