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Military land · ODWC Northeast Region
Camp Gruber Training Center hunting
A 2026-27 guide to the military installation, 51,840 acres, in Muskogee County.
Photo: Dustin Moore (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Camp Gruber Training Center
Camp Gruber in numbers and names
Muskogee County holds the 51,840 acres of Camp Gruber (the ODWC area page). Muskogee County has 4 records with acreage here; Camp Gruber is number 1. Oklahoma Army National Guard has charge of it; ODWC counts the ground in the ODWC Northeast Region.
Muskogee County holds 15,559 acres of public land on the GIS layers.
Seasons open on Camp Gruber: Deer, Turkey, Trapping, Crows, Quail, Snipe, Woodcock, Waterfowl, Rabbits, Squirrels, Furbearers, Doves.
From the agency record (Oklahoma Army National Guard); checked November 3, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Camp Gruber Training Center
Camp Gruber: the county rules that apply
| Topic | Muskogee County |
|---|---|
| Antlerless zone | 4 |
| Elk zone | Northeast, Southeast |
| Bear area | Yes |
| Pronghorn | No season |
| Fall gun turkey | Open |
| Pheasant | No season |
| Duck dates | Zones 1 and 2 |
| Crane, jackrabbit | No season |
| CWD surveillance | Outside |
| ODWC region | Northeast |
| Warden district | No. 2 |
Overlaying the ODWC antlerless zone map on the boundary gives Zone 4 (Muzzleloader 2, gun 2); roads, not county lines, divide the zones. Deer limits: six total for the season, two antlered maximum, in every zone. For elk, Muskogee County sits in the Northeast Zone (quota 20) and Southeast Zone (quota 5), a private-land zone that closes when its quota is met. Bear hunters in Muskogee County follow the bear area dates (archery Oct 1, 2026 to Oct 18, 2026; muzzleloader Oct 24, 2026 to Nov 1, 2026); ODWC set no quota this year. The fall gun turkey list includes Muskogee County.
ODWC antlerless deer zones, elk zones, bear area, fall turkey counties, CWD rules; checked November 3, 2026.
Camp Gruber access rules
Open days and open areas at Camp Gruber come from the Guard, not the statewide calendar alone. A free UXO permit is required before entry; it runs July 1 to June 30. Details come from the ODWC area page; the installation site was blocked. The DoD polygon covers 33,412 acres, while ODWC gives 51,840.
The Oklahoma Army National Guard and ODWC have a new agreement regarding hunting on Camp Gruber MTC.
Effective beginning Jan. 1, 2003. Hunting will only be permitted on designated days and areas as described by the Oklahoma Army National Guard (OKARNG). In addition, all area users must possess a UXO permit before entering the area.
- CGTC is an active military training center. All users must obey all CGTC regulations, closed area (refer to hunting area map for restricted use areas) and access restrictions, and wildlife regulations and laws.
- All persons entering CGTC must possess an unexploded ordinance (UXO) permit before entering. These permits are valid from July 1-June 30, must be renewed annually, and available free of charge on the CGTC website.
- Hunting Areas #'s 1, 2, 3 and 5
- Hunting Areas #4 & #6 (west of Highway 10)
| Hunt | Status | What ODWC adds |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday Antlerless Deer Gun | Closed | – |
| Turkey Fall Gun | Closed | – |
| Youth Turkey Spring | Closed | – |
| Turkey Spring | Closed | – |
| Rail | Closed | – |
| Gallinule | Closed | – |
| Youth Deer Gun | Statewide dates | – |
| Deer Muzzleloader | Statewide dates | – |
| Deer Gun | Restricted | Closed to antlerless hunting. |
| Deer Archery | Restricted | Open during Youth Deer Gun, Deer Muzzleloader, and Deer Gun, and Open Dec. 7 – Jan. 15. |
| Turkey Fall Archery | Restricted | Open Dec. 7 – Jan. 15 |
| Trapping | Restricted | Open Dec. 7 – Jan. 15 |
| Crow | Restricted | Open Dec. 7 – Jan. 15 |
| Quail | Restricted | Open Dec. 7 – Jan. 15 |
| Snipe | Restricted | Open Dec. 7 – Jan. 15 |
| Woodcock | Restricted | Open Dec. 7 – Jan. 15 |
| Duck, Merganser and Coot | Restricted | Open Dec. 7 – Jan. 15 |
| Rabbit | Restricted | Open Dec. 7 – Jan. 15 |
| Squirrel | Restricted | Open Dec. 7 – Jan. 15 |
| Predator/Furbearer Calling | Restricted | Open Dec. 7 – Jan. 15 |
| Pursuit with Hounds for Furbearers | Restricted | Open Dec. 7 – Jan. 15 |
| Dove | Restricted | Open Dec. 7-29 |
| Snipe | Restricted | Open Dec. 7-11 |
| Deer Archery | Statewide dates | – |
| Turkey Fall Archery | Statewide dates | – |
| Crow | Restricted | Closed from opening day of deer archery season through the end of deer gun season. |
| Trapping | Restricted | Closed from opening day of deer archery season through the end of deer gun season. |
| Dove | Restricted | Closed from opening day of deer archery season through the end of deer gun season. |
| Rail | Restricted | Closed from opening day of deer archery season through the end of deer gun season. |
| Gallinule | Restricted | Closed from opening day of deer archery season through the end of deer gun season. |
| Quail | Restricted | Closed from opening day of deer archery season through the end of deer gun season. |
| Snipe | Restricted | Closed from opening day of deer archery season through the end of deer gun season. |
| Woodcock | Restricted | Closed from opening day of deer archery season through the end of deer gun season. |
| Duck, Merganser and Coot | Restricted | Closed from opening day of deer archery season through the end of deer gun season. |
| Rabbit | Restricted | Closed from opening day of deer archery season through the end of deer gun season. |
| Squirrel | Restricted | Closed from opening day of deer archery season through the end of deer gun season. |
| Pursuit with Hounds for Furbearers | Restricted | Closed from opening day of deer archery season through the end of deer gun season and during spring turkey season. |
| Predator/Furbearer Calling | Restricted | Closed from opening day of deer archery season through the end of deer gun season and during spring turkey season. |
| Turkey Spring | Restricted | One-tom limit; seasons combined. |
| Youth Turkey Spring | Restricted | One-tom limit; seasons combined. |
Sources: ODWC area page, ODWC special regulations, ODWC controlled hunts. Checked November 3, 2026.
Draw hunts at Camp Gruber
ODWC results for 2025 show elk and youth deer draws for Camp Gruber. Applications for the 2026 draw ran Apr 1, 2026 to May 20, 2026; the 2026-27 hunt list sits in Go Outdoors Oklahoma and is not repeated here.
| Hunt | Area label | Permits | Took part |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elk | Gruber CGTC/Cherokee WMA | 1 Either-sex | 1 |
| Youth deer | Camp Gruber Cantonment | 40 (2) 1st Antlerless, 2nd E-S | 34 |
ODWC 2025 controlled hunt results, ODWC controlled hunts; checked November 3, 2026.
Deer checked near Camp Gruber
Area harvest, newest season: 204 deer under the name "Camp Gruber Training CTR". Muskogee County reported 1,687 deer in 2025-26 outside WMAs, 959 of them antlered, 33rd of 77 counties. By method: 912 gun, 520 archery and 255 muzzleloader. Elk harvest in Muskogee County, 2025-26: 5.
| Year | Area label | Archery | Muzzleloader | Gun | Sum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Gruber (CGTC) | 31 | 99 | 72 | 202 |
| 2025 | Camp Gruber Training CTR | 17 | 111 | 76 | 204 |
ODWC 2025-26 Big Game Harvest Report and earlier ODWC harvest reports (harvest.json); checked November 3, 2026.
Camp Gruber season dates, 2026-27
38 species and 65 dated windows reach Camp Gruber this year; the right-hand column checks each against today.
| Species | Window | Reach | From | Through | Today? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Northeast elk zone | Oct 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2027 | |
| Elk | Youth elk gun | Northeast elk zone | Oct 16, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Elk | Muzzleloader | Northeast elk zone | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Elk | Gun | Northeast elk zone | Nov 21, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Elk | Holiday antlerless elk | Northeast elk zone | Dec 18, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| 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 | |
| Black bear | Archery | Bear area | Oct 1, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Muzzleloader | Bear area | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 1, 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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.
Camp Gruber and the closest public tracts
Closest non-OLAP ground: Cherokee GMA, 4.8 mi east. Walk-in OLAP ground starts 13 mi off at Sequoyah OLAP tract H002.
| Area | Type | Acres | County | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee GMA | GMA | 15,360 | Cherokee | 4.8 mi | east |
| Cherokee PHA | PHA | 16,000 | Cherokee | 4.8 mi | east |
| Cherokee WMA | WMA | 31,360 | Cherokee | 4.8 mi | east |
| Tenkiller WMA | WMA | 2,590 | Cherokee, Sequoyah | 7.9 mi | southeast |
| Lower Illinois River PFHA | PFHA | 320 | Sequoyah | 10 mi | southeast |
| Tenkiller Ferry Lake (Corps) | Corps lake | – | Cherokee, Sequoyah | 11 mi | east |
Points: DoD MIRTA installation polygon (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Camp Gruber: nearest towns, offices and shops
Closest town covered here: Sour John, roughly 5.5 mi away. Muskogee is the largest of these towns, with 36,849 people in 2024. Other communities nearby: Braggs (3.0 mi, 271 people) and Sand Hill (4.8 mi). Warden phones on the area page: (918) 625-4873 (Muskogee); (918) 625-4691 (Muskogee).
| Town | County | Pop. 2024 | Miles off | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sour John | Muskogee | – | 5.5 mi | south |
| River Bottom | Muskogee | – | 5.9 mi | southwest |
| Fort Gibson | Muskogee | 3,814 | 7.8 mi | northwest |
| Zeb | Cherokee | – | 9.3 mi | northeast |
| Muskogee | Muskogee | 36,849 | 11 mi | west |
Towns from places.json and census_places.json (Census 2024); offices and businesses from services.json; warden numbers from the ODWC area page or warden directory; straight-line miles. Checked November 3, 2026.
Camp Gruber Training Center hunters: free WMA line plus clubs
Cherokee PHA Shooting Range is 7 miles from Camp Gruber Training Center and is the free WMA line closest to it. Two private or club ranges inside 30 miles complete the row.
From ODWC’s WMA shooting range list and WMA pages, operators’ pages and directory listings, checked November 3, 2026.
Camp Gruber legal light
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.
| When | Event | Rise | Set | Big game | Birds | Upland |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Archery deer opens | 7:15 a.m. | 7:07 p.m. | 6:45 a.m. to 7:37 p.m. | 6:45 a.m. to 7:07 p.m. | 7:15 a.m. to 7:07 p.m. |
| Oct 24, 2026 | Muzzleloader opens | 7:35 a.m. | 6:36 p.m. | 7:05 a.m. to 7:06 p.m. | 7:05 a.m. to 6:36 p.m. | 7:35 a.m. to 6:36 p.m. |
| Nov 21, 2026 | Gun deer opens | 7:03 a.m. | 5:13 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 5:13 p.m. |
| Dec 6, 2026 | Gun deer closes | 7:17 a.m. | 5:09 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 5:39 p.m. | 6:47 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. | 7:17 a.m. to 5:09 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Shortest day | 7:27 a.m. | 5:12 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 5:42 p.m. | 6:57 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. | 7:27 a.m. to 5:12 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | Archery closes | 7:30 a.m. | 5:30 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. | 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. | 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. |
| Apr 16, 2027 | Spring turkey | 6:49 a.m. | 7:54 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 8:24 p.m. | 6:19 a.m. to 7:54 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 7:54 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.
Oklahoma views around Camp Gruber
Camp Gruber Training Center, the nearby calendar
Checked November 3, 2026, the 10-mile ring shows 3 upcoming listings, covering ODWC controlled hunt and ODWC youth draw. Controlled hunt rows (3) admit only hunters whose names came up in the ODWC draw.
Not yet held
| When | Listing | Mi | Area or venue | Next step | Read at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 7–8, 2026 | Cherokee GMA youth deer hunt | 5 | Event details | Source | |
| Nov 17–18, 2026 | Cherokee GMA deer controlled hunt | 5 | Event details | Source | |
| Nov 27–29, 2026 | Camp Gruber Cantonment youth deer hunt | On the property | Event details | Source |
Camp Gruber answers from the sources
How early is legal light at Camp Gruber in late November?
For November 21, 2026, roughly 6:33 a.m. to 5:43 p.m. for deer (Muskogee County centre, NOAA solar formula).
How much fluorescent orange is required on Camp Gruber?
Firearm deer, elk, bear and pronghorn hunters wear 400 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange on a head covering and outer garment combined.
Are controlled hunts held on Camp Gruber?
Controlled hunts are drawn each spring; in 2026 the window was Apr 1, 2026 to May 20, 2026.
How many deer were checked from Camp Gruber in 2025-26?
204 deer in the 2025-26 report (130 antlered).
Is elk hunting possible on Camp Gruber?
Public elk hunting is by draw only; county zone: Northeast Zone and Southeast Zone.
Can I pitch a tent at Camp Gruber?
Camping on CGTC will be allowed only in Hunter’s Camp 2 during the designated hunting seasons listed. Public access route to the camping area will be through gate 12, (Hilltop Road) and gate 17, (Wild Horse Road). Open fires will only be allowed in the camping area of Hunter’s Camp 2. CGTC may restrict the use of fire during dry conditions or if the CGTC is under a county or state-wide burn ban. Quiet shall be maintained in the camping area between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. and all dogs or other pets must be kept on a leash or otherwise confined while in camping areas. Fishing will be allowed in the pond at Hunter’s Camp 2 during the designated hunting seasons with a fishing license or proof of exemption as stated in the Oklahoma Fishing Regulation Guide.
Which ODWC region does Camp Gruber fall under?
It lies in Muskogee County (ODWC Northeast Region). Sour John is 5.5 mi away.
Which dates cover deer at Camp Gruber this season?
Statewide dates: archery from Oct 1, 2026, gun from Nov 21, 2026.
Which documents cover a hunt on Camp Gruber?
A drawn controlled hunt permit or, at Camp Gruber, the free UXO permit and a Guard-designated day.
Is Camp Gruber a large or small piece of ground?
The ODWC area page gives 51,840 acres.
Does the bait ban cover Camp Gruber?
Not allowed. The Department-Managed Area Rules prohibit bait.
What antlerless limit applies near Camp Gruber?
ODWC map overlay: Zone 4 (Muzzleloader 2, gun 2); the legal line is the road on the map.
Heading to Camp Gruber?
Report deer, elk, bear, pronghorn and turkey through E-Check within 24 hours, and carry your field tag while hunting Camp Gruber.
Sources: source · source · source · source · source; regulations from the 2026-2027 Oklahoma Fishing and Hunting Regulations. Checked November 3, 2026.
Other photos on this page: usacetulsa (CC BY 2.0); Sharon Mollerus (CC BY 2.0); Chris Bowman (CC BY 2.0).