Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge hunting guide

Sequoyah NWR hunt rules

The CFR lists migratory game bird hunting, upland game hunting and big game hunting for Sequoyah NWR, each with its own conditions. Expect a federal fee on drawn hunts, deer $20.

Sequoyah NWR: migratory game bird hunting

We allow hunting of duck, goose, mourning dove, American coot, snipe, and woodcock on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions:

• You must possess and carry a signed refuge hunt brochure.
• We open the refuge to hunting only on Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays. We allow hunters to enter the Sandtown Bottom Unit or any portion of Sally Jones Lake beginning at 5 a.m., and hunters must leave the area by 1 hour after legal sunset.
• We prohibit hunting or shooting within 50 feet (15 meters) of designated roads or parking areas.
• You must remove stands, blinds, boats, and other personal property from the refuge at the end of each day's hunt (see §§ 27.93 and 27.94 of this chapter).
• We prohibit hunters from using refuge boat ramps to access hunting areas outside the refuge boundary: (A) On days when we close the refuge to hunting for certain species; and/or (B) When hunting species that we do not allow to be hunted on the refuge.
• We restrict the use of airboats within the refuge boundary to the navigation channel and the designated hunting areas from September 1 through March 31.

Sequoyah NWR: upland game hunting

We allow hunting of Eastern gray and fox squirrel and swamp and Eastern cottontail rabbit on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions:

• The conditions set forth at paragraphs (f)(1)(i) through (vi) of this section apply.
• Season lengths and bag limits will be governed by State regulations with the exception that all upland game hunting will close on January 31 of each year.
• We only allow legal shotguns, and .22 and .17 rimfire rifles, for hunting upland game. You must plug hunting shotguns so that they are incapable of holding more than three shells.
• The east portion of the Sandtown Bottom Unit and the portion of Robert S. Kerr Reservoir, from Tuff boat ramp to the confluence of Vian Creek, are designated as a waterfowl sanctuary that we close to all entry, except for the designated hiking trail, from September 1 through March 31. The closed area is marked with signs and buoys.

Sequoyah NWR: big game hunting

We allow hunting of white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and feral hog on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions:

• The conditions set forth at paragraphs (f)(1)(i) through (iii) and (vi) of this section apply.
• We require a limited hunt permit (State-issued) for controlled hunts for muzzleloader and archery deer, and for spring wild turkey hunts.
• Hunters must apply to the State-controlled deer hunt drawing administered by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation for selection. You must attend a pre-hunt briefing.
• Incidental take of feral hogs may occur during deer, wild turkey, rabbit, and squirrel hunting seasons.

Sequoyah NWR hunt units

ODWC rules printed for Sequoyah NWR

• Unless otherwise provided, hunting is permitted on Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday only and in designated areas only. Contact the refuge for special restrictions.
• All shotgun hunting is restricted to federally approved nontoxic shot.
• A free permit is required for all hunting. The permit must be signed and carried at all times while hunting. Permits may be obtained from various entrance points to the refuge, refuge headquarters or the Sequoyah NWR website, www.fws.gov/refuge/sequoyah .

Closed Oct. 16-18, 2026; Oct. 28-30, 2026; Nov. 9-13, 2026; Nov 18-20, 2026; Dec. 2-4, 2026 for controlled hunts.

Sources: source, source, source, source. Checked November 3, 2026.

Deer zone and elk rules near Sequoyah NWR

Doe limits come from Zone 4 (Muzzleloader 2, gun 2) here. The zones are road-defined; read the ODWC antlerless zone map. Statewide, a hunter may take six deer in a season, no more than two of them antlered, and a deer counts as antlered with 3 inches of antler. Elk: Southeast Zone (quota 5). Hunters need written permission on private land; Department lands are closed except controlled hunts. The bear area covers all or part of Haskell County: archery Oct 1, 2026 to Oct 18, 2026; muzzleloader Oct 24, 2026 to Nov 1, 2026. Fall turkey with a gun is legal in Haskell County.

ODWC antlerless deer zones, elk zones, bear area, fall turkey counties, CWD rules; checked November 3, 2026.

Sequoyah NWR on the map with its neighbors

Head southeast 6.1 mi to reach Robert S. Kerr Reservoir (Corps), the next public area on the list. Sequoyah OLAP tract H002, an OLAP tract, is 7.3 mi away.

Points: USFWS Interest layer (fee and secondary-jurisdiction refuge land) (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.

Sequoyah NWR: nearest towns, offices and shops

Sequoyah NWR lies 5.8 mi from Vian. Sallisaw (8,708 residents) has the most services, 13 mi away. The Census also lists Tamaha (2.9 mi, 154 people) and Carlisle (4.8 mi). To reach a game warden, ODWC gives (918) 431-2550 (Sequoyah); (918) 431-2544 (Sequoyah); (918) 625-4873 (Muskogee).

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.

Hunts, dinners and trials by Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge

Kinds close by: NWTF women’s mentored hunt and ODWC controlled hunt. Count: 3 upcoming listings. Only drawn permit holders take part in the 2 controlled hunts listed.

Coming up

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Sequoyah NWR trip checklist

Signs on the ground outrank any web page; watch for posted safety zones and closed units on Sequoyah NWR.

Sources: source · source · source · source · source · source; regulations from the 2026-2027 Oklahoma Fishing and Hunting Regulations. Checked November 3, 2026.