Squirrel hunting in Oklahoma, 2026-27

Squirrel dates, 2026-27

One calendar covers fox and gray squirrels; no zone changes the dates.

Notes on the squirrel rows

• Open to falconry year-round statewide.
• Shooting hours one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

From ODWC small game regulations and 2026-2027 Oklahoma Fishing & Hunting Regulations p. 49, checked November 3, 2026.

Walk-in and WMA rules for fox and gray squirrels

• OLAP (squirrel): Oklahoma Land Access Program: enrolled private walk-in hunting, fishing and stream access; Land Access Permit required; foot traffic only; statewide seasons; trapping limited to water sets, box and enclosed-trigger traps; elk hunting prohibited; access 2 hours before sunrise to 1 hour after sunset; falconry now legal on OLAP.
• ODWC lands (squirrel): Portable stands only, removed within 14 days after the hunt; equipment marked with customer ID; camping limits (16 consecutive days; 21 in 30); no ATVs except designated; horses restricted Oct 1-Jan 1 and spring turkey; bird-dog training closed June 1-Aug 31; public lands not listed as open are closed; under-14s supervised.

Statewide dates cover fox and gray squirrels; land rules are what change from place to place.

From ODWC OLAP hunting regulations and ODWC Department-Managed Area Rules, checked November 3, 2026.

Public areas open to fox and gray squirrels

116 areas are open to fox and gray squirrels on public land; WMA rules and closures come from each area's special regulations.

Of the 116 areas, 7 are OLAP tracts (Land Access Permit required).

From lands.json (ODWC area pages, special regulations, OLAP layer and federal rules), checked November 3, 2026.

After the hunt: squirrel rules

• Blaze orange, squirrel hunters: Outside big game firearm dates, no; inside them, an orange head covering or upper garment is required of squirrel hunters.
• E-Check and fox and gray squirrels: Not required. Oklahoma reports deer, elk, antelope, bear and turkey through E-Check, and squirrel is not one of them.
• Squirrel: possession: Give written or electronic transfer information (names, addresses, customer ID, date taken, number/type, confirmation number); no compensation.

From the ODWC big game regulations, ODWC general hunting regulations and the 2026-2027 regulations guide, checked November 3, 2026.

Hours for fox and gray squirrels across Oklahoma

Sunrise in the Panhandle and in the southeast can be half an hour apart, so the squirrel hours below are computed county by county.

The squirrel hours rule: Squirrel, rabbit, prairie dog: one-half hour before official sunrise to official sunset.

Rules from the ODWC big game regulations and ODWC migratory bird regulations; sunrise and sunset worked out with the NOAA solar formula (Central Time); checked November 3, 2026. Legal hours for all 77 counties.

Similar species to fox and gray squirrels