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Youth 17 and under, veterans, active military, seniors and hunters with disabilities
Oklahoma Youth and Veteran Hunting
The youth deer and elk gun days, youth spring turkey, the youth, veteran and active military waterfowl days, the Youth Annual Super license, hunter education and the apprentice designation, youth controlled hunts, and the license breaks for veterans, service members, seniors and hunters with disabilities.
Photo: Charles Patrick Ewing (CC BY 2.0)
Oklahoma rules written for young hunters
For 2026-27 ODWC uses one youth age for the youth deer gun season, youth spring turkey and the youth, veteran and military waterfowl days: 17 and younger, up from 15 on the waterfowl days last season. During the youth deer gun days the adult along may bowhunt but not carry a gun.
| Topic | Oklahoma rule |
|---|---|
| Youth age for 2026-27 | Youth = 17 and younger for youth deer gun, youth spring turkey and (new for 2026-27) youth/veteran waterfowl days; license-exempt from base hunting licenses but Youth Annual Super license required for big game, turkey, waterfowl, furbearers and trapping. |
| Youth deer gun | Youth Deer Gun Oct. 16-18, 2026 statewide: two deer (one antlered max); accompanying adult 18+ licensed may archery hunt but not gun hunt. |
| Youth elk gun | Youth Elk Gun Oct. 16-18, 2026 in open zones (including Special Southwest). |
| Turkey | Youth Spring Turkey Apr. 10-11, 2027 (adult may not hunt or carry weapons); youth may take a fall turkey during youth deer gun season in open counties. |
| Waterfowl days | Youth, Veteran & Active Military Days: Panhandle Oct. 3, 2026 and Jan. 30, 2027; Zones 1 & 2 Nov. 7, 2026 and Feb. 6, 2027. |
| Youth controlled hunts | Categories 5 (youth deer) and 7 (youth spring turkey), age 15 or younger on the first hunt day, with a non-hunting adult 21+; seven private-land youth deer hunts for certified youth 12-17. |
Sources: ODWC youth and veteran waterfowl page; ODWC deer season page; ODWC spring turkey page; ODWC controlled hunt need-to-know; 2026-27 regulations, p. 46. Checked: source pages revisited November 3, 2026.
Youth and veteran season dates for 2026-27
The youth deer gun days fall on October 16 to 18 in every county, two weeks after archery opens and a week ahead of muzzleloader. Youth, veterans and active military get two waterfowl days in each zone, one before the regular season and one after it.
| Game | Hunt | Where | Opens | Closes | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ducks | Youth and veteran day | Panhandle counties | Oct 3, 2026 | Oct 3, 2026 | |
| Elk | Youth elk gun | Seven elk zones | Oct 16, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Elk | Youth elk gun | Special Southwest Zone | Oct 16, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth gun | Zones 1-10 | Oct 16, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth fall turkey | 64 open counties | Oct 16, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Youth and veteran day | Zones 1 & 2 | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 7, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Youth and veteran day | Panhandle counties | Jan 30, 2027 | Jan 30, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Youth and veteran day | Zones 1 & 2 | Feb 6, 2027 | Feb 6, 2027 | |
| Wild turkey | Youth Spring | Statewide | Apr 10, 2027 | Apr 11, 2027 |
Sources: ODWC deer season page; ODWC duck page; ODWC controlled hunt need-to-know. Checked: source pages revisited November 3, 2026.
Licenses and hunter education for Oklahoma youth
Oklahoma youth skip the base hunting license but buy the $26 Youth Annual Super license for deer, turkey, waterfowl and the other licensed game. Children 9 and younger cannot be certified in hunter education, so they hunt as apprentices beside a certified adult.
| License a young Oklahoman needs | Price |
|---|---|
| Resident Youth Annual Super license | $26 |
| Nonresident youth annual super | $151 |
| Nonresident youth five-day super | $76 |
| Federal duck stamp, from age 16 | $29 (dealers; $25 at post offices) |
| HIP permit | $3 (free online) |
Covers all game including deer, turkey, waterfowl, elk, bear, antelope, furbearers and trapping and the state waterfowl license; HIP still needed for waterfowl, federal duck stamp at 16-17.
Apprentice designation
Hunters 30 and younger who are not certified buy an apprentice-designated license and must be accompanied by a licensed, certified (or exempt) hunter 18+: within arm's length for big game; in sight and normal-voice range for small game and turkey. Youth 9 and younger cannot be certified.
Sources: ODWC license fees page; ODWC hunter education rules; 2026-27 regulations, p. 8. Checked: source pages revisited November 3, 2026.
Veterans, service members, seniors and disabled hunters
A resident veteran with a 60 percent or higher disability rating buys a lifetime combination license for $25, and one rated below that pays $200. Donors fund free licenses for some veterans through the Stars and Stripes program.
Veterans and active duty
Veterans and active-duty military may hunt the youth/veteran/military waterfowl days; Stars and Stripes donated licenses; disabled veteran lifetime licenses ($200/$25) and license exemptions for 60%+ (100% also deer licenses).
Military stationed in Oklahoma
Active-duty personnel permanently stationed in Oklahoma (and household dependents) buy resident annual licenses; hunter-education exempt.
Seniors
Senior lifetime licenses ($60 combination, $30 fishing) in the year of turning 65; residents 64+ exempt from HIP and Land Access Permit; 65+ exempt from state waterfowl license.
Hunters with disabilities
Disability 5-year combination $20; non-ambulatory and motor vehicle permits; laser sights legal for certified 100% disabled or legally blind hunters; non-ambulatory hunting areas listed by ODWC.
Stars and Stripes licenses
Donor-funded free annual combination or 60%+ disabled-veteran lifetime licenses for resident veterans, Gold Star lapel recipients and next of kin.
Sources: ODWC veteran licensing page; ODWC license exemptions. Checked: source pages revisited November 3, 2026.
Mentored and controlled youth hunts ahead
29 youth hunts are dated from November 3, 2026 on, from ODWC youth controlled deer hunts on refuges and WMAs to mentored hunts run by the NWTF and other groups.
| Date | Hunt | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 5, 2026 | 2026 Tenkiller State Park WITO Sam Bardell Memorial Mentored Hunts | Tahlequah, Cherokee County |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Eufaula COE – Youth Deer (2026) | McIntosh County |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Pine Creek WMA – Youth Deer (2026) | McCurtain County |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Tenkiller COE – Youth Deer (2026) | Cherokee County |
| Nov 6, 2026 | Texoma COE (Burns Run) – Youth Deer (2026) | Marshall County |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Canton WRP – Youth Deer (2026) | Blaine County |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Cherokee GMA – Youth Deer (2026) | Cherokee County |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Okmulgee GMA – Youth Deer (2026) | Okmulgee County |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Waurika Lake COE – Youth Deer (2026) | Jefferson County |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Tenkiller WITO Event | Vian, Sequoyah County |
| Nov 13, 2026 | Kaw Lake COE – Youth Deer (2026) | Kay County |
| Nov 13, 2026 | Texoma COE (Lakeside) – Youth Deer (2026) | Marshall County |
Guided youth waterfowl hunts
ODWC guides youth aged 12-15 with hunter education on hunts at Fort Cobb State Park, Fort Gibson Lake, Hackberry Flat WMA, Keystone Lake, Packsaddle WMA, Vann's Lake. The ODWC web page and the printed guide list different application deadlines, so check the web page before applying.
Each event row links its own source on the events pages. Sources: event listing; ODWC controlled hunt need-to-know. Checked: source pages revisited November 3, 2026.
Oklahoma youth and veteran questions
Do veterans get free hunting licenses in Oklahoma?
Residents rated 60 percent or more disabled by the VA are exempt from the annual hunting and fishing licenses, and those rated 100 percent also from deer licenses. Stars and Stripes donors pay for free licenses for some other veterans and Gold Star families.
Which game does the Youth Annual Super license include?
Covers all game including deer, turkey, waterfowl, elk, bear, antelope, furbearers and trapping and the state waterfowl license; HIP still needed for waterfowl, federal duck stamp at 16-17.
Can a child under 10 take hunter education in Oklahoma?
Students under 10 may attend a class but cannot test, so a 9-year-old hunts on an apprentice-designated license beside a certified adult.
Does an Oklahoma senior need a license?
Senior lifetime licenses ($60 combination, $30 fishing) in the year of turning 65; residents 64+ exempt from HIP and Land Access Permit; 65+ exempt from state waterfowl license.
When is youth deer season in Oklahoma?
October 16 to October 18, 2026, statewide: two deer, no more than one antlered.
How old is a youth hunter in Oklahoma?
17 or younger for the youth deer gun season, youth spring turkey and the youth, veteran and active military waterfowl days.
Which April days are set aside for youth turkey hunters in Oklahoma?
April 10 and April 11, 2027; the adult may not hunt or carry a weapon. Youth may also take a fall turkey during the youth deer gun days in open counties.
Can the adult hunt during the Oklahoma youth deer gun days?
The accompanying adult, licensed and 18 or older, may bowhunt but may not hunt with a gun.
When are the youth and veteran duck days in Oklahoma?
Youth, Veteran & Active Military Days: Panhandle Oct. 3, 2026 and Jan. 30, 2027; Zones 1 & 2 Nov. 7, 2026 and Feb. 6, 2027.
Check the 2026-27 guide
Seasons on individual WMAs, Public Hunting Areas and the national wildlife refuges are set in the area rules, not in the statewide season table. Read the area page and the special regulations section of the ODWC guide before a trip to managed ground.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Southwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Grand Teton (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Shiva Shenoy (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Southwest Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0).