License Requirements

Resident: A hunting license or proof of exemption.

In addition to a hunting license, a trapping license is required for all persons who trap any furbearer, unless otherwise exempt. The trapping license shall expire on Jan. 31 of each year. Therefore, a 2010 - 2011 trapping license must be purchased to trap after Jan. 31, 2010.

A fur license (bobcat-raccoon-river otter-gray/red fox license) is required for all (regardless of age) who take these species by any means (trapping, firearms or archery) unless exempt. The fur license is valid from Dec. 1, 2009 - Feb. 28, 2010.

Lifetime hunting or combination license holders or senior citizen hunting or senior citizen combination license holders must purchase a trapping license to trap, but are exempt from the fur license.

Nonresident: A nonresident hunting license or proof of exemption.

In addition, a nonresident (professional) trapping license is required for all persons who trap any furbearer. This trapping license shall expire on Jan. 31 of each year. Therefore, a 2010 - 2011 trapping license must be purchased after Jan. 31, 2010.

A nonresident fur license (bobcat-raccoon-river otter-gray/red fox license) is required for all who take these species by any means (trapping, firearms or archery). Such license is valid Dec. 1, 2009 - Feb. 28, 2010.

Public Lands

Seasons on public lands may vary from statewide seasons. Consult public lands section beginning on page 44.

Hunter Orange

All furbearer hunters and trappers pursuing furbearers during daylight hours must conspicuously wear either a head covering or an outer garment above the waistline consisting of hunter orange while hunting during any antelope, bear, deer or elk firearms (muzzleloader or gun) season in any open hunting area (zone, county, or area.).

Sale of Carcass

Carcasses or parts of legally acquired furbearing animals and coyotes may be purchased, bartered, traded, sold or offered for sale.

Bobcat & River Otter Tagging Requirements

No bobcat or river otter pelt may be held in possession after 10 working days after the close of furbearer season by the taker or buyer, sold, purchased or bartered within Oklahoma, nor taken out of Oklahoma, without having first affixed a permanent tag to the pelt. This tag shall serve as an export tag. The tag must be affixed by an authorized employee of the Department or designated private tagging agent.

It is the responsibility of the possessor of the bobcat or river otter pelt, not the Department, to ensure that the pelt is legally tagged. No untagged bobcat or river otter harvested in another state may be possessed in Oklahoma. Tags are available from any game warden, wildlife biologist, state fish hatchery, Department field office and specifically designated private tagging station. Designated private tagging stations may charge a fee of 75 cents per tag. 2009-2010 bobcat or river otter export tags will not be affixed after March 12, 2010.

Sale of Furs

Persons taking pelts during the season shall have 10 working days after the close of the season to sell or dispose of the pelts or notify the Department in writing of intent to hold pelts after the 10-day deadline. All pelts held after the 10-day deadline must be inventoried on a form provided by an authorized Department employee. All bobcats and river otters must have a permanent tag affixed for the current year, prior to being held for later sale.

Possession of Carcasses or Hides

It shall be illegal to possess live animals, carcasses or raw furs of ringtail, spotted skunk or swift fox unless it can be proven that each carcass or hide was taken legally outside of Oklahoma. Proof of legality or origin for carcasses or green hides shall be a tag or other marking or device attached to or imprinted on each and every hide in such a way that it cannot be removed intact. The tag or marking must be the official method used by the issuing agency. If an identification is not required by the issuing agency, a hunting or trapping license appropriate to the species taken is required as proof.

Legal Means of Taking

Firearms or Archery

Daylight only: Any legal firearm or archery equipment.

Nighttime only: Hunters may possess a .22 caliber rimfire rifle or .22 caliber rimfire pistol and a light carried on the person while in pursuit of furbearers with hounds during the legal, open furbearer season, while possessing a valid hunting license, unless exempt.

Legal traps: Box traps; smooth-jawed, single-spring, leg-hold steel traps with a jaw spread no greater than eight (8) inches; smooth-jawed, double-spring offset jawed, leg-hold steel traps with a jaw spread no greater than eight (8) inches.

Setting traps: No trap may be set in the open or in paths, roads, or runways commonly used by persons, dogs or other domestic animals.

Visiting traps: Traps must be tended once each 24-hour period.

Legal number of traps: Residents trapping under the general annual resident trapping license may use no more than 20 traps. Residents possessing the professional license and non-resident trapping license holders have no limit on the number of traps.

Identification of traps: All traps must have the owner’s name attached, except for any person trapping on his own property. All traps on Department-managed lands, regardless of species being sought, must have the owner’s name attached.

Posting of traps: When double-spring offset jawed steel traps are used, signs must be posted conspicuously to the right and left of all entrances from public roads and highways and from adjacent lands at corners of perimeter fences. Signs must have minimum dimensions of five (5) inches by eight (8) inches and the wording "Traps" must be included and be conspicuous on the signs and printed in letters at least two (2) inches tall. Persons trapping on their own property are not subject to this requirement.

Permission to trap: No person may trap on the inhabited land of another without first obtaining from the owner or occupant thereof a written permit to do so. This permit must be carried whenever traps are being tended. Said permission is also required to hunt but it need not be in writing.

Exemptions from Regulations

Nothing in this regulation prevents the killing of furbearers actually found destroying livestock or poultry. In addition, nothing in this regulation prevents the running or chasing of coyote, bobcat, fox or raccoon with dogs for sport only, except on those public lands where such activity is prohibited.

Dates & Open Areas

Dec. 1, 2009 - Feb. 28, 2010; statewide.

Limits

Raccoon: Daily limit 10, season limit 40, possession limit 40 per license.

Other species: No limit.

Dates & Open Areas

Dec. 1, 2009 - Feb. 28, 2010; statewide.

Limits

No daily limit, season limit 20, possession limit 20 per license.

Dates & Open Areas

Year-round; statewide.

Limits

No daily, season or possession limit.

Dates & Open Areas

Open year-round, except it shall be unlawful to hunt, take or attempt to take coyotes from dark to daylight with the aid of any artificial light and any sight dog.

Limits

No daily, season or possession limit.

Dates & Open Areas

Dec. 1, 2009 - Feb. 28, 2010.

Gray fox is only open east of I-35 and red fox is open statewide.

Limits

Daily combined limit two (2), with no more than one (1) red fox. Season limit six (6), with no more than two (2) red fox.

Dates & Open Areas

Dec. 1, 2009 - Feb. 28, 2010.

The following counties are open: Adair, Atoka, Cherokee, Choctaw, Coal, Haskell, Latimer, Le Flore, McCurtain, McIntosh, Muskogee, Pittsburg, Pushmataha and Sequoyah counties.

Limits

No daily limit, season limit two (2).

Dates & Open Areas

Closed year-round; statewide.

License Requirements

Residents & Nonresidents: A hunting license (see page 7) or proof of exemption.

Dates & Open Areas

Oct. 10 - Nov. 16, 2009, and Dec. 9, 2009 - March 4, 2010; statewide.

Daily Limit

No limit.

Shooting Hours

One-half hour before official sunrise to official sunset.

Legal Means of Taking

Firearms, archery equipment and legal raptors as provided under General Hunting Regulations. Shotguns larger than 10 gauge are prohibited.

Depredation Order

Federal law provides for a depredation order for crows when committing or about to commit depredations or when concentrated in such numbers and manner as to constitute a health hazard or other nuisance. For a complete copy of the Depredation Order, see 50 CFR, Part 20.43.