Deer hunters will have more opportunities to harvest antlerless deer this fall after the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission approved two resolutions in its regular meeting May 4.
The Commission’s first-ever virtual meeting, to comply with social distancing related to the COVID-19 pandemic, was held via video conference and streamed for public viewing online.
With antlerless deer harvest trending downward the past few years, biologists with the Department of Wildlife Conservation who manage the state’s deer herd urged more liberal bag limits and more open days for antlerless harvest, as specified in the approved resolution.
While muzzleloader and rifle season antlerless bag limits will increase in most zones, the total combined deer bag limit for each hunter will not change. All deer taken during muzzleloader and rifle seasons count toward a hunter’s combined season limit of six deer. Antlered deer limits remain unchanged.
Wildlife chief Bill Dinkines told Commissioners the antlerless harvest as a percentage of total deer harvest has decreased from 42% in 2014 to 36% in 2018.
The new regulations affect antlerless harvest in all 10 of the state’s antlerless deer management zones.
Additionally, the holiday antlerless deer season will increase from 10 to 14 days with the bag limit increasing to two, which are considered bonus deer and do not count toward a hunter’s regular season limit of six deer.
To promote antlerless deer harvest, a public information campaign will begin, said Nels Rodefeld, Information and Education chief. It will be similar to the successful “Hunters in the Know . . . Take a Doe!” campaign in 2001-06. The Department will also look into other ways to increase antlerless deer harvest.