Oklahoma · Rabbit · 2026–27 Edition
Oklahoma Rabbit Season 2026–27: Dates & Bag Limits
01 — Seasons
| Season | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Cottontail, swamp rabbit & jackrabbit | Statewide (jackrabbit closed east of I-35) | Oct 1 – Mar 15 |
02 — Bag limits
| Cottontail — daily | 10 |
|---|---|
| Cottontail — possession | 20 |
| Swamp rabbit — daily | 3 |
| Swamp rabbit — possession | 6 |
| Jackrabbit — daily | 3 (10 in Cimarron, Texas and Beaver counties); closed east of I-35 |
| Jackrabbit — possession | 6 (20 in Cimarron, Texas and Beaver counties) |
03 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (October 1, 2026) 06:55 — 19:13
Rule: One-half hour before official sunrise to official sunset, stated directly on the ODWC small game regulations page. Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local Oklahoma sun times for any other date.
04 — License
Rabbit hunters in Oklahoma need an Oklahoma hunting license.
Oklahoma hunting license cost →
Where to hunt public land in Oklahoma — WMAs by county & access rules →
05 — FAQ
When does rabbit season start in Oklahoma?
The 2026–27 opener is October 1, 2026. See the table above for the full window.
When does rabbit season end in Oklahoma?
The 2026–27 closing date is March 15, 2027.
Is there a closed season on rabbit in Oklahoma?
Yes — see the dates above. Outside that window, taking rabbit is closed in Oklahoma.
How many rabbits can you shoot in Oklahoma per day?
2026–27 bag limits: Cottontail — daily — 10. Cottontail — possession — 20. Swamp rabbit — daily — 3. Swamp rabbit — possession — 6. Jackrabbit — daily — 3 (10 in Cimarron, Texas and Beaver counties); closed east of I-35. Jackrabbit — possession — 6 (20 in Cimarron, Texas and Beaver counties). Limits are set per zone and per permit — check the agency's own regulations before you hunt.
What time can you start shooting rabbit in Oklahoma?
On opening day (October 1, 2026) legal light runs 06:55 to 19:13. The rule is: One-half hour before official sunrise to official sunset, stated directly on the ODWC small game regulations page. Sunrise and sunset shift daily, so work the offset against your local Oklahoma sun times for any other date.
Can I hunt rabbits on my own land in Oklahoma without a license?
Oklahoma resident landowners or agricultural tenants are exempt on land they own or lease — including the state waterfowl license and HIP for birds taken there — but big-game licenses (deer, elk, antelope, bear, turkey) are separate and not waived. A nonresident who owns Oklahoma land doesn't qualify.
Verified · Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation · Last verified 2026-08-27
Publisher's note. Re-verified 2026-08-27 against the ODWC small game regulations page, fetched directly with a browser user agent. The Squirrel and Rabbit block reads: 'Rabbit (Cottontail, Swamp and Jackrabbit) | Oct 1, 2026 - Mar 15, 2027 | Statewide, except no open season on jackrabbits east of Interstate 35', with shooting hours 'One-half hour before official sunrise to official sunset' and legal means 'Shotgun (conventional or muzzleloading), rifle (conventional or muzzleloading), handgun, archery equipment, legal raptors, hand-propelled missile, air-propelled missile and slingshot'. Oklahoma splits one season into three separate bag structures, which is why this file carries six bagLimits rows rather than two, all quoted from the source: 'Cottontail: 10 daily, 20 in possession after the first day. Swamp: Three daily, six in possession after the first day. Jackrabbit: Three daily, six in possession after the first day, except Cimarron, Texas and Beaver counties are 10 daily, 20 in possession after the first day.' Note the shape of the possession rule - it applies after the first day, so day one is capped at the daily figure. Not modeled here, from the same page and the printed 2026-27 regulations: seasons on public lands may vary from the statewide season, and individual WMAs add rabbit closures tied to deer seasons (Arbuckle Springs WMA closes rabbit during the first nine days of deer gun season; Atoka PHA from the opening day of deer archery through the first nine days of deer gun season). License requirement is a hunting license or proof of exemption.