Oklahoma · Squirrel · 2026–27 Edition
Oklahoma Squirrel Season 2026–27: Dates & Bag Limits
01 — Seasons
| Season | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Squirrel season | Statewide | May 15 – Feb 28 |
02 — Bag limits
| Daily | 25 — fox and gray squirrel combined |
|---|---|
| Possession | 50, after the first day |
| Methods & falconry | Legal methods include shotgun, rifle, handgun, archery, raptors, hand/air-propelled missiles and slingshots. Falconry take of squirrel is permitted year-round, separate from the general season |
03 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (May 15, 2026) 05:54 — 20:28
Rule: One-half hour before sunrise through official sunset — stated for squirrel 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
Squirrel 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 squirrel season start in Oklahoma?
The 2026–27 opener is May 15, 2026. See the table above for the full window.
When does squirrel season end in Oklahoma?
The 2026–27 closing date is February 28, 2027.
Is there a difference between fox and gray squirrel rules in Oklahoma?
See the bag limit table above — most states run one combined limit across both species, but this is worth confirming against Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation before you hunt.
How many squirrels can you shoot in Oklahoma per day?
2026–27 bag limits: Daily — 25 — fox and gray squirrel combined. Possession — 50, after the first day. Methods & falconry — Legal methods include shotgun, rifle, handgun, archery, raptors, hand/air-propelled missiles and slingshots. Falconry take of squirrel is permitted year-round, separate from the general season. Limits are set per zone and per permit — check the agency's own regulations before you hunt.
What time can you start shooting squirrel in Oklahoma?
On opening day (May 15, 2026) legal light runs 05:54 to 20:28. The rule is: One-half hour before sunrise through official sunset — stated for squirrel 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 squirrels 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. Two official sources, one of them the printed rule book, in full agreement. The ODWC small-game regulations page (wildlifedepartment.com, fetched directly on 2026-08-27 with a browser user agent) gives 'Squirrel (Fox & Gray) | May 15, 2026 - Feb 28, 2027 | Statewide. Open to falconry year round; statewide', a daily limit of '25 fox and gray squirrels combined per day, 50 in possession after the first day', shooting hours 'One-half hour before official sunrise to official sunset', and the legal-means list carried in bagLimits. Cross-checked against the official 2026-27 Oklahoma Fishing and Hunting Regulations PDF (wildlifedepartment.com/Magazine/2026/, 16 MB, read with pdftotext): identical dates, identical limits, identical shooting hours, identical legal means. Web page and print guide agree line for line — worth stating, because in this batch they often do not. Two caveats are deliberately left out of the model, both from the printed guide. First, 'Seasons on public lands may vary from statewide seasons': the area-by-area WMA tables add squirrel closures tied to deer season on individual areas — Arbuckle Springs WMA closes squirrel 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. Second, the year-round falconry take of squirrel runs separately from the general season and is detailed under Extended Falconry Seasons. This file carries the statewide general season only. License requirement, resident and nonresident alike: a hunting license or proof of exemption.