For hunters looking to fill the freezer with tasty venison

For hunters looking to fill the freezer with tasty venison, the holiday antlerless deer gun season will be open for 14 days from December 18th through the 31st statewide, except the area west of U.S. 83 in the panhandle.

Even if a hunter has harvested the maximum combined limit of six deer for the yearʼs regular deer seasons, the hunter may still take two antlerless deer during the Holiday Antlerless Gun Season because they are considered bonus deer. Season dates and other regulations may vary on public lands, and hunters should always check special area rules for public lands in the current Oklahoma fishing and hunting regulations. Last year, an estimated 49,961 resident and nonresident hunters participated in the holiday season, and 6,362 deer were reported to the Wildlife Departmentʼs online E-check system.

“Doe harvests yield several important deer management benefits for the stateʼs wild deer population,”said Dallas Barber, Big Game Biologist for the O.D.W.C. “These benefits include additional nutrients for the herd leading to healthier deer and better antler growth and a condensed rut period. Bucks spend less time traveling, thus conserving energy and reducing the demand for resources. This provides a better hunting experience. A condensed rut period allows fawns to drop within the same general time, making it difficult for predators to keep up with numbers available. Fewer late-born fawns means a condensed rut period helps reduce the number of late born fawns, which are at higher risk to suffer from developmental challenges.”

Residents and nonresidents having the required holiday season licenses may participate in the holiday season. Also, unfilled Resident Youth Deer Gun Season antlerless licenses are valid for the holiday season. All hunters are reminded that the requirements to wear hunter orange clothing are in effect during the holiday season.

Bowhunters who have not filled their tags have until January 15, 2023 to do so. I still have an unused buck tag along with doe tags in my hip pocket which I will try to fill.

During the late season, I focus on a high energy food source such as standing beans and the colder the weather— the better.

Ron Thayer of Muskogee is a ʻdyed in the woolʼ bowhunter who harvested a doe and a nice 10 pointer earlier this month with a bow.

“ I am seeing more deer now than during the first half of archery season. This morning, I saw five does and, this evening, I saw four young bucks and I am the only one hunting since gun season closed in my area,” said Thayer.

Hunters lucky enough to harvest two antlerless whitetails during those holiday season days are getting an early Christmas gift of sorts, as those deer are considered bonus deer and do not count against a hunterʼs combined season limit for deer.

Here is your opportunity to put more meat in your freezer. Itʼll be a long year until the next deer season rolls around again.

Reach Kilgore at jkilgoreoutdoors@yahoo.com .