For the past week, many a hunter has risen before the sun to head out into the woods with bow in hand. Oklahoma Archery Deer Season officially opened on October 1st. Firearms season will soon be following.
 This season’s Deer Hunting dates are: Deer Archery, October 1, 2020 to January 15, 2021; Youth Deer Gun, October 16, 2020 to October 18, 2020; Deer Primitive Arms (Muzzleloading), October 24, 2020 to November 1, 2020; Deer Gun, November 21, 2020 to December 6, 2020; Holiday Antlerless, December 18, 2020 to December 31, 2020.
 While the vision of bagging a buck with an impressive set of antlers dances through most hunters’ minds, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife is urging them to consider hunting antlerless deer this year during firearms season. Earlier this year, the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission voted to double the antlerless bag limit during the muzzleloader and deer gun seasons in all parts of the state except the Panhandle and southeast Oklahoma.
 The Wildlife Department’s Deer Management Program (DMAP) helps landowners intensively manage deer herds on private land. According to them, the antlerless deer harvest has been on a downward trend over the last few years. The benefits of increasing their harvest include decreasing the overall deer population, which in turns leads to healthier deer. Improved health and a more even buck-to-doe ratio ultimately leads to better antler development and better-quality hunting.
To find out more about antlerless harvest dates and regulations, as well as other information regarding Deer Hunting Season, visit www.eregulations.com/oklahoma/hunting/deer-hunting-seasons/