Whether you want Oklahoma pheasant hunting or Oklahoma quail hunting, GameBirdHunts is your directory for hunting Oklahoma

The Ring-necked Pheasant is well established as a popular game bird in many states, including the Sooner State. A great hunting tradition in Oklahoma is the December 1 pheasant hunting opener in the panhandle. The population of that part of the state swells on the opening day. The average length for the male is 33 inches and 21 for the female. The male has a green or purple head with a bare red eye patch and a white ring around his neck. His russet breast is spotted with black, the back is variously hued with green fawn and light gold and the bright gold tail is regularly barred with black.

In Oklahoma the best pheasants hunting is usally found close to cultivated farmland habitat mixed with weedy fencerows, ditches and corners. CRP lands are also quite popular with these colorful gamebirds. Although they are swift runners and prefer to travel overland, when flushed, these birds generally fly toward timber or thick brush for escape cover. However, they are commonly seen out in wide open fields where they feed on waste grains, weed seeds and insects. In Oklahoma - The Pheasant hunting season on public land runs December 1-January 31.

The bobwhite quail is the state's most popular gamebird. It occurs throughout the state, thriving on the weed seeds and insects that rapidly invade areas of soil disturbance. Hunters participate in some great quail hunting in Oklahoma although fluctuations in weather conditions and habitat variables have led to sporadic population changes.

During the time of small farming operations, when weeds were more prolific, fields were small with brush along the fence rows and draws, and stocking rates for cattle were lower, quail habitat and cover was almost ideal. These conditions can be replicated even today, making for better habitat and bolstering the number of birds in the state.

2012 Oklahoma Pheasant Hunting Outlook

Oklahoma has been under intense stress this summer. There were some 64 heat records broken in July alone and that made it difficult on a variety of outdoor industries. The farmers have been having a tough time. Wildfires raged and the wildlife struggled.

The winter and spring months were good for the pheasant population, but some of that good has been offset by the intense heat and moderate disaster in the state over the summer months. There have been cooler temperatures of late, but things have been difficult.

In the areas where pheasants have been alright in recent years things should be strong again. It all depends on how the various areas have been affected by the summer weather. If your area survived the pheasants should actually be better than the last few years.

Season Dates: December 1st, 2012 through January 31st, 2013 (see specific area restrictions)

Daily Bag Limit: 6

Possession Limit: 9