Craig County, Oklahoma: deer harvest, public land and seasons
Hunters took 1,588 deer in Craig County in 2025-26, 37th of Oklahoma's 77 counties, by ODWC's Big Game Harvest Report (896 antlered, 692 antlerless). That count leaves out deer taken on wildlife management areas and OLAP land. Craig County's harvest went from 1,854 in 2020-21 to 1,588 in 2025-26 (down 14%). The county holds 562 acres of WMA land in 1 area.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: ODWC's Big Game Harvest Reports, 2020-21 to 2025-26. Public land: ODWC's WMA and OLAP maps, 2026.
Wildlife management areaOLAP walk-in tractCounty lineLake or riverHighway
| Deer harvested, 2025-26 | 1,588 (37th of 77 counties) |
|---|---|
| Antlered and antlerless, 2025-26 | 896 and 692 |
| Highest of six seasons | 1,854 in 2020-21 |
| Size | 761 square miles of land |
| Wildlife management areas | Neosho WMA |
| OLAP walk-in hunting | None in ODWC's 2026 layer |
| Towns | Vinita, Big Cabin, Ketchum, Welch and Bluejacket |
How many deer are harvested in Craig County?
ODWC's yearly count for Craig County, every deer checked in the county outside wildlife management areas and OLAP land. Craig County's harvest went from 1,854 in 2020-21 to 1,588 in 2025-26 (down 14%).
| Season | Deer harvested | Antlered | Antlerless | Archery | Gun | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,588 | 896 | 692 | 432 | 981 | 175 |
| 2024-25 | 1,645 | 890 | 755 | 502 | 1,033 | 110 |
| 2023-24 | 1,584 | 879 | 705 | 379 | 1,034 | 171 |
| 2022-23 | 1,744 | 930 | 814 | 507 | 1,121 | 116 |
| 2021-22 | 1,550 | 954 | 596 | 377 | 1,026 | 147 |
| 2020-21 | 1,854 | 1,087 | 767 | 431 | 1,194 | 229 |
Source: ODWC Big Game Harvest Reports (2025-26, 2024-25, 2023-24, 2022-23, 2021-22, 2020-21), Table 1, harvest by county, sex and method. The 2020-21 report labels the columns female and male. Each table was checked against its printed totals.
Craig County deer by method and sex, 2025-26
| Method | Antlerless | Antlered | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 190 | 242 | 432 |
| Gun | 450 | 531 | 981 |
| Muzzleloader | 52 | 123 | 175 |
Where can you hunt public land in Craig County?
Craig County holds 562 acres of ODWC wildlife management area land, 0.1% of the county:
| Area | Acres in the county | Deer harvested on the whole area, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Neosho WMA | 562 | 27 |
What is Craig County like?
Craig County covers 761 square miles of land. Its towns include Vinita, Big Cabin, Ketchum, Welch and Bluejacket. Highways: I-44 (41 miles in the county), US 60 (30 miles in the county), US 69 (27 miles in the county), OK 2 (27 miles in the county) and OK 66 (18 miles in the county).
How does Craig County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Deer harvested, 2025-26 | Rank of 77 |
|---|---|---|
| Craig | 1,588 | 37 |
| Delaware | 2,085 | 22 |
| Mayes | 1,734 | 31 |
| Nowata | 1,591 | 36 |
| Ottawa | 1,311 | 45 |
| Rogers | 2,928 | 6 |
When are Oklahoma's 2026 deer seasons?
Deer seasons are statewide; antlerless days and limits are set by zone, and ODWC draws its antlerless zones along highways, so check ODWC's antlerless zone map for Craig County. The combined season limit is six deer, no more than two antlered.
| Season | 2026-27 dates |
|---|---|
| Deer archery | Oct. 1, 2026 to Jan. 15, 2027 |
| Youth deer gun | Oct. 16-18, 2026 |
| Deer muzzleloader | Oct. 24 to Nov. 1, 2026 |
| Deer gun | Nov. 21 to Dec. 6, 2026 |
| Holiday antlerless deer gun | Dec. 18-31, 2026 |
Source: ODWC 2026-27 deer seasons. Wildlife management areas can close or shorten a season; each WMA's page lists its own.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer are harvested in Craig County, Oklahoma?
ODWC counts 1,588 deer taken in Craig County in 2025-26, leaving out WMA and OLAP land. Over the six seasons from 2020-21 the county ranged from 1,550 (2021-22) to 1,854 (2020-21).
Is there public hunting land in Craig County?
Yes: Neosho WMA (562 acres in the county).
When is deer gun season in Craig County in 2026?
Statewide: Nov. 21 to Dec. 6, 2026, with muzzleloader Oct. 24 to Nov. 1 and archery Oct. 1, 2026 to Jan. 15, 2027. How many antlerless deer you may take depends on the antlerless zone, which ODWC maps by highways rather than county lines. WMAs set their own rules.
Which method takes the most deer in Craig County?
In 2025-26: gun 981, archery 432, muzzleloader 175, by ODWC's table.
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Where these numbers come from
- Harvest by county: ODWC Big Game Harvest Reports, 2025-26, 2024-25, 2023-24, 2022-23, 2021-22, 2020-21. The 2023-24 and 2020-21 tables are pictures, read by OCR and kept only where they match ODWC's printed totals.
- Wildlife management areas: ODWC Public WMA Boundaries. OLAP: ODWC OLAP layer. Acres measured by FilledTag.
- Seasons: ODWC 2026-27 hunting regulations. County, towns and highways: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024.
FilledTag is not part of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. Nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
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