National Wildlife Refuge · Oklahoma · FWS Region 2

Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge is located in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, with about 10,556 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 3 mapped hunt units: 2 open with special regulations and 1 closed, covering about 8,307 huntable acres.

2 with special regs1 closedPermit required
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
3hunt units
8.3Khuntable acres
10.6KFWS-owned acres
5game categories

Deep Fork NWR hunt unit map

Hunt units are colored by 2026–2027 status. Toggle layers for FWS-owned land, the approved refuge boundary and private easements. Use satellite imagery to scout marshes, timber edges and access points.

Loading interactive map…
OpenSpecial regulationsClosedFWS-owned landWPA (public)Refuge boundaryEasement (private) Tip: switch to Satellite or USGS Topo in the layer menu · click the map for GPS coordinates
Take it into the field: KML (Google Earth / onX) GPX waypoints GeoJSON

Hunting at Deep Fork NWR

Hunting opportunities include big game, waterfowl, wild turkey, small game, and feral & exotic, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. Fishing is available — freshwater fishing. A refuge permit is required for at least some activities, in addition to your state license.

The forested wetlands of Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge are a remnant of a habitat that once covered 2.2 million acres of Oklahoma.

Big GameWhite-tailed and mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and other large mammalsWaterfowlDucks, geese, brant, swans (where legal) and cootsWild TurkeySpring and fall wild turkeySmall GameSquirrel, rabbit, hare, raccoon, opossum and other small mammalsFeral & ExoticFeral hogs and other non-native species where refuge rules allow

Categories are those listed by USFWS for this station; exact species, seasons and bag limits follow Oklahoma regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (3)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 8,307 (79%)Closed: 2,250 (21%)8.3Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations8,307 ac 79%
  • Closed2,250 ac 21%
Units by size (acres)
Hunt Area
7,036 ac
Closed to Hunting
2,250 ac
Restricted Hunt Area
1,271 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
Hunt Area
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 7,036 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 General hunting on the refuge requires a signed tear sheet/brochure.
Restricted Hunt Area
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 1,271 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 General hunting on the refuge requires a signed tear sheet/brochure.
Closed to Hunting
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 2,250 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 General hunting on the refuge requires a signed tear sheet/brochure.

Deep Fork NWR by the numbers

With about 8,307 huntable acres, Deep Fork NWR ranks #6 of 9 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Oklahoma and #216 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 79% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is Hunt Area (7,036 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, Restricted Hunt Area, covers 1,271 acres. Every huntable unit requires a refuge permit.

1 unit totaling 2,250 acres is closed to hunting (Closed to Hunting). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

Besides 10,556 acres of federally owned land, the station administers conservation easements on about 5.8 acres of private land. Easement land protects habitat but is not open to public hunting.

When to hunt Deep Fork NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Oklahoma sets the exact dates, and refuges often open fewer days than the statewide season — use this to plan scouting, then confirm the 2026–2027 dates in the state regulations and the refuge hunt brochure.

Typical season windows — Big Game, Waterfowl, Wild Turkey, Small Game, Feral & Exotic
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🦆 Waterfowl
Early teal & gooseRegular duck & goose
🦃 Wild Turkey
Spring gobblerFall (some states)
🐇 Small Game
Squirrel & rabbit
🐗 Feral & Exotic
Feral hog (often year-round)

Permits & licenses

Refuge permit

Required

General hunting on the refuge requires a signed tear sheet/brochure.

Type: Signed Brochure or Similar

How to get it:

  • 🪧 Kiosk at the refuge
  • 💻 Online (FWS)
  • 🏛️ Refuge visitor center / office

You'll also need

  • A valid Oklahoma hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
  • Federal Duck Stamp (waterfowl hunters 16+) and HIP certification for migratory birds
  • Non-toxic shot for waterfowl (federal requirement)
  • Hunter education certification where your state requires it
  • The current refuge hunt brochure / regulations (often must be signed and carried)

Fishing at Deep Fork NWR

  • 🐟 Freshwater fishing

Year-round fishing is permitted on the Deep Fork River and the Montezuma Creek fishing area, Fishing is allowed March 1-October 31 on the sloughs, farm ponds and impoundments not connected to the Deep Fork River.

State fishing licenses and regulations apply. Some waters close seasonally to protect wildlife.

How to get to Deep Fork NWR

Navigate

Destination: Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
35.52504, -95.91994
DMS
35°31′30.1″N 95°55′11.8″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Muskogee, OK35 mi SW of town
  • Tulsa, OK43 mi S of town
  • Sallisaw, OK64 mi W of town
  • Fort Smith, AR86 mi W of town

Closest airports

  • TUL Tulsa Intl47 mi
  • OKC Oklahoma City Will Rogers95 mi

Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.

The navigation point is the station reference location published by USFWS — often the headquarters or main entrance. For a specific hunt unit, open its page or click it on the map for coordinates and parking planning.

Sunrise, sunset & shooting hours

Today at Deep Fork NWR

Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–

*½ hour before sunrise — the standard federal shooting-hour start for migratory game birds. Times in Chicago local time.

Full season calculator →

2026–2027 season sun table

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20266:25 AM6:55 AM7:52 PM12h 58m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:35 AM7:05 AM7:32 PM12h 27m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:47 AM7:17 AM7:09 PM11h 52m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:58 AM7:28 AM6:49 PM11h 21m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:14 AM6:44 AM5:29 PM10h 45m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:28 AM6:58 AM5:18 PM10h 20m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:44 AM7:14 AM5:11 PM9h 57m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:55 AM7:25 AM5:12 PM9h 47m
Fri, Jan 1, 20277:02 AM7:32 AM5:20 PM9h 48m
Fri, Jan 15, 20277:02 AM7:32 AM5:32 PM10h 00m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:53 AM7:23 AM5:49 PM10h 26m

Computed for 35.525, -95.920 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.

7-day hunting weather

Loading National Weather Service forecast…

Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.

Guides for hunting Deep Fork NWR

Deer Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges: Quota Hunts, Archery Units and Stand Rules

How refuge deer hunts work — lotteries and quota permits, archery-only and muzzleloader units, tree-stand rules…

Public-Land Duck Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges: Tactics That Work

How to find ducks, beat the crowds and set up on refuge marshes and WPAs — scouting, timing, small decoy spreads for…

Federal Duck Stamp Explained: Who Needs One, Where to Buy It and Where the Money Goes

Everything waterfowl hunters need to know about the Federal Duck Stamp — who must carry it, signing rules, the…

Nontoxic Shot Guide for Refuge and WPA Hunters

Why lead shot is banned for waterfowl, which nontoxic loads are approved, how steel, bismuth and tungsten compare, and…

Turkey Hunting on Wildlife Refuges: Lotteries, Pressured Birds and Safety

How spring and fall turkey hunts work on National Wildlife Refuges, how to scout and call public-land gobblers, and…

Your First Public-Land Hunt: A Step-by-Step Checklist for New Hunters

Hunter education, licenses, choosing a first species, gear, practice, scouting with maps and what to expect on your…

Deep Fork NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Deep Fork NWR?

Yes. Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 2 units (8,307 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, waterfowl, wild turkey, small game, and feral & exotic. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.

Do I need a permit to hunt Deep Fork NWR?

Yes — Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge requires a refuge permit for some or all hunting. Permit type: Signed Brochure or Similar. Permits can be obtained kiosk, online through fws, or visitor center. You also need the appropriate state hunting license and, for waterfowl, a Federal Duck Stamp.

Can you fish at Deep Fork NWR?

Yes. Fishing is permitted (freshwater fishing). State fishing licenses and regulations apply along with refuge rules.

Where is Deep Fork NWR located?

Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge is in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, about 35 miles SW of Muskogee, OK (straight-line). GPS: 35.52504, -95.91994.

What are legal shooting hours at Deep Fork NWR?

Migratory game bird shooting hours are generally one-half hour before sunrise to sunset; big game and other seasons follow state rules. See the sunrise/sunset table on this page and confirm in the refuge hunt brochure.

Nearby refuges & public land

Sequoyah NWR

Haskell County, OK · 54 mi E

13 special3 closed
🦌🦆🦃🕊️🐇🐗🎣

16.5K huntable acres

Ozark Plateau NWR

Adair County, OK · 80 mi E

1 special1 closed
🦌🐇🐗

799 huntable acres

Tishomingo NFH

Johnston County, OK · 93 mi SW

1 closed
🎣

Logan Cave NWR

Benton County, AR · 97 mi NE

1 closed
No hunting listed

Tishomingo NWR

Marshall County, OK · 102 mi SW

1 open5 special2 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

9.5K huntable acres

Neosho NFH

Newton County, MO · 126 mi NE

1 closed
🎣

All refuges in Oklahoma →

Data: USFWS National Hunt Units 2026–2027, Hunting & Fishing Opportunities, Realty Boundaries & Tracts. Page updated October 28, 2026.