Texas 2025–2026 Game and Furbearer Hunting Seasons

Texas remains one of America’s most popular hunting destinations, hosting millions of licensed hunters each year. With its vast stretches of private land, abundant wildlife, and diverse ecosystems — from the brush country of South Texas to the plains of the Panhandle — the Lone Star State offers year-round hunting opportunities for both residents and visitors.
Below is a detailed look at the 2025–2026 hunting season calendar, highlighting the state’s featured game species — white-tailed deer, feral hogs, wild turkey, and pronghorn antelope — along with season types, key regulations, and advantages for hunters.

Why Texas Is a Hunter’s Paradise

Texas stands out nationally for several reasons:

• Extensive Private Lands: Over 95% of Texas land is privately owned, meaning hunters can find countless ranches, leases, and outfitters that provide access and guided experiences.
• Flexible Hunting Regulations: Many species — especially feral hogs and exotic animals — have few restrictions, offering year-round hunting potential.
• Diverse Terrain and Wildlife: From East Texas forests to the arid West, habitats support everything from deer and turkey to pronghorn and javelina.
• Strong Hunting Culture: Texas consistently leads the nation in licensed hunters, making it both a tradition and an economic driver.

For official regulations, hunters should refer to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Outdoor Annual, which publishes detailed county-by-county rules, maps, and bag limits.

1. White-Tailed Deer Seasons

White-tailed deer are Texas’s signature big-game species, and deer season remains the highlight of the hunting year. Texas divides its general deer season into North and South Zones, each with slightly different dates.

Bag Limits & Restrictions
Deer bag limits vary widely by county. Most counties allow 2–5 deer total, with 1–2 antlered bucks and remaining slots for antlerless deer. In “antler restriction counties,” only one buck may have at least one unbranched antler, and the other must have an inside spread of 13 inches or greater.
All harvested deer must be tagged immediately and logged in the TPWD My Texas Hunt Harvest system or on a physical license tag.

2. Feral Hog Hunting

Feral hogs are found in nearly every Texas county and can be hunted year-round, day or night, with no bag limit on private lands. Their destructive behavior toward crops, fences, and wildlife habitats has made hog hunting both a popular sport and a necessary control measure.

Key Highlights:

• No closed season on private property.
• No bag limit statewide.
• Night hunting and thermal optics are legal with landowner consent.
• No hunting license required for landowners or their agents when hunting hogs causing depredation on private land.
• On public lands, a valid Texas hunting license and sometimes special permits are required.
• TPWD also manages Drawn Public Hunts for feral hogs on selected Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) during cooler months.

Many Texas hunting ranches offer guided hog hunts with lodging, baited night stands, or helicopter hunts, reflecting the flexibility of state law and the species’ invasive nature.

3. Wild Turkey Seasons

Wild turkey hunting in Texas offers both spring and fall opportunities, with zones divided primarily into North and South, plus special county extensions. Texas is home to both the Rio Grande and Eastern subspecies, depending on region.

Youth Turkey Hunts:
Special youth-only weekends typically precede the general spring season. Young hunters (under 17) may harvest gobblers under supervision of a non-hunting adult.

Bag Limits:
Varies by county — most counties allow 4 turkeys total per license year, with restrictions on gender and subspecies.

4. Pronghorn Antelope Season

Texas’s pronghorn (antelope) population is concentrated in the Panhandle and Trans-Pecos regions. Pronghorn hunting is limited entry and highly regulated.

Bag Limit:
One pronghorn per permit. No open season outside approved counties.

Because pronghorn tags are limited, many hunters apply months in advance through the TPWD Drawn Hunts Program, which allocates permits for antelope, deer, turkey, and other species.

5. Other Common Game Species

While deer, hogs, turkey, and pronghorn dominate Texas hunting, the state also supports numerous upland and small-game species, such as dove, quail, squirrel, rabbit, and waterfowl.
Typical seasons include:

6. Licensing, Endorsements, and Legal Methods

• All hunters must possess a valid Texas Hunting License (resident or non-resident).
• Hunter Education Certification is required for anyone born on or after Sept. 2, 1971 (minimum age 9).
• Endorsements: Migratory Game Bird, Upland Game Bird, Archery, and Federal Duck Stamp (for waterfowl).
• Legal weapons vary by season:
  • Archery season: longbow, recurve, compound, or crossbow (in designated zones).
  • Muzzleloader: black powder or equivalent firearms only.
  • General gun seasons: centerfire rifles, shotguns, and legal handguns.
• Baiting: Permitted for deer and hogs on private property unless otherwise prohibited.
• Night hunting: Allowed for feral hogs and coyotes on private land with landowner permission.

7. Private Hunting Ranches and High-Fence Opportunities

Texas’s hunting culture is deeply tied to its private land system. Thousands of hunting ranches across the state provide controlled environments where game management ensures quality harvests and trophy potential.
These ranches often feature:

• Professionally guided deer and hog hunts.
• Lodging and on-site processing facilities.
• High-fence management for exotic species (axis deer, blackbuck, fallow, aoudad, etc.).

While public lands exist — managed through TPWD’s Wildlife Management Areas — about 97% of all hunting occurs on private property.

8. Key Takeaways

1. Texas is one of the most hunter-friendly states in the U.S., offering long seasons, flexible regulations, and rich diversity in game species.
2. White-tailed deer and feral hogs provide the longest and most accessible seasons, with opportunities for both bow and rifle hunters.
3. Wild turkey and pronghorn hunts offer specialized experiences with seasonal and regional restrictions.
4. Private land access and hunting ranches make Texas a year-round destination for all experience levels.
5. For detailed maps, county bag limits, and regulation updates, always consult the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Outdoor Annual.