Deer season 2026–27 · last checked Sep 26, 2026
Texas deer season dates 2026–27
Official dates from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, by season and zone, plus the public land in Texas from our directory. Archery opens Oct. 3, 2026. Firearms: Nov. 7, 2026 (General season, North & South zones).
Last checked Sep 26, 2026 against the official Texas Parks and Wildlife Department page. Dates vary by zone, unit and county, and agencies can change them. Confirm with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department before you hunt.
Quick answers
- When does archery deer season start in Texas?
- Oct. 3, 2026, per Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. See the table for zone differences and closing dates.
- When does gun (firearms) deer season start in Texas?
- Nov. 7, 2026 (General season, North & South zones).
- Where are the official rules?
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: hunting information. Bag limits, licenses, tags and weapon rules are not repeated here.
Texas deer season dates, 2026–27
White-tailed deer
| Season | Where | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | 252 of 254 counties | Oct. 3 – Nov. 6, 2026 |
| Youth-only (early) | — | Oct. 30 – Nov. 1, 2026 |
| General | North Zone | Nov. 7, 2026 – Jan. 3, 2027 |
| General | South Zone | Nov. 7, 2026 – Jan. 17, 2027 |
| Special late | North Zone | Jan. 4–17, 2027 |
| Special late | South Zone | Jan. 18–31, 2027 |
| Youth-only (late) | — | Jan. 4–17, 2027 |
| Muzzleloader-only | 90 of 254 counties | Jan. 4–17, 2027 |
Mule deer
| Season | Where | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | Panhandle | Oct. 3 – Nov. 20, 2026 |
| Archery | Trans-Pecos | Oct. 3 – Nov. 26, 2026 |
| General | Panhandle | Nov. 21 – Dec. 6, 2026 |
| General | Trans-Pecos | Nov. 27 – Dec. 13, 2026 |
- Which seasons are open, and the bag limits, are set county by county. Look up your county in TPWD’s Seasons by County listing.
- Hunts on TPWD public hunting areas (APH walk-in areas and drawn hunts) can have their own dates and rules. Check each area’s listing with TPWD.
Official sources (checked Sep 26, 2026)
Hunting Texas public land? Start with the Annual Public Hunting Permit
TPWD’s Annual Public Hunting (APH) Permit covers its walk-in public hunting areas. TPWD lists it at $48 for 2026–27, and you also need a season hunting license. Our Texas APH permit guide covers what it includes, per TPWD, with links to the official pages.
Public land in Texas that may allow deer hunting
Our directory lists 113 named public land units in Texas (about 2.7M ac, from USGS PAD-US 4.1): 50 state wildlife & game areas, 15 forests & grasslands, 17 wildlife refuges & WPAs, 1 BLM units, 26 lake & reservoir project lands, 2 state trust / land board tracts, 2 other public land units. PAD-US shows who manages the land. It doesn’t cover hunting rules. Before you go, check the area’s own rules with the managing agency. WMAs, refuges and forests often have special dates, permits or closed zones.
State wildlife areas & game lands in Texas
All 50 →- State wildlife / game area
Black Gap Wildlife Management Area
104,873 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Brewster County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Matador Wildlife Management Area
28,281 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Cottle County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Moore Plantation Wildlife Management Area
26,258 acres
State: park and recreation agency · Sabine County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Bannister Wildlife Management Area
25,952 acres
State: park and recreation agency · San Augustine County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area
25,659 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Jefferson County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
White Oak Creek Wildlife Management Area
25,603 acres
State: park and recreation agency · Morris County, Bowie County + 2 more
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Elephant Mountain Wildlife Management Area
23,060 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Brewster County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Cooper Reservoir Wildlife Management Area
18,393 acres
State: park and recreation agency · Delta County, Hopkins County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Yoakum Dunes Wildlife Management Area
15,790 acres
State: park and recreation agency · Yoakum County, Cochran County + 1 more
Restricted access
National & state forests and grasslands in Texas
All 15 →- National Forest land
Sam Houston National Forest
163,234 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · San Jacinto County, Walker County + 1 more
Open access - National Forest land
Davy Crockett National Forest
161,164 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · Houston County, Trinity County
Open access - National Forest land
Sabine National Forest
160,880 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · Sabine County, Shelby County + 2 more
Open access - National Forest land
Angelina National Forest
154,260 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · San Augustine County, Angelina County + 2 more
Open access - National Grassland
Rita Blanca National Grassland
77,369 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · Dallam County
Open access - National Grassland
Lyndon B. Johnson National Grassland
20,068 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · Wise County
Open access
National wildlife refuges & WPAs in Texas
All 17 →- National Wildlife Refuge
Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge
100,406 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Cameron County, Willacy County
Restricted access - National Wildlife Refuge
Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
90,862 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Aransas County, Calhoun County + 1 more
Restricted access - National Wildlife Refuge
Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge
90,013 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Cameron County, Hidalgo County + 2 more
Restricted access - National Wildlife Refuge
San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge
67,662 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Brazoria County, Matagorda County + 2 more
Restricted access
BLM land in Texas
- BLM public land
BLM Oklahoma Field Office Public Lands
11,998 acres
Bureau of Land Management · Potter County
Open access
Counties with the most listed public land
- Jasper County (5)
- Brazoria County (5)
- San Augustine County (4)
- Chambers County (4)
- Matagorda County (4)
- Hill County (3)
- Tarrant County (3)
- Williamson County (3)
- Denton County (3)
- Angelina County (3)
- Nacogdoches County (3)
- Sabine County (3)
Not legal advice and not an official source. This independent site is not affiliated with any government agency. Season dates are copied from the agency pages linked above as of the “last checked” date and may have changed since. The agency’s current regulations are what count. Full disclaimer.
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