Texas · Deer · 2026–27 Edition
Texas Deer Season 2026–27: Dates, Zones & Bag Limits
Oct 3 — mark it
Mark it.
2026–27 Edition
01 — Seasons by method
| Method | Zones | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Archery Only | All counties with an open season | Oct 3 – Nov 6 |
| Youth-Only | North Zone; South Zone | Oct 30 – Nov 1 |
| General Season | North Zone | Nov 7 – Jan 3 |
| General Season | South Zone | Nov 7 – Jan 17 |
| Muzzleloader | See TPWD county tables (zone not printed on state page) | Jan 4 – Jan 17 |
| Youth-Only (late) | North Zone | Jan 4 – Jan 17 |
| Special Late | North Zone | Jan 4 – Jan 17 |
| Special Late | South Zone | Jan 18 – Jan 31 |
02 — Bag limits
| Annual (off MLDP) | No person may exceed 5 white-tailed deer, no more than 3 of which may be bucks. Bag limits are established by county. |
|---|---|
| Antler-restriction counties | 2 legal bucks, but only 1 may have 2 branched antlers and an inside spread of 13 inches or greater. |
| Special Late | Harvest restricted to antlerless and unbranched antlered deer. |
| MLDP properties | Annual bag limit does not apply on MLDP properties. |
03 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (October 3, 2026) 07:02 — 19:48
Rule: One-half hour before official sunrise to one-half hour after official sunset (per TPWD). Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local Texas sun times for any other date.
04 — License
A Texas hunting license and deer permit are required. A dedicated Texas license page — costs, age rules and where to buy — is coming; for now, buy and read the rules straight from the agency.
Texas licenses & permits — Texas Parks and Wildlife Department →
05 — FAQ
When does deer season start in Texas?
The earliest 2026–27 opener is October 3, 2026 (archery). Gun and muzzleloader dates differ — see the table above.
When does deer season end in Texas?
The latest 2026–27 closing date is January 31, 2027. Individual methods and zones close on their own dates.
Verified · Texas Parks and Wildlife Department · Last verified 2026-08-01
Publisher's note. Zones (North / South / Special Late) per TPWD Outdoor Annual. Muzzleloader zone is not printed on the source page — confirm applicability per county via the TPWD county lookup. Managed Lands Deer Program (MLDP) windows are set per-property on the permit and are not published on the state page — no MLDP row is included. Per-county antler restrictions and per-county youth/muzzleloader applicability are behind a county selector and are not enumerated here.