Texas · Pheasant · 2026–27 Edition
Texas Pheasant Season 2026–27: Dates & Bag Limits
01 — Seasons
| Season | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Regular pheasant (cocks-only) | Panhandle/South Plains — legally open in only 37 of Texas's 254 counties, closed statewide elsewhere | Dec 5 – Jan 3 |
02 — Bag limits
| Daily | 3 cocks (roosters only) |
|---|---|
| Possession | 9 cocks |
03 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (December 5, 2026) 06:52 — 18:03
Rule: One-half hour before official sunrise to one-half hour after official sunset — Texas's standard rule for game animals and nonmigratory (upland) game birds, which explicitly includes pheasant. Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local Texas sun times for any other date.
04 — License
Pheasant hunters in Texas need a Texas hunting license — an Upland Game Bird Endorsement in addition to a Texas hunting license
Where to hunt public land in Texas — WMAs by county & access rules →
05 — FAQ
When does pheasant season open in Texas?
The earliest 2026–27 opener is December 5, 2026. See the table above for each segment and zone.
When does pheasant season end in Texas?
The latest 2026–27 closing date is January 3, 2027. Individual segments and zones can close earlier — see the table above.
Can I shoot hen pheasants in Texas?
See the bag limit table above — most states restrict the daily bag to roosters only, but rules vary and this is worth double-checking against Texas Parks and Wildlife Department before you hunt.
How many pheasants can you shoot in Texas per day?
2026–27 bag limits: Daily — 3 cocks (roosters only). Possession — 9 cocks. Limits are set per zone and per permit — check the agency's own regulations before you hunt.
What time can you start shooting pheasant in Texas?
On opening day (December 5, 2026) legal light runs 06:52 to 18:03. The rule is: One-half hour before official sunrise to one-half hour after official sunset — Texas's standard rule for game animals and nonmigratory (upland) game birds, which explicitly includes pheasant. Sunrise and sunset shift daily, so work the offset against your local Texas sun times for any other date.
Can I hunt pheasant on my own land in Texas without a license?
Texas requires a license for essentially all game even on your own land — the one landowner carve-out is feral hogs, which a resident landowner (or anyone with their consent) may take without a license. Deer, turkey, and everything else still need the usual license and tags.
Verified · Texas Parks and Wildlife Department · Last verified 2026-08-15
Publisher's note. Read directly from TPWD's own Outdoor Annual pheasant page (fetched successfully, no proxy needed): season 'December 5, 2026 through January 3, 2027,' cocks-only, daily bag 3 cocks, possession 9 cocks, Upland Game Bird Endorsement required. Texas pheasant hunting is legally restricted (not just population-limited) to 37 of the state's 254 counties, concentrated in the Panhandle/South Plains (e.g. Armstrong, Bailey, Briscoe, Carson, Cochran and others per the page's own county list) — it is a real legal zone restriction here, not merely a population disclosure, so it is reflected in methods.zones rather than only in this note. Shooting hours confirmed on TPWD's own 'Hunting Definitions' page, quoted directly: 'The period from one-half hour before official sunrise to one-half hour after official sunset,' stated to apply to all game animals and nonmigratory (upland) game birds, which the same page explicitly lists as including 'wild pheasants of all varieties.' No separate youth pheasant season was found — Texas runs one regular season.