Texas · Turkey · 2026–27 Edition
Texas Turkey Season 2026–27: Fall & Spring Dates, Bag Limits
01 — Fall turkey
| Season | Zones | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Archery only | All counties with an open fall season | Oct 3 – Nov 6 |
| Youth-only · North Zone, first segment | North Zone | Oct 30 – Nov 1 |
| Youth-only · South Zone, first segment | South Zone | Oct 30 – Nov 1 |
| Youth-only · Brooks, Kenedy, Kleberg and Willacy | TPWD prints this one as ending Nov. 1, 2027 — a twelve-month youth season where every other youth segment is a single weekend. Shown here to Nov. 1, 2026 to match the pattern; confirm with TPWD | Oct 30 – Nov 1 |
| Fall season · North Zone | North Zone | Nov 7 – Jan 3 |
| Fall season · South Zone | South Zone | Nov 7 – Jan 17 |
| Fall season · Brooks, Kenedy, Kleberg and Willacy | The four south-coast counties, and the longest fall season in the state | Nov 7 – Feb 28 |
| Youth-only · North Zone, second segment | North Zone | Jan 4 – Jan 17 |
| Youth-only · South Zone, second segment | South Zone | Jan 18 – Jan 31 |
02 — Spring gobbler
| Season | Zones | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Youth-only · South Zone, first segment | South Zone | Mar 13 – Mar 14 |
| Spring season · South Zone | South Zone | Mar 20 – May 2 |
| Youth-only · North Zone, first segment | North Zone | Mar 27 – Mar 28 |
| Spring season · One-Turkey Counties | The Western One-Gobbler Zone: Bastrop, Caldwell, Colorado, Fayette, Jackson, Lavaca, Lee, Matagorda, Milam and Wharton | Apr 1 – Apr 30 |
| Spring season · North Zone | North Zone | Apr 3 – May 16 |
| Spring season · East Zone | Bowie (north of U.S. 82), Cass, Fannin (north of U.S. 82), Grayson, Jasper (outside the Angelina National Forest), Lamar (north of U.S. 82), Marion, Nacogdoches, Newton, Polk, Red River (north of U.S. 82) and Sabine | Apr 22 – May 14 |
| Youth-only · South Zone, second segment | South Zone | May 8 – May 9 |
| Youth-only · North Zone, second segment | North Zone | May 22 – May 23 |
03 — Bag limits
| Per county | Texas sets turkey bag limits county by county, behind TPWD's county selector — 175 of 254 counties have a season. Look yours up before you hunt |
|---|---|
| Western One-Gobbler Zone | No more than one gobbler per county per year, in Bastrop, Caldwell, Colorado, Fayette, Jackson, Lavaca, Lee, Matagorda, Milam and Wharton |
| Hens | Taking unbearded hens is prohibited |
| East Zone methods | Shotgun and lawful archery equipment only, and no hunting over bait |
| Tagging and reporting | Tag every bird from your license immediately on harvest, and report the harvest within 24 hours — mandatory in every county |
| Endorsement | An Upland Game Bird Endorsement is required on top of the hunting license |
04 — 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 — wild turkey is a non-migratory game bird in Texas and falls under TPWD's single rule for game animals and non-migratory game birds. Texas sets no noon cutoff for spring turkey, unlike several eastern states. Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local Texas sun times for any other date.
05 — License
A Texas hunting license and turkey permit are required. Spring and fall permits are often sold separately, and some states cap the number of gobblers per hunter per year across both seasons.
Texas hunting license cost & turkey permits →
Where to hunt public land in Texas — WMAs by county & access rules →
06 — Scouting gear
Patterning a gobbler's roost and strut zone before Texas's opener usually means glassing from a distance and running a trail camera through late winter and early spring.
- Hunting binoculars on Amazon →
- Trail cameras on Amazon →
- Trail camera SD cards — class, capacity & format explained →
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. These are category links, not a single named pick — we run no product tests of our own.
07 — FAQ
When does turkey season start in Texas?
The earliest 2026–27 opener is October 3, 2026. Fall and spring seasons run separately — see the tables above.
When does turkey season end in Texas?
The latest 2026–27 closing date is May 23, 2027. Individual segments and zones close on their own dates.
When does spring turkey season start in Texas?
Youth-only · South Zone, first segment opens March 13, 2027 (South Zone).
When does fall turkey season start in Texas?
Archery only opens October 3, 2026 (All counties with an open fall season).
How many turkeys can you shoot in Texas?
2026–27 bag limits: Per county — Texas sets turkey bag limits county by county, behind TPWD's county selector — 175 of 254 counties have a season. Look yours up before you hunt. Western One-Gobbler Zone — No more than one gobbler per county per year, in Bastrop, Caldwell, Colorado, Fayette, Jackson, Lavaca, Lee, Matagorda, Milam and Wharton. Hens — Taking unbearded hens is prohibited. East Zone methods — Shotgun and lawful archery equipment only, and no hunting over bait. Tagging and reporting — Tag every bird from your license immediately on harvest, and report the harvest within 24 hours — mandatory in every county. Endorsement — An Upland Game Bird Endorsement is required on top of the hunting license. Limits are set per zone and per permit — check the agency's own regulations before you hunt.
What time can you start shooting turkey in Texas?
On opening day (October 3, 2026) legal light runs 07:02 to 19:48. The rule is: One-half hour before official sunrise to one-half hour after official sunset — wild turkey is a non-migratory game bird in Texas and falls under TPWD's single rule for game animals and non-migratory game birds. Texas sets no noon cutoff for spring turkey, unlike several eastern states. Sunrise and sunset shift daily, so work the offset against your local Texas sun times for any other date.
Can I hunt turkey 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 2026-08-16
Publisher's note. Zones and dates per the TPWD Outdoor Annual. BAG LIMITS ARE SET PER COUNTY and sit behind TPWD's county selector — 175 of Texas' 254 counties have a turkey season, and no statewide number exists, so none is printed here. Look your county up before hunting. FLAGGING AN APPARENT ERROR IN THE SOURCE: TPWD prints the youth-only season for Brooks, Kenedy, Kleberg and Willacy counties as 'Oct. 30, 2026 - Nov. 1, 2027' — a twelve-month youth season, where every other youth segment is a single weekend. That reads as a typo for Nov. 1, 2026, and that is the date shown — deliberately the conservative reading, because telling a youth hunter they may hunt for a year when they may not is the harmful direction. Confirm with TPWD before relying on it either way. Unbearded hens may not be taken, and hunting roosting turkeys is unlawful by any means at any time. An Upland Game Bird Endorsement is required, every bird must be tagged from the hunter's license immediately on harvest, and harvest reporting within 24 hours is mandatory in every county.