When is Deer Season in Texas?

Texas Parks and Wildlife governs deer hunting season in Texas. Like most states, Texas law prohibits deer hunting during certain times of the year. There are restrictions based on the type of deer you want to hunt or if you are using a bow and arrow. You may lose your hunting permit if you do not adhere Texas hunting restrictions. Deer hunting usually runs from early October to late January. The types of deer, methods of deer hunting, and area of the hunt affect the actual dates. The following dates are for the 2010/2011 deer hunting season.

Types of Texas Deer Hunting

There are two types of deer hunting in Texas: white-tailed deer and mule deer. White-tail deer have a white underside on its tail. White-tails have a reddish-brown coat in the spring that turns grayish-brown in the fall. A mule deer is usually a grayish-brown most of the year. Mule deer have large, mule-like ears. Mule deer are rarer than their white-tail counterparts.

White-Tail Hunting Season

Archery deer season is limited to Oct. 2 to Nov. 5 in Texas. During this time, you can hunt with bow and arrows. Oct. 30 to Oct. 31 and Jan. 3 to Jan. 16 are designated Youth Days for hunting white-tail deer in Texas. White-tail deer season goes from Nov. 6 to Jan. 2 for North Texas and Nov. 6 to Jan. 16 for South Texas. South Texas also has an extended season for "Late Antlerless" deer which ends on Jan. 30.

Mule Deer Hunting Season

Mule deer are not as common as the white-tail. The hunting season is considerably shorter. Archery season begins on Oct. 2 and goes to Nov. 5. You can hunt mule deer in the Texas Panhandle from Nov. 20 to Dec. 5. The Southwestern Panhandle of Texas allows you to hunt from Nov. 20 to Nov. 28. Trans-Pecos hunting is limited to Nov. 26 to Dec.12.

Texas Hunting Considerations

You must have a valid Texas hunting license. If you are an archer, you must have an archery endorsement stamp. Hunters can order a license online through Texas Parks and Wildlife. Texas hunters more than 17-years-old are required to pass a hunting safety course.

References

• Texas Parks and Wildlife: Upcoming Texas Hunting Season
• Texas Parks and Wildlife: Hunting Stamp Endorsements
• Texas Parks and Wildlife: Mule Deer Management in Texas