Laws on Whitetail Deer Season in Texas

A whitetail buck can be taken in season in Texas—with the proper license.

Hunting whitetail deer in Texas remains popular as a connection with the state's frontier past. The sport provides humans with recreation, food and entertaining stories while proving essential for whitetail population control, thanks to the elimination of natural predators. Texas laws and regulations regarding whitetail-deer hunting include specific dates and eligible locations.

Whitetail Seasons

Hunting seasons for whitetail deer run from early October through early January. Dates differ by county and weaponry allowed and are determined annually by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, which oversees all hunting-related matters.

Texas whitetail deer seasons include an archery-only season in October, special youth seasons in November and January, and a general season from November to January that covers two regions: North Texas and South Texas. A late antlerless or spike season runs for two weeks after the general season in each zone and for muzzleloaders in 55 counties.

Bag Limits & Antler Restrictions

During 2010, the annual limit for whitetail was five deer per hunter across all seasons. Only two of the five could be bucks. The state rarely changes this limit but can if conditions warrant.

In 113 counties, special antler restrictions apply. Under these, a legal buck has at least one unbranched antler or an inside spread of 13 in. or greater. Only one buck with the 13 in. or greater inside spread can be taken.

Required Licenses

Each hunter must carry a valid hunting license while hunting and show it to a game warden upon request. Using another's license or lending yours is illegal. Hunters may purchase a resident, non-resident, youth and senior license annually. Lifetime licenses are available to residents and seniors. Active military and disabled veterans who qualify as Texas residents receive free licenses. Bowhunters need an Archery Stamp Endorsement (Type 135) for the archery-only season and in Grayson County.

Hunters from states with reciprocal agreements may hunt on a valid home state license.

Required Education

Anyone born on or after September 2, 1971, must complete a hunter-education course including at least one field day and must carry certification of completion when hunting. Minimum age to certify is nine years old. Hunters under age nine must be accompanied by a licensed hunter 17 or older and remain under normal voice control. Hunters age nine to 16 must complete the education course or be accompanied. Those 17 and older may purchase a one-time deferral, good for one year only, to carry while hunting.

The state suggests but does not require additional bowhunting education.

General Restrictions

Hunting is not allowed in any of the following circumstances: from or across a public road, at night, with a light, or from a vehicle, plane or boat. Hunters on private land must have the owner's permission. The state restricts hunting on public lands to walk-in day hunts in limited locations and special computer-drawn lottery hunts.

Crossbow use remains illegal in Grayson County and on designated public hunting lands.

Related Laws

Possessing and transporting a whitetail carcass or any part thereof requires a properly filled-out Wildlife Resource Document and a tag from the hunting license. If the carcass includes the head (skinned or unskinned), only an attached tag is required.

Texas also requires reasonable efforts be made to retrieve any shot animal. Edible portions must be kept in edible condition and the animal counts toward the hunter's seasonal limit.

The Corps of Engineers allows hunting on some of their properties in Texas. Federal hunting regulations apply on federal lands.

References

• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: Whitetail Deer Details
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: Game Animal Regulations

Resources

• Texas Hunting Laws in Parks and Wildlife Code
• Corps of Engineers Hunting Rules