Texas Deer Season 2026-27: Dates by Zone and Weapon
White-tailed deer, Oct. 26, 2026
Open now
Archery Only
Next to open
Oct. 30
White-tailed deer season dates
| Season | Zone | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery Only | Statewide (252 of 254 counties) | Oct. 3, 2026 to Nov. 6, 2026 | Open now |
| Youth-Only Early Season | North Zone and South Zone | Oct. 30, 2026 to Nov. 1, 2026 | Opens in 4 days |
| General Season | North Zone | Nov. 7, 2026 to Jan. 3, 2027 | Opens in 12 days |
| General Season | South Zone | Nov. 7, 2026 to Jan. 17, 2027 | Opens in 12 days |
| Muzzleloader | 90 counties | Jan. 4, 2027 to Jan. 17, 2027 | Opens in 70 days |
| Youth-Only Late Season | North Zone | Jan. 4, 2027 to Jan. 17, 2027 | Opens in 70 days |
| Special Late Season | North Zone | Jan. 4, 2027 to Jan. 17, 2027 | Opens in 70 days |
| Special Late Season | South Zone | Jan. 18, 2027 to Jan. 31, 2027 | Opens in 84 days |
Mule deer season dates
| Season | Zone | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery Only | Panhandle | Oct. 3, 2026 to Nov. 20, 2026 | Open now |
| Archery Only | Trans-Pecos (including Brewster, Pecos and Terrell counties) | Oct. 3, 2026 to Nov. 26, 2026 | Open now |
| General Season | Panhandle | Nov. 21, 2026 to Dec. 6, 2026 | Opens in 26 days |
| General Season | Trans-Pecos (including Brewster, Pecos and Terrell counties) | Nov. 27, 2026 to Dec. 13, 2026 | Opens in 32 days |
North and South zones
The general, special late and youth-only seasons have different dates in the North Zone and the South Zone. TPWD shows the boundary on its white-tailed deer zone map. To confirm the zone and the rules for a specific county, use the TPWD county listing.
Youth-only seasons
The early youth-only season (Oct. 30, 2026 to Nov. 1, 2026) is open in both zones. The late youth-only season (Jan. 4, 2027 to Jan. 17, 2027) is open in the North Zone only. Only licensed hunters 16 years of age or younger may take part. In Collin, Dallas, Grayson and Rockwall counties, only lawful archery equipment may be used.
Special Late Season
During the Special Late Season, harvest is restricted to antlerless deer and unbranched antlered deer, meaning bucks with at least one antler that has no more than one point. Check the county listing for the rules that apply where you hunt.
Muzzleloader season
The muzzleloader season (Jan. 4, 2027 to Jan. 17, 2027) is open in 90 counties, and only muzzleloading firearms may be used. A cap and ball firearm loaded through the cylinder does not count as a muzzleloader.
See the 90 counties
Anderson, Angelina, Austin, Bastrop, Bell, Bowie, Brazoria, Brazos, Brewster, Burleson, Caldwell, Camp, Cass, Chambers, Cherokee, Colorado, Comal, Culberson, DeWitt, Delta, Ellis, Falls, Fannin, Fayette, Fort Bend, Franklin, Freestone, Galveston, Goliad, Gonzales, Gregg, Grimes, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Harrison, Hays, Henderson, Hopkins, Houston, Hunt, Jackson, Jasper, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Karnes, Kaufman, Lamar, Lavaca, Lee, Leon, Liberty, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Matagorda, Milam, Montgomery, Morris, Nacogdoches, Navarro, Newton, Orange, Panola, Polk, Presidio, Rains, Red River, Reeves, Robertson, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Smith, Titus, Travis, Trinity, Tyler, Upshur, Van Zandt, Victoria, Walker, Waller, Washington, Wharton, Williamson, Wilson, Wood.
Doe days in 21 counties
For 2026-27, doe days in 21 counties run Nov. 14 to Nov. 29, 2026, up from four days to 16. The counties are Austin, Bastrop, Caldwell, Colorado, Comal (east of IH 35), DeWitt, Fayette, Goliad (north of U.S. Highway 59), Gonzales, Guadalupe, Hays (east of IH 35), Jackson (north of U.S. Highway 59), Karnes, Lavaca, Lee, Travis (east of IH 35), Victoria (north of U.S. Highway 59), Waller, Washington, Wharton (north of U.S. Highway 59) and Wilson.
Bag limits
- White-tailed deer: five per year, no more than three of which may be bucks.
- Mule deer: two per year, no more than one of which may be a buck.
- Each county sets its own bag limit within those totals. The annual limits do not apply on properties enrolled in the Managed Lands Deer Program (MLDP).
- In certain counties, a legal mule deer buck must have an outside main-beam spread of 20 inches or greater. This restriction does not apply inside chronic wasting disease (CWD) zones.
Legal hunting hours
Deer may be hunted from one-half hour before official sunrise to one-half hour after official sunset.
License
A Texas hunting license is required, and archery hunting requires an archery endorsement. Licenses are sold by TPWD at tpwd.texas.gov.
Frequently asked questions
When does deer season start in Texas?
White-tailed deer archery season opens Oct. 3, 2026. The general season opens Nov. 7, 2026 in both the North and South zones.
When does deer season end in Texas?
The general season ends Jan. 3, 2027 in the North Zone and Jan. 17, 2027 in the South Zone. The Special Late Season runs until Jan. 17, 2027 in the North Zone and Jan. 31, 2027 in the South Zone.
Is there a youth-only deer season in Texas?
Yes. The early youth-only season runs Oct. 30, 2026 to Nov. 1, 2026 in both zones. The late youth-only season runs Jan. 4, 2027 to Jan. 17, 2027 in the North Zone only. Only licensed hunters 16 years of age or younger may hunt these seasons.
What deer can be taken during the Special Late Season?
Only antlerless deer and unbranched antlered deer. An unbranched antlered deer is a buck with at least one antler that has no more than one point.
What are legal hunting hours for deer in Texas?
From one-half hour before official sunrise to one-half hour after official sunset.
How many deer can I take in Texas?
The annual limit is five white-tailed deer, no more than three of which may be bucks, and two mule deer, no more than one of which may be a buck. Each county also sets its own bag limit.
When is mule deer season in Texas?
Archery season runs Oct. 3, 2026 to Nov. 20, 2026 in the Panhandle and Oct. 3, 2026 to Nov. 26, 2026 in the Trans-Pecos. The general season runs Nov. 21, 2026 to Dec. 6, 2026 in the Panhandle and Nov. 27, 2026 to Dec. 13, 2026 in the Trans-Pecos.
Deer season in other states
Pennsylvania · Michigan · Wisconsin · Ohio · Georgia · New York · Missouri · Minnesota · Indiana · Virginia · North Carolina · Kentucky · Tennessee · Alabama. Compare every state on the deer season dates by state page.
Duck seasons are on the Texas duck season page, and turkey seasons on the Texas turkey season page.
Source: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 2026-2027 Outdoor Annual: white-tailed deer, mule deer, youth-only, muzzleloader, legal hours and the Sept. 4, 2026 news release.
Verified on Oct. 24, 2026.
Always check the official TPWD regulations for your county before hunting. Seasons and limits can change.