White-tailed deer general season opens Nov. 1 in both the North and South Zones.
Wild turkey fall season opens Nov. 1 in both the North and South Zones.
Quail season opens Nov. 1 statewide.
Mule deer season opens Nov. 22 in the Panhandle, Nov. 28 in the Trans-Pecos.
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Opportunities Good for White-tails
Fall weather has arrived just in time to kick off the opening of white-tailed deer season on Nov. 1. The Pineywoods and portions of the Post Oak Savannah and Cross Timbers received timely spring rainfall and should expect above-average antler quality. The Edwards Plateau and South Texas regions had summer rainfall and a late growing season that benefited fawn survival. But rain came too late to greatly benefit antler development in those regions. 4 good regions for white-tail hunting:
Get more information about this season in our press release Thriving Fawns, Thriving Hunt: Texas Deer Numbers Stay Strong. Find out more about white-tailed deer in our new resource White-tailed Deer Management. Good luck this fall, and enjoy your time hunting with friends and family. |
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What You Need to Hunt
Refer to the Outdoor Annual online or the free app for bag limits and all other regulation information. You must carry the following in the field:
Wild turkey hunters:
Deer hunters:
If you plan to hunt on the more than 1 million acres of Texas Public Hunting Lands, you’ll need an Annual Public Hunting Permit. Use the Texas Hunt & Fish app for on-site registration at public hunting areas. NEW for the 2025-26 Season:
New World Screwworm: If you observe a live animal infested with maggots, quickly report the observation to a local TPWD biologist. Through active surveillance, hunters can help protect Texas’ wildlife and livestock from this pest. |
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Outlook Good for Quail
You can hunt 3 species of quail in Texas: bobwhite, Gambel’s and scaled (blue). The daily bag limit is 15 and possession is 45 birds for all 3 species. View quail regulations for your county in the Outdoor Annual. Our biologists expect good hunting opportunities for bobwhites in most regions due to above average rainfall and improved habitat conditions across most of their range. South Texas remains a stronghold, and bobwhite populations appear to increase the further south you go. Scaled quail populations appear to be increasing across their range, with the average number of scaled quail seen per route above the 15-year mean in all ecoregions. Find quail population and habitat details for all 6 regions in the Bobwhite Quail Forecast and the Scaled Quail Forecast. |
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Wear Your Blaze Orange
If you are on public lands during daylight in gun-hunting season, you’re required to wear blaze orange (hunter orange) for your own safety. If you hunt on private land, protect yourself by wearing blaze orange. Your blaze orange attire must include headgear and it must cover your chest and back. If you hunt with a dog, put blaze orange on it. Correct use of blaze orange is one of the many skills taught in Hunter Education. Anyone born after Sept. 1, 1971, must have proof of Hunter Ed when in the field. |
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Watch for New World Screwworm in the Field
If you see LIVE animals with maggots, report it to your local TPWD wildlife biologist as soon as possible. It may be infested with New World screwworm (NWS).
NWS are flies that lay eggs in open wounds or moist body parts of live warm-blooded animals. The eggs hatch into larvae (maggots) that only feed on living tissue. Infested wounds quickly become infected and, if left untreated, will kill infested animals.
Early detection is key. Your reporting is crucial for effective management actions in the battle to eliminate NWS.
