Best Hunting Times in Texas

Hunting is a popular activity in Texas. Texans love wild game and the state is big enough and the terrain is varied enough that we have a lot of different types of wild game to choose from, and basically every month of the year is a month specified for hunting at least one type of game.

We even have specialty seasons that generally last for one or two days where we allow our youth hunters to have an opportunity to hunt without the more experienced hunters competing against them. In Texas we like to start our young’uns hunting early.

Best Hunting Seasons in Texas

The following dates are the average starting dates for the species seasons but you should always check with the county and the Texas Parks and Wildlife to certify the appropriate hunting schedules.

Alligator Hunting Season

Generally speaking you can hunt alligators in Texas between September 10^th and September 30^th. Now the specific dates vary a little from county to county but when you apply for your alligator license you will receive exact dates for the county you will be hunting in. 

Deer Hunting Season

Deer hunting season dates will vary from one zone to the next zone so you must verify your hunting dates through the Texas Parks and Wildlife Administration. The following dates list the very earliest dates each type of hunting can be done on and the very latest dates that each type of hunting can be done on.

• Deer hunting in Texas is divided into different times such as:
• Archery season runs from September 29^th until November 2^nd
• Muzzleloader season starts on January 7^th and ends on January 20^th
• Youth Only Hunting starts on October 27^th and ends on October 28^th, but there is another youth only hunting season that runs from January 7^th until January 20^th.
• General hunting season starts on November 3^rd and ends on January 20^th
• There is a special late season that begins on January 7^th and ends on February 3^rd.

Duck Hunting Season

• Youth only duck hunting season in the high plains management unit occurs from October 20^th through October 21^st
• Youth only duck hunting season in the north zone of Texas occurs between November 3 and November 4^th
• Youth only duck hunting season in the south zone of Texas occurs between October 27^th and October 28^th

Dusky Duck Seasons

• North Zone season is November 15th through the 25^th and again on Dec 1st through January 27^th
• South zone season is November 8 through the 25^th and again on Dec 8^th through January 27^th

Regular Duck Season

• North Zone season runs from November 10^th through November 25^th and again from December 1^st through January 27^th
• South Zone season runs from November 3^rd through November 25^th and again December 8^th through January 27th

Dove Seasons

• North Zone season is September 1^st through November 4^th and again starting December 21 through January 14^th
• Central Zone season runs from September 1^st through November 4^th and again starting December 21^st through January 14^th
• South zone season starts September 14^th through October 30^th and again December 14^th through January 21

Turkey Seasons

Turkey season comes in the fall and again in the spring in the Rio Grand Valley but Eastern turkey season only occurs in the spring.

• Fall season

• North Zone starts November 3^rd and ends January 6^th
• South zone starts November 3^rd and ends January 20^th
• Brooks county, Kenedy county, Kleberg county and Willacy county have seasons that start November 3^rd and end January 20^th
• Archery only season begins September 29^th and ends November 2^nd
• Fall youth season

• North Zone October 27^th through the 28^th and again January 7^th through January 20^th
• South Zone October 27^th and 28^th and again January 21^st through February 3^rd
• Spring Season Rio Grande

• North Zone starts March 30^th and ends May 12^th
• South Zone starts March 16^th and ends April 28^th
• Spring Youth Season

• North Zone starts March 23^rd and ends the 24^th and then starts again May 18^th and ends May 19^th
• South zone season starts March 9 and ends March 10^th and then starts again May 4^th and ends May 5^th
• Eastern Turkey Spring Season for East Texas starts April 22^nd and ends May 14^th for all hunters

Hog Hunting Season

Javelina Hogs do have a specified hunting season. The season dates vary according to whether you are hunting in North Texas or South Texas.

• Javelina Season in North Texas occurs on October 1^st and ends on February 24^th.
• Javelina Season in South Texas starts on September 1^st and ends August 31^st.

Ordinary feral hogs are not native to Texas and there is no hunting season for this species. There are places where you can schedule hunts like at different ranches and game hunt establishments throughout Texas. Some hunting clubs in Texas counties where wild hogs have become problematic will pay you to come and take hogs off of their land during certain parts of the year.