Texas Hunting Seasons 2018-19

Texas, one of the largest American states, has vast stretches of hunting grounds for a wide variety of big and small game, during its exciting hunting seasons. The area is nearly one million acres, available around the year. Texas hunting Seasons offers both small game and big game seasons.
You will be happy to know that Texas has 49 Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) assigned for hunting and recreational purposes.
The state offers you a wide variety of hunting seasons. It has come up with special schemes like youth hunt days and guided hunting trips for the less experienced hunters.
The big game animals include deer, alligator, pronghorn, deer, and javelina.
Small game like woodcock, squirrel, rabbits, and quails also add to our exciting hunting experience.
Texas’ Parks and Wildlife Department manages and controls the hunting activity.
If you wish to obtain a hunting license, you can do it online. This option is available for residents and non- residents of Texas.
All these novel steps ensure that lovers of hunting have something exciting to look forward to all the time.
Texas Hunting Seasons
Texas Deer Seasons
Archery | Sept. 29-Nov. 2 |
Muzzleloader Only | Jan. 7-20 |
Youth Only | Oct. 27-28 and Jan. 7-20 |
General Season | Nov. 3-Jan. 20** |
Special Late Season | Jan. 7-Feb. 3** |
** Dates given are likely to change from zone to zone.
Texas Mule Seasons
Archery | Sept. 29-Nov. 2 |
General Season | Nov. 17-Dec. 25** |
**Season dates vary by zone. Visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife website for more details.
Texas Alligator Seasons
General Season | Sept. 10-30** |
Non-core: April 1 – June 30 **
** Alligator seasons vary from region to region. Hence, you should check out the specific details on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website before setting off on your hunting expedition.
Texas Wild Turkey Seasons
Fall General Season | Nov. 3-Jan. 20** |
Spring General Season | Mar. 16-May 12** |
**Season dates vary by zone. Visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife website for more details.
Texas Javelina Seasons
General Season | Oct. 1-Feb. 24 (North) and Sept. 1-Aug. 31 (South) |
Texas Pronghorn Seasons
General Season | Sept. 29-Oct. 7 |
Texas Small Game Seasons
Woodcock | Dec. 18-Jan. 31 |
Teal | Sept. 15-20 |
Snipe | Oct. 27-Feb. 10 |
Squirrel | Sept. 1-May 31** |
Sandhill Crane | Oct. 27-Jan. 27** |
Rabbit and Hare | Open Season |
Quail | Oct. 27-Feb. 24 |
Pheasant | Dec. 1-30 |
Light & Dark Geese (West Zone): Feb. 3, 2019
Chachalaca | Nov. 3-Feb. 24 |
(Upland Game board endorsement is required for the hunting of chachalaca)
** Dates of Seasons vary from zone to zone. So do bag limits. To get all the details, you just need to visit the comprehensive Texas Parks and Wildlife website for more details. The site has clear information about the zone and county-wise dates of the hunting seasons. (https://tpwd.texas.gov/ )
Regulation Changes for the 2018-2019 Texas hunting season:
Here are a few important changes in the rules for the new hunting season.
- The 2019 eastern turkey season is set to start a little later than last year. It will be from April 22 to May 14. This step is being taken to enhance the number of these birds. Additionally, the turkey season in a few counties has been ended.
- The season for Doves in the South Region will begin on September 14. It has been advanced by a week.
- The bag limit for Small Game like squirrel and chachalaca has been made threefold.
- For pintails, the daily bag limit has been doubled over the old limit of one.
Hunter Education Program:
Texas’ Parks and Wildlife Department has introduced a novel scheme known as Hunter Education. This is a mandatory training Program for all hunters born on or on or after Sept. 2, 1971.
Minimum age of certification is 9 years while the cost of the course is $15.
Those above 17 years can take up the course in person or online.
The course offers live -fire and other related skill-based activities. The purpose of the course is to help hunters become well informed and responsible.
Conclusion:
Hunting in Texas is a well organized recreational sport with comprehensive facilities and infrastructure. The vast areas available make it a popular sport.
There are well-defined regulations to govern the hunting activity in the state to make it systematic and convenient for all – whether you are residents and non-residents, to engage in this adventurous past time.
The innovative changes made by Texas’ Parks and Wildlife Department from time to time add to the benefit of the hunters. Hunting is thus growing in popularity even among women and girls.
For the Best Hunting experience, you may also check our hunting gear reviews-