Texas Deer Rifle/Firearm Season 2025, 2026, 2027
Rifle/Firearm deer hunting dates for Texas.
Recorded dates, not hunting permission
Status assessment: 2026-10-14 UTC (static build snapshot). Static activity badges and day counts use this build assessment, not a live check. Interactive finder results show their own UTC assessment day.
1 of 3 recorded windows have date-review evidence. Other rows remain unverified. Historical records are retained and are not a current-season promise.
Check your current agency regulations, GMU or zone, hunt code, license and access restrictions before hunting. An agency link or successful publication fetch does not verify a row. Reviewed base dates do not cover every license-specific exception.
Date evidence: Official date source. Review dates apply only to the stated row scope, not an entire state or current license eligibility.
Texas Deer Rifle/Firearm Season
Find rifle deer hunting season dates for Texas. Plan your 2025, 2026, 2027 rifle hunt with dates, zones, and equipment requirements.
Rifle/Firearm Season Coming Soon
1 rifle season opening within 60 days
Nov 7, 2026 - Jan 3, 2027
Actual current TPWD Travis east of I-35 General Nov7–Jan3; only private non-MLDP adult ordinary white-tailed buck with both antlers branched, inside spread at least 13 inches, centerfire rifle subset, not individual permission. East bag four deer/no more than two bucks/two antlerless; one such buck per county. Species rule explicitly allows unbranched bucks of any width without using branched-buck limit; excluded here, not universal 13-inch rule. Not west-side five-deer rules/no special antler restriction, no other county/statewide coverage. Archery/youth/muzzleloader/MLDP/antlerless/unbranched/special-late/public/other-method hunts excluded; no Jan4–17 bridge. Actual Means and Methods: no rimfire for whitetail/no fully automatic, no magazine-capacity restriction for game animals; not air-gun caliber/energy rule assigned rifles. Current license/tag/digital-exceptions/harvest-log/permission/eligibility/bag/reporting/transport/CWD/local/rifle/device/ammunition/closures/amendments need checks. Nine histories/license metadata retained/unverified. County/species HTML monitored; weapons/tagging/CWD/current-law updates manual; mutable pages/date hash not semantic rule confirmation.
Rifle/Firearm Deer Season Dates
3 rifle seasons in Texas
| Dates | Zone | Status | Notes | Add to Calendar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 7, 2026 - Jan 3, 2027 Date window reviewed 2026-10-09; verify license-specific exceptions Official date source | Travis east of I-35 private non-MLDP adult ordinary both-branched antlered white-tailed centerfire rifle | 24d away | Actual current TPWD Travis east of I-35 General Nov7–Jan3; only private non-MLDP adult ordinary white-tailed buck with both antlers branched, inside spread at least 13 inches, centerfire rifle subset, not individual permission. East bag four deer/no more than two bucks/two antlerless; one such buck per county. Species rule explicitly allows unbranched bucks of any width without using branched-buck limit; excluded here, not universal 13-inch rule. Not west-side five-deer rules/no special antler restriction, no other county/statewide coverage. Archery/youth/muzzleloader/MLDP/antlerless/unbranched/special-late/public/other-method hunts excluded; no Jan4–17 bridge. Actual Means and Methods: no rimfire for whitetail/no fully automatic, no magazine-capacity restriction for game animals; not air-gun caliber/energy rule assigned rifles. Current license/tag/digital-exceptions/harvest-log/permission/eligibility/bag/reporting/transport/CWD/local/rifle/device/ammunition/closures/amendments need checks. Nine histories/license metadata retained/unverified. County/species HTML monitored; weapons/tagging/CWD/current-law updates manual; mutable pages/date hash not semantic rule confirmation. | |
| Nov 1, 2025 - Jan 5, 2026 Unverified date record; agency review required | North Texas | Historical record | General season | |
| Nov 1, 2025 - Jan 19, 2026 Unverified date record; agency review required | South Texas | Historical record | Extended season | |
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Zone-Specific Rifle/Firearm Dates
Texas has different rifle deer dates by zone. Zones include: Travis east of I-35 private non-MLDP adult ordinary both-branched antlered white-tailed centerfire rifle, North Texas, South Texas. Check official state regulations for zone boundaries.
Important Note for Texas
Only Travis east of I-35 private non-MLDP adult ordinary both-branched-antler white-tailed centerfire rifle Nov7–Jan3 reviewed. Inside spread≥13inches/one such buck per county; unbranched-any-width exception excluded here, not universal restriction. East four-deer/two-buck/two-antlerless bag, not west-side five-deer rules. No rimfire/full-auto; no game-animal magazine cap, not air-gun energy rule. No archery/youth/muzzleloader/MLDP/antlerless/unbranched/special-late/public/other-method or Jan4–17 bridge; current license/tag/log/permission/bag/CWD/local/device/amendment checks needed. Nine histories/license metadata unverified; not individual permission.
Texas Deer Rifle/Firearm Hunting FAQ
Common questions about rifle deer hunting in Texas
When does rifle deer season start in Texas?
Recorded windows, not one continuous season: 2026-11-07 to 2027-01-03; 2025-11-01 to 2026-01-05; 2025-11-01 to 2026-01-19. Historical and unverified records may be included. Check each row's evidence and your current GMU/hunt code and license before hunting.
What caliber rifles are legal for deer in Texas?
Texas has minimum caliber and cartridge requirements for deer hunting. Common requirements include minimum bullet diameter and energy specifications. Verify current rifle regulations with the state wildlife agency.
Are there different rifle deer zones in Texas?
Yes, Texas has zone-specific rifle deer seasons. Zones include: Travis east of I-35 private non-MLDP adult ordinary both-branched antlered white-tailed centerfire rifle, North Texas, South Texas. Each zone may have different dates and regulations.
Do I need a special tag for rifle deer hunting in Texas?
You need a valid Texas hunting license and applicable deer tags or permits. Some states offer rifle-specific tags or have separate quotas. Check current license requirements and availability.
What other methods can I use to hunt deer in Texas?
Besides rifle, Texas offers deer seasons for: Archery, Muzzleloader. Each method has different season dates and regulations.
Rifle/Firearm Deer in Other States
Compare rifle seasons across states
View All Texas Deer Seasons
See all hunting methods for deer in Texas.
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