What You Need to Know: Texas Hunting License Tags Go Digital

AUSTIN – The beginning of a new hunting season is quickly approaching and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department reminds hunters and anglers to purchase their new licenses for 2022-23. Texas hunting and fishing licenses (except the Year-from-Purchase All-Water Fishing Package) for the current year expire at the end of August. The new licenses for the 2022-23 season go on sale Aug. 15.

Annually, Texans purchase more than 2.7 million hunting and fishing licenses and directly fund a multitude of conservation efforts and recreational opportunities, helping make Texas one of the best places in the country to hunt and fish. Some of the many projects made possible by license sales include fish stocking, wildlife management, habitat restoration, public hunting leases, river fishing access and Texas Game Wardens.

Outdoorsmen and women can purchase a variety of licenses online through the official TPWD website, by phone at 1-800-895-4248 during regular business hours or in person at more than 1,800 retailers across the state. Anyone planning to buy their license from TPWD’s Austin Headquarters is reminded to make an advance appointment. Appointments may be scheduled up to one week in advance. Call 1-800-262-8755 or 512-389-4828 to schedule.

Brand new for this year, Texas residents can purchase a digital Super Combo license (Items 111, 117 and 990) that will authorize digital tagging of harvested deer, turkey and oversized red drum. The digital license option is available through online purchase only when licenses go on sale Aug. 15. A digital license holder will not receive a printed license or tags but must keep their digital license available while in the field. The license can be viewed through the TPWD Outdoor Annual and My Texas Hunt Harvest (MTHH) mobile apps.

TPWD encourages repeat license buyers to use the expedited checkout process, which speeds up re-purchasing the same license bought in recent years.

Customers can access their past and current licenses in several ways: (1) an electronic photo of your license, (2) an emailed receipt of your purchase; (3) your account in the online license sales system; (4) via License Lookup in the Outdoor Annual app or in the My Texas Hunt Harvest app.

Hunting and fishing regulations for the 2022-23 season are available online at outdoorannual.com, on the Outdoor Annual mobile app. The mobile app is free, and once downloaded, it works without internet connectivity which makes it easy for hunters and anglers to view regulations in even the most remote locations. Other features include license lookup, location-based functionality such as “Hunting Seasons and Regulations by Location,” “Where to Fish,” and more. Thanks to partners at Chevrolet, a limited supply of printed booklets will be available at select TPWD offices. Hunters and anglers are encouraged to call their local offices to check availability.

The My Texas Hunt Harvest app enables electronic submission of mandatory harvest reports, including alligator gar harvest reporting, and new this year, supports digital tagging of harvested deer, turkey, and oversized red drum for certain license holders. The app also allows hunters to complete their on-site registration for many TPWD public hunting lands. Hunters can hunt on more than one million acres of public land with the purchase of an Annual Public Hunting Permit.

When buying their license, resident hunters and anglers may wish to purchase an entry in the Lifetime License Drawing. Three lucky winners will each win a Lifetime Super Combo License and never need to buy a Texas hunting or fishing license again. Entries are $5 each and can be purchased online, by phone or at any license retailer. The first entry deadline is Sept. 30.

When making their purchase, license buyers can also add a donation of $1, $5, $10 or $20 to help support the Hunters for the Hungry program or the Fund for Veterans Assistance. Donations to the Hunters for the Hungry program provide hunters with a way to donate legally harvested deer to participating processors. The processed meat goes to local food banks to feed Texas families in need. Donations to the Fund for Veterans Assistance program provide grants to veteran service organizations and nonprofit charitable institutions, assisting veterans and their families at the community level throughout Texas.

For frequently asked questions about Texas hunting and fishing licenses, visit the TPWD website.