What is New for Hunting Season 2025-26?

AUSTIN, TX — The 2025-26 hunting season has kicked off with a great start to dove season for hunters across the state. However, hunters should be aware of changes before entering the field.

Expanded Digital License Options

Starting this season, hunters have new options for digital licenses. For the first time, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) will offer fully digital license options for all recreational hunting, fishing and combo license and tag types, as explained in this new how-to video.

Changes for Non-Resident Hunters

Legislation passed this spring simplified license options for non-resident hunters from five license options to two. Non-resident hunters hoping to harvest any legal bird or game animal, including alligator, wild turkey, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, mule deer and white-tailed deer, will need to purchase a Non-resident General Hunting license.  Non-resident hunters who plan on targeting exotic animals, small game birds (except wild turkey), non-game animals, fur-bearing animals, squirrel and javelina for five or less days will need to purchase a Non-resident Special 5-Day Small Game/Exotic Hunting license.

Regulation Changes

Some additional changes for this next hunting season include:

• For wild turkeys in Hill County, IH35E now serves as the zone boundary line.

• Lubbock County is now open to wild turkey hunting with North Zone regulations.

• Increase in daily bag limit for northern pintails in all duck zones.

Season Date Changes

Hunters should be aware of several season date changes for the 2025-26 hunting seasons before their first hunt including:

• Expansion of archery mule deer seasons in both the Panhandle and Trans Pecos.
• New quail hunting season dates.
• Reduction in days to September teal season.

Mule deer season:

• Archery Only Season:
  • Panhandle: Sept. 27 – Nov. 21
  • Trans-Pecos: Sept. 27 – Nov. 27
  • Brewster, Pecos and Terrell counties:  Sept. 27 – Nov. 27
• General Season:
  • Panhandle: Nov. 22 – Dec. 7
  • Tran-Pecos: Nov. 28 – Dec. 14
  • Brewster, Pecos and Terrell Counties: Nov. 28 – Dec. 14

Quail season:

• New statewide dates:

Nov. 1, 2025 – Feb. 28, 2026. 

Migratory game bird season:

• Teal:
  • Days reduced from previous year
    • Statewide: Sept. 20 – 28

Additional hunting and fishing regulations, including all season dates, for the 2025-26 season are available online at outdoorannual.com, or via the free Outdoor Annual mobile app. Once downloaded, the app works without internet connectivity, making 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.