Deer Season is Here!

SAN ANGELO – Deer season began in Texas Saturday, Nov. 4. and cooler weather has arrived in parts of the state just ahead of the most promising white-tailed deer season of the past few years. 

According to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept., improved habitat brought on by spring rains is expected to translate into robust deer populations. Above-average antler quality is also expected due to reduced harvest numbers last season and benefits of the spring bounty.

White-tailed deer season opens Nov. 4 in both the North and South Zones.

Wild turkey season opens Nov. 4 in both the North and South Zones.

Mule deer season starts Nov. 18 in the Panhandle, Nov. 24 in the Trans-Pecos region.

“Overall, the 2023-24 deer hunting season is expected to be good in terms of harvest numbers and opportunities, so don’t let the chance to spend time afield with family, friends and fellow hunters pass you by,” said TPWD White-tailed Deer Program Leader Blaise Korzekwa.

The 3 top areas for white-tails this season are: 

Edwards Plateau, which has the highest deer population in Texas.
South Texas Plains, known for mature bucks and above-average antler quality. 
Cross Timbers Region, with the second-highest deer population.

Get forecasts for all 6 regions of the state in our press release Texas Deer Population Forecasted to Rebound from Drought Conditions. 

What You Need to Know: 

You must carry:

• Hunting license .
• Proof of Hunter Ed
• For wild turkey hunters: Upland Game Bird Endorsement
• For bowhunters: Archery Endorsement

You should also:

• Correctly log and tag your harvest whether deer or wild turkey. 
• Refer to the Outdoor Annual for county-specific regulations.
• Bring any deer harvested in a CWD Zone to a CWD check station within 48 hours for testing. Additional CWD Zones may be established at any time.
• Be aware mandatory harvest reporting for buck and antlerless deer remains in effect in Collin, Dallas, Grayson, and Rockwall counties, and for antlerless deer in 21 counties in South Central Texas.

NEW this year:

Several digital licenses that authorize digital tagging of deer and turkey are now available online. These include Youth Hunting, Lifetime Hunting tags, Super Combo, Senior Super Combo and Lifetime Combo Tags. 

Good luck this fall, and enjoy your time hunting with friends and family.