Public Input Sought on Proposed Texas Hunting Regulation Changes for 2025-26

AUSTIN, TX — Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is accepting public comment until March 27 for the following proposed changes to the 2025-26 Statewide Hunting and Migratory Game Bird proclamations:

Migratory Game Bird Regulations

• Increase the daily bag limit of pintails from one to three in all duck zones.
• Reduce the early teal season from 16 to nine days in all duck zones.
• Extend the regular season length in the High Plains Mallard Management Unit by seven days.
• Reduce special white-winged dove days from six to five days.
• Reduce rail and gallinule season to nine days in September to match early teal and move seven days to the end of the season.
• Extend the falconry seasons by six days for select migratory game birds.
• Allow for calendar progression for all other migratory game bird hunting season dates.

Upland Game Bird Regulations

• Clarify Hill County zone boundaries for wild turkey hunting seasons.
• Open Lubbock County to wild turkey hunting season consistent with the North Zone.
• Extend statewide quail hunting season to the last day in February.
• Make conforming changes regarding the issuance of recreational hunting licenses, stamp endorsements, and selected permits as digital products.

Big Game Regulations

• Expand the archery season for mule deer from the Saturday closest to Sept. 30 to the day prior to the opening of general mule deer seasons.
• Modify Managed Lands Deer Program rules to allow the harvest of mule deer with any legal means from the Saturday closest to September 30 through the last Sunday in January.
• Make conforming changes regarding the issuance of recreational hunting licenses, stamp endorsements, and selected permits as digital products.

Additional details on the proposed regulation changes can be found on the public commentpage and in the Texas Register.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Commissioners will consider public input before taking action at its March 27 public hearing. Comments on each of the changes can be provided on the TPWD public comment page through 5 p.m. March 26.

For comments regarding the Migratory Game Bird Proclamation, wild turkey or quail, contact Shaun Oldenburger, [email protected].gov .

For comments regarding big game hunting, contact Shawn Gray, [email protected] .

Those wishing to provide public testimony must pre-register to speak. Public testimony is normally limited to three minutes per person.