White-tailed Deer2025-2026 Seasons & Regulations

Statewide Bag Limits

Bag limits are established by county. No person may exceed the annual bag limit of five white-tailed deer, no more than three of which may be bucks. The annual bag limit does not apply on MLDP properties.

Find your county to view specific limits.

Mandatory Harvest Reporting for White-tailed Deer

White-tailed deer harvested and tagged with a hunting license tag in the counties listed below during any open season (archery, general muzzleloader, and youth) must be reported within 24 hours of harvest via the “Texas Hunt & Fish” mobile application or online version.

• Report using the “Texas Hunt & Fish” mobile app (for iOS and Android), or
• Report online in your web browser

Counties with mandatory buck and antlerless deer harvest reporting: Collin, Dallas, Grayson, Rockwall.

Counties with mandatory antlerless deer harvest reporting: Austin, Bastrop, Caldwell, Colorado, Comal (East of I-35), De Witt, Fayette, Goliad (North of US 59), Gonzales, Guadalupe, Hays (East of I-35), Jackson (north of US 59), Karnes, Lavaca, Lee, Travis (East of I-35), Victoria (North of US 59), Waller, Washington, Wharton (North of US 59), and Wilson.

Definition of Buck Deer

A deer with an antler point protruding through the skin, or with antler growth in velvet greater than one inch. For tagging purposes, all other deer are antlerless deer, regardless of sex.

Special Antler Restrictions

Antler restrictions apply in certain counties. In these counties, the bag limit is two legal bucks, but only one may have 2 branched antlers and an inside spread of 13 inches or greater. In these counties, a legal buck deer is defined as a buck deer with:

• at least one unbranched antler; or
• an inside spread of 13 inches or greater (unbranched antlered bucks may be of any width and do not count against the limit of ONE buck 13” or greater).

It is unlawful to take more than one buck with an inside spread of 13 inches or greater or with two branched antlers in a single county. A person who takes a buck in violation of the antler restriction regulation is prohibited from harvesting any buck deer with branched antlers on both main beams in that county during that hunting season.

The distance from the tip of one ear to the tip of the other ear, when the ears are in the “alert” position may be used as a guide to help estimate the inside spread. If the inside spread extends past the ears, it is likely to be at least 13 inches.

Find your county to determine if there are antler restrictions.

Determining Inside Spread

To determine if a buck has an inside spread measurement of at least 13 inches, look at the distance from ear-tip to ear-tip on a buck with ears in the "alert" position.

Definition of a Point

A projection that extends at least one inch from the edge of a main beam or another tine. The tip of the main beam is also a point.

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)

CWD is a fatal disease that has been discovered in white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, and red deer in localized portions of Texas.

TPWD offers voluntary CWD check stations for those hunters who wish to voluntarily test their harvest. When you submit your harvest for testing, you help biologists gather data to better understand and manage CWD spread.

For the latest updates, visit the CWD information page.

Please report any symptomatic CWD-susceptible species to your local Texas Game Wardens or a Wildlife Biologist.

Tagging a Deer

Hunters in possession of a digital license and tags should refer to Digital Licenses and Tagging for tagging instructions.

A tag from the hunting license of the person who killed the deer must be correctly and legibly completed (including name of property and county) and immediately attached to the animal (exception is properties with special-issued tags such as MLDP tags).

See how to properly tag a deer.

Special Late Season

In counties with a Special Late Season, harvest is restricted to antlerless and unbranched antlered deer (a buck with at least one antler that has no more than one point). A point is a projection that extends at least one inch from the edge of a main beam or another tine. The tip of the main beam is also a point.

Find your county for detailed regulations.

Youth-Only Seasons

Only licensed hunters 16 years of age or younger are eligible to participate in youth-only deer seasons.

See Youth-Only Hunting Regulations

Find your County for Youth-Only Hunting Seasons

White-tailed Deer Hunting Zone Map

Restricted Areas in Counties & Federal Lands

It is the responsibility of the hunter to be aware of unlawful means and methods in specific county areas and applicable regulations on federal lands.

See Restricted Areas in Counties & Hunting on Federal Lands

Related Hunting Regulations

After Killing a Deer

Proof of Sex

Processing in Camp

Cold Storage, Processing and Taxidermy

Chronic Wasting Disease

Transfer & Importation of Wildlife

Restricted Areas in Counties