2025 - 2026 Official Rules

1. The 2025 - 2026 Big Time Texas Hunts will include the following guided hunt packages:
   1. Texas Grand Slam (one winner of four separate hunts for big game, with non-hunting companion)
   2. Texas Nilgai Antelope Safari (one winner of a hunt, with one hunting guest)
   3. Texas Exotic Safari (one winner of a hunt for exotics, with one hunting guest)
   4. Texas Whitetail Bonanza (five winners of a hunt for buck white-tailed deer, with each winner permitted to bring one hunting guest)
   5. Trans-Pecos Aoudad Adventure (one winner of hunting in the Chihuahuan Desert with one non-hunting guest)
   6. Texas Big Time Bird Hunt (one winner of three separate hunts for game birds, with three hunting guests on the dove and duck hunts, and one hunting guest on the spring turkey hunt)
   7. Texas Premium Buck Hunt (one winner of a hunt for buck white-tailed deer, with one hunting guest)
   8. Texas Gator Hunt (one winner of a hunt for an alligator, with one hunting guest)
   9. Texas Wild Hog Adventure (one winner of a hunt for feral hog, with up to three hunting guests)
   10. Ultimate Mule Deer Hunt (one winner of a hunt for buck mule deer with one hunting guest)
2. Current employees of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Gordon Darby Inc. and their immediate family members are NOT ELIGIBLE to apply for or win the Big Time Texas Hunts. “Immediate family” is defined as any persons related by kinship, marriage, or adoption that live in the same household, as well as spouses, parents, grandparents, siblings, children, and grandchildren.
3. Must be 17 years of age or older to purchase entries. Hunt participants must be at least 8 years of age or older.
4. Entries are $10 if purchased by mail, phone or at a hunting license retailer, or $9 if purchased online (online and phone purchases require a per transaction administrative fee of $5). Applicants may purchase as many entries and enter as often as they wish.
5. Entries may be purchased by any of the following methods:
   1. Online at www.tpwd.texas.gov/buy
   2. By visiting any of approximately 1,700 retail establishments which sell Texas hunting and fishing licenses.
   3. By calling toll-free 1-800-TX LIC 4 U (1-800-895-4248). You can pay with Discover, Mastercard or Visa; or
   4. Print out the order form (PDF 50.1 KB). Mail check or money order (do not send cash). Include the "type" number of the hunt package(s).
6. Entries may be purchased for others but will require the person's name, address and social security number.
7. It is not necessary to possess a Texas hunting license in order to purchase an entry for the Big Time Texas Hunts; however, a winner will be required to have a valid license to hunt in Texas at the time of the hunt. Winners must abide by all applicable Texas hunting laws and regulations.
8. Deadline for entering is 11:59 PM Central Standard Time (CST) the evening of October 15, 2025. Any entries received after the deadline will automatically be returned to the customer.
9. Winners will be notified within two weeks following the entry deadline. A winner has five (5) business days after notification to accept/claim the hunt package, otherwise it will be offered to the next alternate selected in the drawing.
10. The 5 winners of the Texas Whitetail Bonanza will be contacted after being drawn and will have their choice of available hunt packages.
11. With the Executive Director's approval of a written request, a winner may reassign, but may not sell, the hunt package or a portion thereof to an immediate family member or to a youth 8-16 years of age. Otherwise, the hunts are nontransferable.
12. Hunt dates will be as arranged between Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the hunt provider. The hunts will be conducted as follows:
    1. Texas Grand Slam – mule deer and white-tailed deer hunts will be during the fall and winter of 2025 - 2026; desert bighorn sheep hunt will be during the fall and winter of 2025 - 2026 or as determined by availability of the next harvestable sheep; pronghorn hunt will be during the fall of 2026.
    2. Texas Nilgai Antelope Safari – the hunt will take place during the fall or winter of 2025, or spring of 2026.
    3. Texas Exotic Safari – tentatively scheduled to take place during January or February of 2026.
    4. Texas Whitetail Bonanza – each of the hunts will take place during the fall and winter of 2025 - 2026.
    5. Trans-Pecos Aoudad Adventure – will take place during the fall of 2025 - 2026.
    6. Texas Big Time Bird Hunt – the turkey hunt will be during the spring of 2026; the duck hunt will be held during the fall and winter of 2025 - 2026; the Dove hunt will be held during the fall and winter of 2025 - 2026.
    7. Texas Premium Buck Hunt – the hunt will take place during the fall and winter of 2025 - 2026.
    8. Texas Gator Hunt – the hunts will take place during September 2026.
    9. Texas Wild Hog Adventure – the hunt will take place during on mutually agreeable dates during the 2025 - 2026 license year.
    10. Texas Ultimate Mule Deer Hunt – the hunt will take place during December 2025.
13. Professional guide service, food, lodging, and on-site transportation during the hunts will be provided for all winners and their authorized companions or guests (as specified in item 14).
14. Companion and guest privileges for winners of the hunt packages are restricted to the following:
    1. Texas Grand Slam – winner may bring one non-hunting companion to accompany them on each of the four hunts. The extent to which the companion is allowed to accompany the winner in the field may be restricted at times, as determined by the guide, in order to execute a successful hunt.
    2. Texas Nilgai Antelope Safari – winner may bring one hunting guest who may fully participate in hunting activities.
    3. Texas Exotic Safari – winner may bring one hunting guest to accompany them during the hunt. The hunting guest will be allowed to harvest one management exotic.
    4. Texas Whitetail Bonanza – each winner may bring one hunting guest who may fully participate in hunting activities.
    5. Trans-Pecos Aoudad Adventure – one winner of hunting in the Chihuahuan Desert with one non-hunting guest.
    6. Texas Big Time Bird Hunt – winner may bring up to three hunting guests on the dove and duck hunts, and one hunting guest on the turkey hunt. The hunting guests may fully participate in hunting activities.
    7. Texas Premium Buck Hunt – winner may bring one hunting guest who may fully participate in hunting activities.
    8. Texas Gator Hunt – winner may bring one hunting guest who may fully participate in hunting activities.
    9. Texas Wild Hog Adventure – winner may bring up to three hunting guests who may fully participate in hunting activities.
    10. Texas Ultimate Mule Deer Hunt – winner may bring one hunting guest who may fully participate in hunting activities.
15. Taxidermy service will be provided only for the winner of the Texas Grand Slam (four shoulder mounts) and the winner of the Texas Exotic Safari (two shoulder mounts).
16. Winners and their companions/hunting guests will be responsible for the proper care and transport of edible portions of harvested game from the hunt area back to their place of residence.
17. Winners and their companions/hunting guests are responsible for notifying the Director of Public Hunting at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department at least one week in advance of the start of a scheduled hunt of any known medical condition or disability for which special provisions will be needed.
18. Void where prohibited by law.
19. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department reserves the right to use photographs of the hunt, including those of the hunters, in departmental publications and advertisements.
20. TPWD will pay federal taxes associated with the winner of each drawn hunt for those with a package value required to report to the IRS. Per IRS rules, Big Time Texas Hunt winners will be required to report their winnings as part of their personal tax return. Prize recipients should consult their tax professional for how this will impact their personal tax situation.