Youth-Only2022-2023 Seasons & Regulations

• Only licensed hunters 16 years of age or younger are eligible to participate in youth seasons which generally occur before (or directly after) general hunting seasons.
• Youth-only hunting seasons occur for turkeys, squirrels, white-tailed deer, and waterfowl.
• Youth-only waterfowl season requires the youth to be accompanied by a person 18 years of age or older.
• Special requirements, bag limits, and restrictions may apply for youth-only white-tailed deer hunting seasons.

A Youth Hunting License (Type 169) is valid for the entire license year regardless if the 17th birthdate occurs during the license year. However, ONLY individuals 16 years of age or younger are allowed to participate in Youth-Only seasons.

Purchase a youth hunting license.

• Age Restriction: ONLY licensed hunters 16 years of age or younger are eligible to participate in youth-only deer seasons.
• Youth-only seasons may run concurrently with other seasons (Archery, Muzzleloader, Special Late) but do not prevent any person from lawfully hunting under the provisions established for those seasons.
• Any lawful means may be used, except in Collin, Dallas, Grayson, and Rockwall counties, where lawful means are restricted to lawful archery equipment only.
• Bag limits and any special requirements (e.g. antler restrictions or mandatory harvest reporting) apply for the county in which youth are hunting.
• Youth hunters may harvest any legal buck during youth only season, and antlerless deer during youth-only season in counties where antlerless harvest is allowed at any time during the general season. Find your county for detailed regulations.

(All counties with a fall general season for Rio Grande turkey):

• October Special Youth-Only Season: Firearms are lawful, as well as the applicable archery-only legal means.
• January Special Youth-Only Season: All legal methods are allowed.
• Bag Limit: As specified for the county during the Fall Rio Grande Turkey season. See county listings).
• Youth-Only Spring Season (Rio Grande turkey only): All counties with a 4-Turkey bag limit.

• Special duck, goose, merganser and coot season for youth hunters: Two additional days per zone for youth hunters 16 years of age or younger. Regular season bag limits apply. Dusky ducks are legal during the youth-only season.
• Youth hunters who are not Hunter Education certified must be accompanied by a licensed adult at least 18 years of age who meets the Hunter Education requirements.
• Adults may not hunt ducks, mergansers or coots (except for falconry) but may participate in other open seasons.
• A Federal Ducks Stamp is required for all persons 16 years of age or older.

Squirrel

• September Special Youth-Only Season - 16 years of age and under: In all counties that have an October through February open squirrel season. See county listings.