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Outdoor Annual Texas Hunting and Fishing Regulations
Outdoor Annual 〉 Hunting 〉 Seasons by County 〉 Sterling

Sterling County Seat: Sterling City

Alligator

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Species Info
Non-core
General Season Apr. 1 - June 30, 2018

Bag Limit 1 per person per year

Dove

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Species Info Migratory Game Bird Endorsement & HIP Certification Required
Central Zone
Zone Map
Regular Season Sept. 1 - Nov. 5, 2017
Dec. 15, 2017 - Jan. 7, 2018

Daily Limit 15 white-winged, mourning and white-tipped doves in the aggregate, to include no more than 2 white-tipped
Possession Limit Three times the daily bag limit
Falconry Nov. 18 - Dec. 4, 2017

Daily Bag Limit 3 in the aggregate
Possession Limit Three times the daily bag limit

Duck

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Species Info Migratory Game Bird Endorsement & HIP Certification Required
High Plains Mallard Management Unit
Zone Map
Duck Daily Bag Limit with Gun 6 in the aggregate. Including no more than: 5 mallards (only two may be hens), 3 wood ducks, 3 scaup, 2 redheads, 1 pintail, 2 canvasback, and 1 "dusky" duck (Mottled duck, Mexican like duck, black duck and their hybrids). For all other species not listed, the bag limit shall be 6. The season for "dusky" ducks is closed the first five days of the season in each zone.
Merganser Daily Bag Limit 5 in the aggregate, to include no more than 2 hooded mergansers.
Coot Daily Bag Limit 15 birds
Possession Limit with Gun Three times the daily bag limit
Youth-Only Oct. 21 - 22, 2017

Regular Season Oct. 28 - 29, 2017
Nov. 3, 2017 - Jan. 28, 2018

"Dusky" Duck Nov. 6, 2017 - Jan. 28, 2018

Goose

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Species Info Migratory Game Bird Endorsement & HIP Certification Required
West Zone
Zone Map
Daily Bag Limit 5 dark geese, to include no more than two white-fronted geese, 20 light geese in the aggregate.
Possession Limit Dark geese three times the daily bag limit. Light geese no possession limit.
Light and Dark Geese Nov. 4, 2017 - Feb. 4, 2018

Light Geese (Conservation Order) Feb. 5 - Mar. 18, 2018

Light Geese (Conservation Order) Only No bag limit, no possession limit.

Javelina

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Species Info
Northern
Regular Season Oct. 1, 2017 - Feb. 25, 2018

Bag Limit 2 per license year.
Possession Limit 2

Pronghorn

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Species Info Permit Required
Bag Limit 1 by permit only, except on properties within the experimental pronghorn areas.
Regular Season Sept. 30 - Oct. 8, 2017

Quail

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Species Info Upland Game Bird Endorsement Required
Statewide
Regular Season Oct. 28, 2017 - Feb. 25, 2018

Daily Bag Limit 15
Possession Limit 45
Mearns' (Montezuma) Quail No open season.

Rabbits and Hares

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Species Info
Statewide
Regular Season

No closed season

Bag Limit None

Rails, Gallinules and Moorhens

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Species Info Migratory Game Bird Endorsement & HIP Certification Required
Statewide
Regular Season Sept. 9 - 24, 2017
Nov. 4 - Dec. 27, 2017

Daily Bag Limit 15 King and Clapper Rails in the aggregate. 25 Sora and Virginia Rails in the aggregate.
Possession Limit Three times the daily bag limit
Falconry Jan. 29 - Feb. 12, 2018

Daily Bag Limit 3 in the aggregate
Possession Limit Three times the daily bag limit

Sandhill Crane

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Species Info Migratory Game Bird Endorsement, Federal Sandhill Crane Permit & HIP Certification Required
Zone A
Zone Map
Regular Season Oct. 28, 2017 - Jan. 28, 2018

Daily Bag Limit 3
Possession Limit 9

Squirrel

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Species Info
Year-round Season - No bag limit
General Season Sept. 1, 2017 - Aug. 31, 2018

Teal

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Species Info Migratory Game Bird Endorsement & HIP Certification Required
Statewide
September Teal Only Season Sept. 9 - 24, 2017

Daily Bag Limit 6 in the aggregate
Possession Limit Three times the daily bag limit

Turkey

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Species Info Upland Game Bird Endorsement Required
Fall

North Zone

Bag Composition Either sex
Bag Limit The annual bag limit for turkey, in the aggregate for all counties, is four (4), no more than one of which may be an Eastern turkey.
Archery Only Sept. 30 - Nov. 3, 2017

Youth-Only Oct. 28 - 29, 2017
Jan. 8 - 21, 2018

Fall Season Nov. 4, 2017 - Jan. 7, 2018

Bag Limit The annual bag limit for turkey, in the aggregate for all counties, is four (4), no more than one of which may be an Eastern turkey.
Spring

Rio Grande - North Zone

Bag Composition Gobblers or Bearded Hens
Bag Limit The annual bag limit for turkey, in the aggregate for all counties, is four (4), no more than one of which may be an Eastern turkey.
Youth-Only Mar. 24 - 25, 2018
May 19 - 20, 2018

Spring Season Mar. 31 - May 13, 2018

White-tailed Deer

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Species Info Archery Endorsement Required for Archery Hunting
North Zone
Bag Limit 5 deer, no more than 2 bucks, all seasons combined.
MLDP If MLDP buck tags have been issued for a property, harvest is by MLDP tag only and all bucks must be tagged with a MLDP tag. If MLDP antlerless tags have been issued for a property, harvest is by MLDP tag only and all antlerless deer must be tagged with a MLDP antlerless tag. The landowner or designated agent are responsible for providing MLDP tags to the hunters on MLDP properties.
Archery Only Sept. 30 - Nov. 3, 2017

General Season Nov. 4, 2017 - Jan. 7, 2018

Youth-Only
Early Youth-Only Season Oct. 28 - 29, 2017
Late Youth-Only Season Jan. 8 - 21, 2018

Special Late Jan. 8 - 21, 2018

Special Late Season During the Special Late Season, harvest is restricted to antlerless deer and unbranched antlered bucks. An unbranched antlered buck is any buck deer with an antler having no more than one point.

Wilson's Snipe (Common Snipe or Jacksnipe)

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Species Info Migratory Game Bird Endorsement & HIP Certification Required
Statewide
Regular Season Oct. 28, 2017 - Feb. 11, 2018

Daily Bag Limit 8
Possession Limit Three times the daily bag limit

Woodcock

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Species Info Migratory Game Bird Endorsement & HIP Certification Required
Statewide
Regular Season Dec. 18, 2017 - Jan. 31, 2018

Daily Bag Limit 3
Possession Limit Three times the daily bag limit
Falconry Jan. 29 - Feb. 12, 2018

Daily Bag Limit 3
Possession Limit Three times the daily bag limit