The 2026-27 hunting season has kicked off successfully with the dove opener across Texas on Sept. 1. However, hunters should be aware of regulation changes before entering the field.
Licenses Changes
Updated identity verification rules are now in effect for Texas hunting and fishing license purchases to combat residency fraud and support Texas Parks and Wildlife Department law enforcement. Additional information can be found at the License ID Validation FAQ page or the Purchase Requirements for Licenses, Endorsements and Tags page on the TPWD website.
All recreational licenses and endorsement stamps also have a digital option. The digital license option is available through online purchase only. Digital license holders must keep their digital license available via mobile device while in the field or on the water as they will not receive a printed license or tags. License holders must access and use their digital tags through the Texas Hunt & Fish mobile app. Digital licenses can be viewed through the Texas Hunt & Fish and TPWD Outdoor Annual mobile apps.
Regulation Changes
- “Doe days” expanded in 21 counties from four to 16 days.
- Earlier start for the South Zone Dove regular season.
- Elimination of Special White-winged Dove Days.
- Matagorda and Wharton counties now closed to Wild Turkey hunting.
- Harvest of unbearded Wild Turkey hens now prohibited statewide.
- Definition of muzzleloader modified to allow for use of new muzzleloading technology.
Season Date Changes
Hunters should be aware of several season date changes for the 2026-27 hunting seasons before their first hunt, including:
The regular dove seasons are as follows:
- North Zone: Sept. 1 – Nov. 8, resuming Dec. 18, 2026 – Jan. 7, 2027
- Central Zone: Sept. 1 – Oct. 25, resuming Dec. 11, 2026 – Jan. 14, 2027
- South Zone: Sept. 1 – Oct. 25, resuming Dec. 18, 2026 – Jan. 21, 2027
The expansion of “doe days” in Austin, Bastrop, Caldwell, Colorado, Comal (east of IH 35), DeWitt, Fayette, Goliad (north of U.S. Highway 59), Gonzales, Guadalupe, Hays (east of IH 35), Jackson (north of U.S. Highway 59), Karnes, Lavaca, Lee, Travis (east of IH 35), Victoria (north of U.S. Highway 59), Waller, Washington, Wharton (north of U.S. Highway 59), and Wilson counties will provide hunters with more opportunities to harvest antlerless white-tailed deer.
The expanded doe day season in these counties is:
- Nov. 14 – 29, 2026 (second Saturday of November through the Sunday immediately following Thanksgiving)
The chachalaca season dates have been updated to be the same as quail season Nov. 1 – Feb. 28, 2027.
Turkey Harvest Map:
Turkey hunters have a new tool available this year called the Turkey Harvest App that utilizes mandatory harvest data provided by successful hunters to display county-scale harvest throughout the fall and spring seasons.
New World Screwworm:
New World screwworms (NWS) are parasitic flies that lay eggs in open wounds or mucous membranes of live warm-blooded animals. Hunters are encouraged to be vigilant while out in the field by reporting any animals they might see with suspicious wounds and thoroughly inspect their harvested game for wounds that may contain NWS larvae (maggots). Management of wildlife carcasses that may contain NWS larvae is important. Ensuring that no viable NWS larvae are left on or in the carcass will be of paramount importance to stop the NWS life cycle.
Hunters are encouraged to utilize Texas Animal Health Commission’s interactive NWS Zone Map before they hit the field and can find information about NWS at screwworm.texas.gov .
Additional hunting and fishing regulations, including all season dates, for the 2026-27 season are available online at outdoorannual.com, or via the free Outdoor Annual mobile app. Once downloaded, the app works without internet connectivity, making it easy for hunters and anglers to view regulations in even the most remote locations. Other features include license lookup, location-based functionality such as “Hunting Seasons and Regulations by Location,” “Where to Fish,” and more.
Article source and photo credit: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
