It goes without saying that hunting is big in Northeast Texas. Hunters of all ages and backgrounds look forward to their favorite hunting seasons with prized mounts and racks on their sights, and maybe more important this year, meat in the freezer.
As this Texas heatwave begins to taper off at the beginning of September, hunting seasons will fire off and the sounds of gunshots in the distance will be commonplace around the area.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has added a few things this year to maybe make your hunting season both more productive, and a little easier.
Some new things added by the TWPD include extended mule deer seasons from 9 to 16 days in counties across the Panhandle, a special mule deer archery season, a special season for hunting waterfowl for veterans and active duty military, plus a digital tagging option for deer and turkey.
The TWPD also has a mobile app now that can be downloaded to almost any smartphone. The mobile app has up to date information that allows the hunter to access things like license and Hunter Education certification,as well as, the regulations for individual game seasons. The app even works without internet access once it is download, allowing hunters to use it whether they are in a duck blind in the middle of a marsh or high up in a tree waiting for that 10-point buck.
The TWPD has published a list of the various hunting seasons now and a variety of those seasons are listed below.
Game animals
Javelina
North Zone: Oct. 1 – Feb. 26
South Zone: Sept. 1 – Aug. 31
Mule Deer
General Season
Panhandle: Nov. 19, 2022 – Dec. 4, 2022
Trans-Pecos: Nov. 25, 2022 – Dec. 11, 2022
Archery Season
59 of 254 counties: Oct. 1, 2022 – Nov. 4, 2022
Pronghorn
41 of 254 counties: Oct. 1-16, 2022
Squirrel
East Texas: Oct. 1, 2022 – Feb. 26, 2023 and May 1-31, 2023
Other open counties: Sept. 1, 2022 – Aug. 31, 2023
Youth-Only East Texas: Sept. 24 – 25, 2022
White-tailed Deer
General Season
North Zone: Nov. 5, 2022 – Jan. 1, 2023
South Zone: Nov. 5, 2022 – Jan. 15, 2023
Special Late Season
North Zone: Jan. 2 – 15, 2023
South Zone: Jan. 16 – 29, 2023
Youth-Only Seasons
North Zone: Oct 29-30, 2022 and Jan. 2-15, 2023
South Zone: Oct. 29-30, 2022 and Jan. 2-15, 2023
Archery Season
Oct. 1 – Nov. 4, 2022
Muzzleloader-Only Season
Jan. 2-15, 2023
Upland Game Birds
Pheasant
Panhandle: Dec. 3, 2022 – Jan. 1, 2023
Quail
Oct. 29, 2022 – Feb. 26, 2023
Rio Grande Turkey
Fall
North Zone: Nov. 5, 2022 – Jan. 1, 2023
South Zone: Nov. 5, 2022 – Jan. 15, 2023
Brooks, Kenedy, Kleberg and Willacy counties: Nov. 5, 2022 – Feb. 26, 2023
Archery-Only: Oct. 1, – Nov. 4, 2022
Fall Youth-Only
North: Oct. 29-30, 2022 and Jan. 2-15, 2023
South: Oct. 29-30, 2022 and Jan. 16-29, 2023
Spring
North: April 1 – May 14, 2023
South: March 18 – April 30, 2023
One-turkey counties: April 1-30, 2023
Spring Youth-Only:
North: March 25-26, 2023 and May 20-21, 2023
South: March 11-12, 2023 and May 6-7, 2023
Eastern Turkey
Spring Season
East Texas: April 22 – May 14, 2023
Migratory Game Birds
Dove
North Zone
Sept. 1—Nov. 13, 2022 and Dec. 17, 2022 – Jan. 1, 2023
Central Zone
Sept. 1 – Oct. 30, 2022 and Dec. 17, 2022 – Jan. 15, 2023
South Zone
Sept. 14 – Oct. 30, 2022 and Dec. 17, 2022 – Jan. 22, 2023
Additional days for Special White-winged Dove season:
Sept. 2-4, 2022 and Sept. 9-11, 2022 (special regulations apply)
Duck
Regular Season
High Plains Mallard Management Unit: Oct. 29-30, 2022 and Nov. 4, 2022 – Jan. 29, 2023
North: Nov. 12 – 27, 2022 and Dec. 3, 2022 – Jan 29, 2023
South: Nov. 5-27, 2022 and Dec. 10, 2022 – Jan. 29, 2023
Youth and Veterans
High Plains Mallard Management Unit: Oct. 22-23, 2022
North: Nov. 5–6, 2022
South: Oct. 29-30, 2022
Goose
Early Canada Goose
East Zone: Sept. 10-25, 2022
Light and Dark Geese
East Zone: Nov. 5, 2022 – Jan. 29, 2023
West Zone: Nov. 5, 2022 – Feb. 5, 2023
Light Goose Conservation Order
East Zone: Jan. 30 – March 12, 2023
West Zone: Feb. 6 – March 12, 2023
For more information on general hunting rules and regulations, visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website found at tpwd.texas.gov