Hunting News

Archery only season opens Oct. 1

Archery only season opens Oct. 1

By Texas Parks & Wildlife

Archery-only season for white-tailed deer, mule deer and wild turkey opens Oct. 1 and runs through Nov. 4. Hunters should refer to the Outdoor Annual for specific county regulations and bowhunting-specific regulations including the types of equipment allowed for taking game.

The white-tailed deer forecast indicates harvests numbers will be good this season, with antler quality and body weight average below average due to the dry, hot summer. Now that Texas has had some rain, there's an abundance of native forage, so hunters can expect fewer deer at feeders.

Hunters looking for a new bowhunting area should consider the more than 1 million acres of public hunting lands. The Annual Public Hunting Permit is $48.

Bowhunters must carry the following in the field: Hunter Education Certification, Hunting License, Archery Endorsement. Wild turkey hunters will need an Upland Game Bird Endorsement,

Licenses and endorsements are available at retailers or online.

Mule deer and white-tailed deer hunters need to review current Chronic Wasting Disease(CWD) information. Be sure to check the list of CWD Containment and Surveillance Zones, testing requirements and carcass movement restrictions. Check back over the course of the season, because CWD Zones may be established without prior notice upon discovery of CWD.

New for the 2022-23 Season
Digital tagging of deer and turkey is now an option with select 2022-23 resident Super Combo licenses.

A special archery-only season has been added, and new mandatory harvest reporting is required in Collin, Dallas, Grayson, and Rockwall counties. See the modified definitions of buck and antlerless deer.

There are expanded mule deer antler restrictions to an additional 21 counties in the Panhandle and in Terrell County in the Trans-Pecos.

Hunters can find everything new for hunting in 2022-23 in the Outdoor Annual online or in the free app.

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