WELCOME HUNTERS: Deer Hunting in Texas!

Opening day of deer season, in Texas, is equal in importance…….well there is nothing in Texas that equals deer season! Every year hunters, from throughout Texas and beyond flock to our county side to hunt Texas’ most important game animal, the white-tail deer. These folks are greeted in small towns with banners stating “Welcome Hunters”. They stock up on supplies at country grocery stores throughout the state. Small diners open early every morning preparing hot breakfasts and coffee for these hunters. White-tailed deer hunting in Texas generates over $1.2 billion annually.

Texas is the second largest state behind Alaska. Land measures 268,597 square miles approximately 7% of the total land in the United States. 95.5% of the land in Texas is privately held. Texas has the greatest concentration of White Tail Deer in the United States with populations exceeding 5,400,00 deer.

The first thing to consider, when planning a hunt, is getting access to private land or finding public land to hunt. Texas requires a hunting license for any person, regardless of age, to hunt any animal, bird, frog, or turtle. With a landowner’s approval coyotes and feral hogs can be hunted on private property.

If you plan to hunt on Texas’s public acres an Annual Public Hunting (APH) permit is required. This permit allows for hunting, fishing, camping, hiking and other recreational use on the one million public acres set aside by the state. Another option is to hire a guide for your hunt offered by many land owners.

White Tail Deer are the most commonly hunted wild game in Texas. Each year there are approximately 500,000 whitetails harvested in the state. There are four varieties in the whitetail family; Texas whitetail which are the most common; Kansas whitetail the largest; Carmen Mountain whitetail; and the Avery Island whitetail the smallest.