Texas Hunting License 2026: Cost, Super Combo & NR

Texas operates on a September 1 through August 31 license year — one of the few states with a late-summer renewal date. The most significant feature of Texas hunting licensing is that deer and turkey harvest are included with the base hunting license at no extra tag cost. This stands in sharp contrast to most states where deer tags cost an additional $25–$600. A Texas resident General Hunting License ($25) includes the right to harvest up to 5 deer and 4 turkey annually. The $315 Non-Resident General Hunting License provides the same privileges for out-of-state hunters without a separate draw or tag purchase.

The Texas Super Combo ($68 resident / $314 NR equivalent) is the state's all-inclusive package, bundling the hunting license with freshwater fishing, saltwater fishing, and all 5 state endorsements: Archery, Migratory Game Bird, Upland Game Bird, Freshwater, and Saltwater. Without the Super Combo, each endorsement costs $7 additional. For resident hunters who also fish, the Super Combo at $68 represents exceptional value. Seniors 65+ get the full Super Combo at exactly half price ($32). Disabled veterans with 50%+ service-connected disability receive the Super Combo free. Active duty military stationed in Texas pay resident rates regardless of home state.

Texas supports digital harvest reporting through the Texas Hunt & Fish app, but digital does not mean no field documentation. Digital license holders must execute the digital tag and attach the required physical handwritten document to a deer or turkey carcass. Printed license holders still follow the license tag and harvest log rules. Hunter education is required for anyone born on or after September 2, 1971 and can be completed free online, with a mandatory in-person field day.

Texas supports a very large white-tailed deer herd across most counties, but season dates, antler restrictions, and local rules still vary by county. The general deer season runs November 1 through January 4 (North Zone) or January 18 (South Zone), with South Texas managed ranches often operating under more intensive deer management plans.

The Managed Lands Deer (MLD) program is central to Texas deer management. Landowners enrolled in TPWD-approved wildlife management plans receive MLD permits that can allow extended season dates, additional antlerless harvest, and more flexible antler restrictions. MLD tags are issued directly to landowners and distributed to hunters, so visiting hunters should confirm property-specific permit terms instead of relying only on county-level antler restrictions.

CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease) has been detected in multiple Texas regions, and TPWD manages the risk with Containment and Surveillance Zones that can carry mandatory sampling and carcass movement rules. Do not assume a statewide rule from one county: check the current CWD zone map before moving a carcass or planning processor/taxidermy logistics. Feral hog hunting requires no separate permit — the state's feral pigs can be hunted year-round with any legal weapon, no bag limit, day or night on private land. Resident landowners and their agents can hunt hogs on their own property without any license at all.

Texas spring turkey is managed across three distinct zones with staggered opening dates. The South Zone opens March 14 (the earliest spring turkey season opener in the eastern US), the North Zone March 28, and the East Zone (East Texas pinelands) April 22. Season length runs approximately 6 weeks in each zone. Non-residents can purchase the $126 Non-Resident Spring Turkey License (after February 1) as an alternative to the full $315 general license — a significant savings for turkey-focused visitors. No separate turkey tag is required in addition to the hunting license. The state's Eastern, Rio Grande, and Merriam's turkey populations offer three subspecies in different regions.

Texas dove hunting is managed by zone, with the South Zone early season opener listed here as September 14. Daily bag limit is 15 mourning, white-winged, and white-tipped doves combined. The Migratory Game Bird Endorsement ($7, included in Super Combo) and HIP certification are required for dove hunting. White-winged doves have expanded their range in Texas over the past two decades and can be a meaningful part of the early season harvest in South Texas border counties.

Waterfowl hunting in Texas centers on the Central Flyway. The Gulf Coast and South Texas coast provide teal, pintail, and diving duck opportunities, but season structure and limits still need to be checked against the current TPWD and federal waterfowl frameworks. The South Zone general season runs November 8 through January 26. The Federal Duck Stamp ($25), Texas Migratory Game Bird Endorsement, and HIP certification are required where applicable; the Federal stamp is NOT included in the Super Combo. For public land access, the Annual Public Hunting (APH) Permit ($48) is required for hunting on TPWD-managed Wildlife Management Areas.