A hunting license is required of Texas residents and non-residents who hunt any legal bird or animal. Hunting licenses and stamp endorsements are valid during the period Sept. 1 through the following Aug. 31 of each year, except licenses issued for a specific number of days or time periods.
A hunting license (except the non-resident special hunting license and non-resident 5-day special hunting license) is valid for taking all legal species of wildlife in Texas including deer, turkey, javelina, antelope, aoudad (sheep), and all small game and migratory game birds. Stamp endorsement requirements apply.
Special licenses and tags are required for taking alligators, and a trapper’s license is required to hunt fur-bearing animals.
In addition to a valid hunting license:
— An Upland Game Bird Stamp Endorsement is required to hunt turkey, pheasant, quail, lesser prairie chicken, or chachalaca. Non-residents who purchase the non-resident spring turkey license are exempt from this stamp endorsement requirement.
— A Migratory Game Bird Endorsement and HIP (Harvest Information Program) Certification is required to hunt any migratory game birds, including waterfowl, coot, rail, gallinule, snipe, dove, sandhill crane, and woodcock.
— A valid Federal Duck Stamp is required of waterfowl hunters age 16 or older.
Hunting Leases
Hunting leases are important to the economies of many Texas towns. TPWD has launched the online resource Hunt Texas, to connect landowners and hunters. Through the website, landowners can register their leases and hunters can search by county, game type, length of lease terms, costs, and weapons allowed.
Fishing Licenses
All fishing licenses and stamp endorsements are valid only during the period Sept. 1 through the following Aug. 31, except licenses issued for a specific number of days or time periods. If you own any valid freshwater fishing package, you will be able to purchase a saltwater stamp and also fish saltwater. If you own any valid saltwater fishing package, you will be able to purchase a freshwater stamp and also fish freshwater. An all-water fishing package is available that enables you to fish both fresh and salt water.
Detailed information concerning licenses, stamps, seasons, regulations, and related information can be obtained from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin 78744; (800) 792-1112 or 512-389-4280.
On the web, information from TPWD: tpwd.state.gov/business/licenses/.
Hunting and Fishing Licenses
2013–2014 Season | Volume | Revenue |
Hunting Licenses Fishing Licenses Combined Licenses TOTAL | 554,233 1,345,388 678,297 2,577,918 | $ 25.1 million 36.5 million 34.5 million $ 96.1 million |
2014–2015 Season | Volume | Revenue |
Hunting Licenses Fishing Licenses Combined Licenses TOTAL | 549,977 1,363,787 701,207 2,614,971 | $ 25.5 million 37.0 million 35.9 million $ 98.4 million |
2015–2016 Season | Volume | Revenue |
Hunting Licenses Fishing Licenses Combined Licenses TOTAL | 538,420 1,435,471 727,886 2,701,777 | $ 27.1 million 39.2 million 37.1 million $ 103.4 million |
2016–2017 Season | Volume |
Hunting Licenses | 524,111 |
2017–2018 Season | Volume (estimated) |
Hunting Licenses | 501,116 |
2018–2019 Season | Volume |
Hunting Licenses Fishing Licenses Combined Licenses TOTAL | 477,399 |
2019–2020 Season | Volume (estimated) |
Hunting Licenses Fishing Licenses Combined Licenses TOTAL | 465,331 |
Game Harvest Estimates
The TPWD estimated that hunters harvested the following game:
*Dove, combined includes the following species: Eurasian, mourning, white-tipped, and white-winged.
**Quail, combined includes the following species: bobwhite and scaled.
2011–12 | 2012–13 | 2013–14 | 2014–15 | 2015–16 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
White-tailed deer | 574,810 | 546,360 | 625,577 | 590,271 | 547,655 |
Mule deer | 7,916 | 10,261 | 8,386 | 8,562 | 9,789 |
Mourning dove | 5,833,975 | 6,198,321 | 7,109,110 | 7,636,593 | 6,958,500 |
Bobwhite quail | 257,766 | 141,047 | 220,696 | 562,802 | 944,619 |
Duck | 1,196,247 | 1,408,186 | 1,555,827 | 1,531,116 | 1,177,738 |
Pheasant | 30,607 | 26,067 | 18,686 | 25,963 | 42,104 |
Wild turkey in the fall | 14,927 | 18,784 | 19,086 | 19,631 | 23,853 |
Wild turkey in the spring | 12,033 | 20,522 | 19,966 | 22,340 | 23,281 |
Javelina | 26,174 | 21,225 | 24,472 | 22,776 | 22,717 |