Hunters in parts of Central and Southeast Texas will have 16 days instead of four to harvest antlerless deer during the general season, as wildlife officials respond to growing deer populations and changing management needs.
Texas deer hunters will have expanded opportunities to harvest antlerless white-tailed deer during the 2026–27 hunting season. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission has approved changes in 21 counties, increasing the traditional four-day doe hunting period to 16 days. The new regulations are intended to help manage increasing deer populations while providing hunters with greater flexibility during the general deer season.
The expanded antlerless hunting period runs from November 14 through November 29, 2026, beginning one week after the November 7 general deer season opener. Previously, hunters in these counties were generally limited to harvesting does with regular hunting license tags during the four days surrounding Thanksgiving.
Which Texas Counties Are Affected?
The new regulations apply to 21 counties, primarily in the Post Oak Savannah region and surrounding parts of Central and Southeast Texas.
The affected counties are Austin, Bastrop, Caldwell, Colorado, Comal (east of Interstate 35), DeWitt, Fayette, Goliad (north of U.S. Highway 59), Gonzales, Guadalupe, Hays (east of Interstate 35), Jackson (north of U.S. Highway 59), Karnes, Lavaca, Lee, Travis (east of Interstate 35), Victoria (north of U.S. Highway 59), Waller, Washington, Wharton (north of U.S. Highway 59), and Wilson.
Hunters should pay particular attention to counties where the new rules apply only on one side of a highway. These boundaries can make a significant difference in determining whether an antlerless deer can legally be harvested.
Why Is Texas Expanding Doe Hunting?
According to TPWD, deer populations have been increasing in the affected deer management units, while antlerless harvests have remained below half of the total deer harvest. This has contributed to an undesirable imbalance between bucks and does in some areas.
Historically, shorter doe hunting periods helped protect reproductive populations in regions with fragmented habitat, smaller properties, and relatively high hunting pressure. However, current population and harvest data suggest that additional antlerless harvest opportunities can now be supported.
Increasing doe harvests can help manage deer densities, reduce pressure on available vegetation, and maintain healthier habitat conditions. The change also gives landowners and hunters more flexibility to manage local deer populations without concentrating their antlerless harvest during Thanksgiving weekend.
What Hunters Need to Know for the 2026–27 Season
Although the new rules provide additional opportunities, they do not eliminate county-specific bag limits, tagging requirements, or other deer hunting regulations.
Texas has a statewide annual limit of five white-tailed deer, no more than three of which may be bucks, but individual county limits can be more restrictive. Hunters must follow the applicable county limits and antler restrictions.
Importantly, all antlerless deer harvested in the 21 affected counties must be reported to TPWD within 24 hours when taken under regular hunting license tags, including during archery, general, muzzleloader, and youth-only seasons. Reporting can be completed through the Texas Hunt & Fish app or online. Different tagging and reporting procedures apply to properties participating in the Managed Lands Deer Program (MLDP).
Hunters should also remember that the expanded 16-day period does not mean antlerless deer can be harvested throughout the entire general season. Outside the designated dates, different restrictions and exceptions may apply depending on the hunting season and property.
Plan Your Texas Deer Hunt With Hunterizer
Texas has some of the most geographically complex deer hunting regulations in the country, with different season dates, county-specific bag limits, antler restrictions, and special rules for antlerless deer. The new 16-day doe hunting period adds another important detail for hunters to consider when planning their trips.
The Hunterizer app helps simplify this process by showing hunters what they can legally hunt at their location on a specific date, along with hunting seasons, zones, legal weapons, bag limits, shooting hours, and other important regulations.
Whether you’re hunting white-tailed deer in Central Texas or pursuing other game species during the fall, Hunterizer can help you understand which seasons are open and which rules apply where you hunt.
