Hunting In Texas? Better Know The New Laws

Before you clean the guns, change your "D" loops or start any other prep work for hunting in Texas this year, you should know these new laws.

There are a bunch of new laws on the books for the 2024 - 2025 hunting season, including new bag limits, some new turkey laws enacted with kids in mind and changes to when the seasons actually start and end.

The Texas Parks And Wildlife Department announced all the new laws and changes last week and there's a bunch of 'em.

Some of the changes with regard to WHEN a season is in effect include extending the light geese season by 19 days in the eastern zone. Other seasonal changes include:

• Expand youth-only seasons in the fall to include Friday for white-tailed deer, squirrels and wild turkeys to allow greater hunting opportunity for youth.
• Close the spring-only hunting season for wild turkeys south of Highway 82 in Fannin, Lamar, Red River and Bowie counties due to ongoing wild turkey restoration by TPWD, NWTF and landowners.
• Change desert bighorn sheep hunting season from Sept. 1 – July 31 to Nov. 15 – Sept. 30 to allow for safer flying conditions during TPWD aerial surveys.
• Expand doe days in 43 counties in the Post Oak Savannah and Pineywoods ecoregions to better manage white-tailed deer populations.
• Expand doe days in 43 counties in the Post Oak Savannah and Pineywoods ecoregions to better manage white-tailed deer populations.

There are changes to bag limits and other things too. You can read the full list of changes here. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Outdoor Annual is also a good source to keep up with things.