The 2025–26 hunting season is off to a promising start across Texas, particularly for dove hunters enjoying favorable conditions statewide. As the season unfolds, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is introducing several changes that hunters should note before heading into the field.

For the first time, TPWD is offering fully digital licenses for all recreational hunting, fishing, and combination license and tag types. This expanded option aims to streamline access and convenience for outdoor enthusiasts.

Recent legislation has reduced the number of license types for non-resident hunters from five to two:

• The Non-resident General Hunting license now covers all legal game species including deer, turkey, pronghorn, and alligator.
• The Non-resident Special 5-Day Small Game/Exotic Hunting license applies to exotic species, small game birds (excluding wild turkey), and other non-game or fur-bearing animals for short-term hunts.

Hunters should be aware of several regulatory updates:

• IH35E now defines the wild turkey zone boundary in Hill County.
• Lubbock County is newly open to wild turkey hunting under North Zone rules.
• The daily bag limit for northern pintails has increased across all duck zones.

Key shifts in hunting dates include:

• Mule Deer (Archery Only): Begins Sept. 27 in Panhandle and Trans-Pecos regions.
• Mule Deer (General Season): Starts Nov. 22 in the Panhandle and Nov. 28 in Trans-Pecos and select counties.
• Quail Season: Runs statewide from Nov. 1, 2025, to Feb. 28, 2026.
• Teal Season: Shortened to Sept. 20–28 statewide.

All updated regulations and season dates are available at OutdoorAnnual.com or through the free Outdoor Annual mobile app. The app functions offline and includes features like license lookup and location-based hunting and fishing information.