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Texas Deer Hunting Rules to Abide By
from:In Texas, deer hunting is a favored sport and a way of life for many, especially when concerned with whitetail deer. While mule deer are also available, whitetail are plentiful throughout the south and especially in Texas, and hunters merely need to be aware of various regulations that will affect their ability to participate in Texas deer hunting.
First of all, Texas deer hunting regulations do not allow any type of fully automatic weapons. Rimfire ammunition, regardless of the caliber, is also forbidden. While hunting season opening and closing dates vary minimally based on the region of the state, regulations upheld during open season are the same throughout. All open hunting dates require that no firearms be discharged prior to half an hour before sunrise or after the close of the day at half an hour past sunset. Such Texas deer hunting regulations are set to protect hunters from friendly fire in lighting that is insufficient for recognition. Also, hunters in motion on the ground must have a certain amount of orange designation that will not camouflage into the environment. Check state regulations for exact requirements.
There are various Texas deer hunting areas that are considered public, but in order to hunt in these locations, a permit must be held. Also, there are many public areas in which hunting is not allowed. For example, no hunting is allowed in state or federal parks or refuges, nor in wildlife sanctuaries, on public roads, or propagation or nesting areas. Some counties also have restrictions regarding firearm possession and discharge, so you will need to be aware which counties do not allow hunting (some even prevent the use of a crossbow or bow and arrow, especially in state-owned areas).
When harvesting deer, Texas deer hunting regulations do not require that you log mule deer, and you do not have to log whitetails taken with special permits (MLD permits, etc). However, in the wild, you must log every whitetail deer upon completing the kill on the reverse side of the hunting license for reporting purposes. Any kills not logged can result in fines up to $500 apiece.
Be sure to check size regulations set forth by any county for Texas deer hunting. Some areas require that the harvest measure a certain size between antlers in order to take a buck or, at best, in order to be considered a trophy.
In regards to Texas deer hunting seasons, they vary depending on deer type and region, but for the most part, the season will run from mid November to the early part or middle of December, with a few special circumstances stretching beyond in both directions.