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2026-27 Outdoor Annual
Desert Bighorn Sheep Hunting in Texas
Desert bighorn sheep are hunted in Texas only by permit; TPWD lists no county season or dates, and each permit sets its own. From the zone calendar to drawn hunts, the desert bighorn rules for 2026-27 in one place.
Photo: Buck Valley Ranch (CC BY 2.0)
Desert bighorn permits go to landowners, and TPWD also offers bighorn through Big Time Texas Hunts and public hunts. Ram skulls from desert bighorn taken after Sept. 1, 2003 must be plugged by TPWD or proven to have been taken outside Texas. None of the 317 public areas in our list names desert bighorn among its huntable game.
Desert Bighorn Sheep in brief
- Permits to landowners plus Big Time Texas Hunts and public hunts.
- Ram skulls taken after Sept. 1, 2003 must be plugged by TPWD.
Desert Bighorn Sheep season dates, 2026-27
Sheep hunters get 1 season row in 2026-27; day counts include the opening and closing dates.
| Zone | Segment | Opens | Closes | Days | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| permit properties and drawn/BTTH hunts | Permit only | Set by permit |
Dates from the TPWD Outdoor Annual 2026-27 (species page), checked October 11, 2026.
Desert Bighorn Sheep limits in Texas
The figures below are the 2026-27 desert bighorn limits as TPWD prints them.
TPWD limit: desert bighorn sheep
Permit only.
Where desert bighorn may be taken
TPWD sets desert bighorn hunts permit by permit rather than by zone.
Desert Bighorn Sheep licenses, hours and methods
Rules for desert bighorn from TPWD, with prices as listed on October 11, 2026.
License list
What sheep hunters buy before the first hunt, at TPWD prices.
Daily hours
The desert bighorn day starts a half hour before sunrise and ends a half hour after sundown.
Blaze orange
Sheep hunters are exempt from hunter orange on TPWD public hunting lands, and it is only recommended on private land.
Course requirement
Hunter education ($15 in person) applies to sheep hunters born Sept. 2, 1971 or later; veterans, active duty and peace officers are exempt.
Desert bighorn without consent
Killing a desert bighorn sheep without landowner consent is a state jail felony with automatic license revocation.
Bighorn cartridges
Rimfire ammunition is not legal for desert bighorn sheep.
Nonresident bighorn hunters
Only the Non-resident General Hunting License is valid for bighorn sheep.
Selling bighorn parts
Hair, hide, horns, skull and other parts of a lawfully taken bighorn may be sold, under the wildlife parts rule.
Record entries
The Texas Big Game Awards, run by TPWD and the Texas Wildlife Association, score native, wild desert bighorn; entries are postmarked by March 1 after the season.
No regional minimum for desert bighorn appears in the 2025-26 rules extract.
From the TPWD Outdoor Annual general regulations, license and species pages (endorsements, hunting regulations), checked October 11, 2026. All Texas hunting laws · License guide.
Public land and desert bighorn
Public land listings do not include desert bighorn.
Desert Bighorn Sheep in the TPWD drawing
Drawn hunts are how many sheep hunters reach WMAs, refuges and private leases; 0 categories cover desert bighorn.
Premium packages
Entries for desert bighorn go toward Texas Grand Slam (desert bighorn sheep, white-tailed deer, pronghorn, desert mule deer).
A drawn desert bighorn permit costs an adult $80 (2 to 3 days) or $130 (4 to 5 days) after a $3 application; youth pay nothing. Big Time entries for desert bighorn are $9 online or $10 at a retailer, unlimited, with no license needed, and close Oct. 15, 2026.
TPWD Public Hunt Drawing catalog, fees and deadlines (drawing) and Big Time Texas Hunts (BTTH), checked October 11, 2026. Texas drawn hunts.
Desert Bighorn Sheep country: what goes in the truck
Items matched to the species listed for this place.
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Asked about desert bighorn
How can an ordinary hunter draw a Texas desert bighorn?
Through Big Time Texas Hunts. The Texas Grand Slam package includes a desert bighorn sheep, and entries cost $9 online or $10 at a retailer with no license needed to enter.
Does a desert bighorn count for the Texas Big Game Awards?
Yes. Desert bighorn sheep are one of the scored categories in the TPWD and Texas Wildlife Association program.
What happens to a bighorn ram skull?
Permit only; ram skulls obtained after Sept. 1, 2003 must be plugged by TPWD or proven taken outside Texas.
What does it cost to hunt desert bighorn in Texas?
Buy, as applies to desert bighorn: Resident license ($25); Nonresident general ($315).
How late can I shoot desert bighorn?
The desert bighorn day starts a half hour before sunrise and ends a half hour after sundown.
Must I wear hunter orange for desert bighorn on public land?
Sheep hunters are exempt from hunter orange on TPWD public hunting lands, and it is only recommended on private land.
Are there drawn hunts for desert bighorn?
Big Time Texas Hunts offers Texas Grand Slam (desert bighorn sheep, white-tailed deer, pronghorn, desert mule deer).
What is the possession limit for desert bighorn?
Permit only.
Heading out after desert bighorn
Dates and limits here match the 2026-27 Outdoor Annual as of October 11, 2026; county pages and area rules can add to them, so read both before a desert bighorn hunt.
Other photos on this page: daveynin (CC BY 2.0); Dave Williss (CC BY 2.0); YellowstoneNPS (Public domain); Desert Landscape Conservation Cooperative (CC BY 2.0); LFLamb (CC BY-SA 2.0); tequilamike (CC BY 2.0).