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TPWD upland birds
Pheasant Hunting in Texas
Pheasant season is open only in the Panhandle, 37 counties, from Dec 5, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027. Season rows, limits, zones and mapped public land for pheasants.
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0)
Only cocks are legal: three a day and nine in possession. 30 public areas in our list name pheasant, 27 of them APH leased units, all in the Panhandle region. Pheasant hunters need the Upland Game Bird Endorsement.
The TPWD pheasant summary
- 37 counties, Dec. 5, 2026 – Jan. 3, 2027.
- 3 cocks/day.
2026-27 pheasant dates
The pheasant calendar below lists 1 row, one per zone and segment, falconry and youth days included where TPWD sets them.
| Area | Segment | Opening | Closing | Days | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panhandle | General Season | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | 30 |
Dates from the TPWD Outdoor Annual 2026-27 (species page), checked October 11, 2026.
How many pheasants you may keep
Limits for pheasants, in TPWD’s own words and as quick numbers.
Pheasant, 2026-27
3 cocks/day, possession 9 cocks.
| Area | Kind | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Panhandle | Daily Bag Limit | 3 cocks |
| Panhandle | Possession Limit | 9 cocks |
Which counties fall in each pheasant zone
TPWD assigns each county, or part of one, to a pheasant zone. 37 Counties have at least one pheasant segment.
| List | Counties | Split counties |
|---|---|---|
| Panhandle | 37 | 0 |
37 counties in Panhandle
- Armstrong County
- Bailey County
- Briscoe County
- Carson County
- Castro County
- Childress County
- Cochran County
- Collingsworth County
- Cottle County
- Crosby County
- Dallam County
- Deaf Smith County
- Donley County
- Floyd County
- Gray County
- Hale County
- Hall County
- Hansford County
- Hartley County
- Hemphill County
- Hockley County
- Hutchinson County
- Lamb County
- Lipscomb County
- Lubbock County
- Moore County
- Motley County
- Ochiltree County
- Oldham County
- Parmer County
- Potter County
- Randall County
- Roberts County
- Sherman County
- Swisher County
- Wheeler County
- Wilbarger County
Open pheasant counties, one row each
Type a county or region to filter the pheasant table. 10 of these counties contain public pheasant ground.
| County | Area | TPWD region | Ecoregion | Public units | Deer bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armstrong | Panhandle | Panhandle | Rolling Plains | 1 | 5 deer |
| Bailey | Panhandle | Panhandle | High Plains | 0 | 3 deer |
| Briscoe | Panhandle | Panhandle | Rolling Plains | 0 | 5 deer |
| Carson | Panhandle | Panhandle | High Plains | 4 | 5 deer |
| Castro | Panhandle | Panhandle | High Plains | 1 | 3 deer |
| Childress | Panhandle | Panhandle | Rolling Plains | 0 | 5 deer |
| Cochran | Panhandle | Panhandle | High Plains | 0 | 3 deer |
| Collingsworth | Panhandle | Panhandle | Rolling Plains | 0 | 5 deer |
| Cottle | Panhandle | Panhandle | Rolling Plains | 0 | 5 deer |
| Crosby | Panhandle | Panhandle | High Plains | 0 | 5 deer |
| Dallam | Panhandle | Panhandle | High Plains | 0 | 3 deer |
| Deaf Smith | Panhandle | Panhandle | High Plains | 0 | 3 deer |
| Donley | Panhandle | Panhandle | Rolling Plains | 0 | 5 deer |
| Floyd | Panhandle | Panhandle | High Plains | 8 | 5 deer |
| Gray | Panhandle | Panhandle | Rolling Plains | 0 | 5 deer |
| Hale | Panhandle | Panhandle | High Plains | 0 | 3 deer |
| Hall | Panhandle | Panhandle | Rolling Plains | 0 | 5 deer |
| Hansford | Panhandle | Panhandle | High Plains | 4 | 3 deer |
| Hartley | Panhandle | Panhandle | High Plains | 0 | 3 deer |
| Hemphill | Panhandle | Panhandle | Rolling Plains | 0 | 5 deer |
| Hockley | Panhandle | Panhandle | High Plains | 0 | 3 deer |
| Hutchinson | Panhandle | Panhandle | Rolling Plains | 1 | 5 deer |
| Lamb | Panhandle | Panhandle | High Plains | 0 | 3 deer |
| Lipscomb | Panhandle | Panhandle | Rolling Plains | 0 | 5 deer |
| Lubbock | Panhandle | Panhandle | High Plains | 1 | 3 deer |
| Moore | Panhandle | Panhandle | High Plains | 2 | 3 deer |
| Motley | Panhandle | Panhandle | Rolling Plains | 0 | 5 deer |
| Ochiltree | Panhandle | Panhandle | Rolling Plains | 6 | 5 deer |
| Oldham | Panhandle | Panhandle | Rolling Plains | 0 | 3 deer |
| Parmer | Panhandle | Panhandle | High Plains | 0 | 3 deer |
| Potter | Panhandle | Panhandle | Rolling Plains | 0 | 3 deer |
| Randall | Panhandle | Panhandle | High Plains | 0 | 3 deer |
| Roberts | Panhandle | Panhandle | Rolling Plains | 0 | 5 deer |
| Sherman | Panhandle | Panhandle | High Plains | 1 | 3 deer |
| Swisher | Panhandle | Panhandle | High Plains | 0 | 3 deer |
| Wheeler | Panhandle | Panhandle | Rolling Plains | 0 | 5 deer |
| Wilbarger | Panhandle | Panhandle | Rolling Plains | 0 | 5 deer |
Rules that apply to pheasants
These cards cover the paperwork and the methods that apply to pheasants.
What to buy
Licenses, endorsements and permits that apply to pheasants.
Shooting time
Pheasants are legal from 30 minutes ahead of sunrise to 30 minutes past sunset.
Hunter orange
Hunting pheasants on public land during firearm hours means wearing 400 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange plus orange headwear.
Hunter education rule
Anyone after pheasants with a birth date of Sept. 2, 1971 or later must pass hunter education or, at 17 and up, buy the one-time $10 deferral and hunt accompanied.
Pheasant proof of sex
Keep a leg with the spur or the plumage on each pheasant as proof of sex.
Pheasant air guns
Air guns for pheasant must be .177 caliber or larger at 600 fps.
Pheasant drawn hunts
TPWD runs E-Postcard Waterfowl/Pheasant hunts, which closed for applications Oct. 1, 2026 and require the APH permit.
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 tracts with pheasants
30 public areas list pheasants, led by 27 APH Leased Units; the Panhandle region has the most pheasant areas, 30.
Panhandle (30)
94 Trust (320 ac) · Betty (326 ac) · Bindweed (640 ac) · Bluestem (80 ac) · Brillhart (322 ac) · Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge (7,664 ac) · Circle Tree (381 ac) · Correll (384 ac) · De Campo (626 ac) · Della Plains (160 ac) · FM 759 HQ (325 ac) · Francis-Dunlap (160 ac) · Goat Barn (321 ac) · La Lanza (640 ac) · La Playa (1,280 ac) · Lake Meredith National Recreation Area · Margolies (160 ac) · Margoso (1,568 ac) · Morris (1,280 ac) · Pat's Place (350 ac) · Playa Lakes WMA – Dimmitt Unit (422 ac) · Porter (965 ac) · Ramsey Place (320 ac) · Rio Farms (2,552 ac) · South Place (640 ac) · Stovall (630 ac) · Temprano (640 ac) · Texas Roberts (1,625 ac) · Vara (200 ac) · West of Town (481 ac)
Details on each pheasant area
| Area | Manager type | County | Acres | By draw | Other game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge | National Wildlife Refuge | – | 7,664 | By draw | white-tailed deer, mule deer, feral hog, dove, quail |
| Rio Farms | APH Leased Unit | Carson | 2,552 | – | dove, waterfowl, sandhill crane, rabbit, predators/furbearers |
| Texas Roberts | APH Leased Unit | Ochiltree | 1,625 | – | dove, waterfowl, sandhill crane, rabbit, predators/furbearers |
| Margoso | APH Leased Unit | Moore | 1,568 | – | dove, waterfowl, sandhill crane, rabbit, predators/furbearers |
| La Playa | APH Leased Unit | Sherman | 1,280 | – | dove, waterfowl, sandhill crane, rabbit, predators/furbearers |
| Morris | APH Leased Unit | Carson | 1,280 | – | dove, waterfowl, sandhill crane, rabbit, predators/furbearers |
| Porter | APH Leased Unit | Hansford and Ochiltree | 965 | – | dove, waterfowl, sandhill crane, rabbit, predators/furbearers |
| Bindweed | APH Leased Unit | Floyd | 640 | – | dove, waterfowl, sandhill crane, quail, rabbit |
| La Lanza | APH Leased Unit | Hansford | 640 | – | dove, waterfowl, sandhill crane, rabbit, predators/furbearers |
| South Place | APH Leased Unit | Armstrong | 640 | – | dove, waterfowl, sandhill crane, rabbit, predators/furbearers |
| Temprano | APH Leased Unit | Hutchinson | 640 | – | dove, waterfowl, sandhill crane, rabbit, predators/furbearers |
| Stovall | APH Leased Unit | Carson | 630 | – | dove, waterfowl, sandhill crane, rabbit, predators/furbearers |
| De Campo | APH Leased Unit | Moore | 626 | – | dove, waterfowl, sandhill crane, rabbit, predators/furbearers |
| West of Town | APH Leased Unit | Hansford | 481 | – | dove, waterfowl, sandhill crane, rabbit, predators/furbearers |
| Playa Lakes WMA – Dimmitt Unit | WMA | Castro | 422 | By draw | waterfowl, sandhill crane |
| Correll | APH Leased Unit | Ochiltree | 384 | – | dove, waterfowl, sandhill crane, rabbit, predators/furbearers |
| Circle Tree | APH Leased Unit | Floyd | 381 | – | dove, waterfowl, sandhill crane, quail, rabbit, predators/furbearers |
| Pat's Place | APH Leased Unit | Carson | 350 | – | dove, waterfowl, sandhill crane, rabbit, predators/furbearers |
| Betty | APH Leased Unit | Hansford | 326 | – | dove, waterfowl, sandhill crane, rabbit, predators/furbearers |
| FM 759 HQ | APH Leased Unit | Ochiltree | 325 | – | dove, waterfowl, sandhill crane, rabbit, predators/furbearers |
| Brillhart | APH Leased Unit | Ochiltree | 322 | – | dove, waterfowl, sandhill crane, rabbit, predators/furbearers |
| Goat Barn | APH Leased Unit | Ochiltree | 321 | – | dove, waterfowl, sandhill crane, rabbit, predators/furbearers |
| 94 Trust | APH Leased Unit | Floyd | 320 | – | dove, waterfowl, quail, rabbit |
| Ramsey Place | APH Leased Unit | Lubbock | 320 | – | dove, quail, rabbit |
| Vara | APH Leased Unit | Floyd | 200 | – | dove, waterfowl, sandhill crane, rabbit |
| Della Plains | APH Leased Unit | Floyd | 160 | – | dove, waterfowl, sandhill crane, rabbit |
| Francis-Dunlap | APH Leased Unit | Floyd | 160 | – | dove, waterfowl, sandhill crane, quail, rabbit |
| Margolies | APH Leased Unit | Floyd | 160 | – | dove, waterfowl, sandhill crane, quail, rabbit |
| Bluestem | APH Leased Unit | Floyd | 80 | – | dove, waterfowl, sandhill crane, quail, rabbit, predators/furbearers |
| Lake Meredith National Recreation Area | National Recreation Area | – | – | – | white-tailed deer, mule deer, dove, waterfowl, turkey, quail, rabbit, predators/furbearers |
Adult pheasant hunters on TPWD lands carry the $48 APH permit; federal refuges and forests set their own pheasant rules. How the APH permit works.
TPWD APH data, WMA and drawn hunt lists and federal land managers, 2026-27, checked October 11, 2026. Species lists are what each manager names; area rules still apply.
Drawn and premium hunts for pheasants
TPWD lists pheasants in 1 drawing category this year.
| Program | Category | Application deadline |
|---|---|---|
| E-Postcard (APH) | Waterfowl/Pheasant | Oct 1, 2026 |
Drawn pheasant applications are online only, due the 1st and 15th of each month, with a $3 adult fee; permit fees are $80 standard and $130 extended, free for youth.
TPWD Public Hunt Drawing catalog, fees and deadlines (drawing) and Big Time Texas Hunts (BTTH), checked October 11, 2026. Texas drawn hunts.
Outfitting a hunt in Pheasant country
Four items picked for the game hunted here, each with a live search.
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Pheasant: what hunters ask
Can I shoot a hen pheasant in Texas?
No. The Panhandle bag is three cocks a day, nine in possession.
Which counties have pheasant season?
37 Panhandle counties, listed in full on this page.
What proof of sex does a pheasant need?
A leg with the spur, or the plumage, stays with the bird.
When is pheasant season in Texas for 2026-27?
Pheasants run Panhandle general season Dec 5, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027.
Is there a lottery hunt for pheasants?
TPWD drawing categories for pheasants: Waterfowl/Pheasant. Applications are online only.
Which endorsements cover pheasants?
The pheasant list: Resident license ($25); Upland endorsement ($7); Nonresident 5-day ($48).
Is there a limit on pheasants?
3 cocks/day, possession 9 cocks.
What are legal shooting hours for pheasants?
Pheasants are legal from 30 minutes ahead of sunrise to 30 minutes past sunset.
Which public areas list pheasants?
Start with Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Rio Farms and Texas Roberts, the biggest of 30 areas that list pheasants. TPWD ground needs the $48 APH permit for adult pheasant hunters.
What orange rules apply to pheasants?
Hunting pheasants on public land during firearm hours means wearing 400 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange plus orange headwear.
Pheasant checklist
For pheasants on public ground, the area’s own map booklet or drawn hunt rules apply on top of these.
Other photos on this page: gurdonark (CC BY 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain); Matt Tillett (CC BY 2.0); Charles & Clint (CC BY-SA 2.0); Serge Melki (CC BY 2.0); Ken Lund (CC BY-SA 2.0).