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Pineywoods country
Harris County Hunting
Deer bag, buck rules, zone calendars and public land for Harris County, with processors, taxidermists and this week’s legal light.
Photo: Maciej Kraus (CC BY 2.0)
TPWD counts Harris County as Pineywoods country. It has 1,707 square miles of land around Houston. Census counted about 5,009,302 residents in 2024, a density near 2934. For deer the county is in the North Zone. Its center point falls in management unit Urban Houston.
Game seasons that reach Harris County
12 speciess have a 2026-27 season here. Texas splits most of them into zones, and this table keeps only the zones that include Harris County.
| Species | Season type | Area | Begins | Ends | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery Only | North Zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 6, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth-Only | North Zone | Oct 30, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | General Season | North Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Muzzleloader | North Zone | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth-Only | North Zone | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| Squirrel | General Season | East Texas | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Squirrel | General Season | East Texas | May 1, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Squirrel | Youth-Only | East Texas | Sep 25, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Quail | Regular Season | Statewide | Nov 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Dove | Regular Season | Central Zone (North of IH 10) | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Dove | Regular Season | Central Zone (North of IH 10) | Dec 11, 2026 | Jan 14, 2027 | |
| Dove | Falconry | Central Zone (North of IH 10) | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Dove | Regular Season | South Zone (South of IH 10) | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Dove | Regular Season | South Zone (South of IH 10) | Dec 18, 2026 | Jan 21, 2027 | |
| Dove | Falconry | South Zone (South of IH 10) | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| September teal | September teal | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Youth-Only | North Zone (North of IH 10) | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Veterans and military | North Zone (North of IH 10) | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular Season | North Zone (North of IH 10) | Nov 14, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular Season | North Zone (North of IH 10) | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Dusky Duck | North Zone (North of IH 10) | Nov 19, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Dusky Duck | North Zone (North of IH 10) | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Falconry | North Zone (North of IH 10) | Feb 1, 2027 | Feb 21, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Youth-Only | South Zone (South of IH 10) | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Veterans and military | South Zone (South of IH 10) | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular Season | South Zone (South of IH 10) | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular Season | South Zone (South of IH 10) | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Dusky Duck | South Zone (South of IH 10) | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Dusky Duck | South Zone (South of IH 10) | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Falconry | South Zone (South of IH 10) | Feb 1, 2027 | Feb 21, 2027 | |
| Geese | Early Canada geese | Eastern Zone | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Geese | Dark Geese | Eastern Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Geese | Light Geese | Eastern Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Feb 19, 2027 | |
| Sandhill crane | Regular Season | Zone C (South of US 290 northwest of Houston and south of IH 45 southeast of Houston) | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| Alligator | General Season | Non-core | Apr 1, 2027 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Regular Season | Statewide | Dec 18, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Falconry | Statewide | Feb 1, 2027 | Feb 21, 2027 | |
| Snipe | Regular Season | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Feb 21, 2027 | |
| Rails and gallinules | Regular Season | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Rails and gallinules | Regular Season | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 6, 2027 | |
| Rails and gallinules | Falconry | Statewide | Feb 1, 2027 | Feb 21, 2027 |
From the TPWD Outdoor Annual 2026-27 county and species pages, checked October 11, 2026.
Whitetail limits for Harris County, 2026-27
No hunter may take more than five whitetails a year in Texas, three of them bucks. Harris County sets its own limit inside that cap.
What you may take
Buck rule: at least one unbranched antler or a 13 inch inside spread to be legal, and only one of the two bucks may carry branched antlers 13 inches wide or more. From Nov. 7-29, does are legal using a license tag.
Late season and muzzleloader
Muzzleloaders only, Jan. 4 to 17, 2027.
When deer season runs
| Season | Begins | Ends | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery Only | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 6, 2026 | All areas |
| Youth-Only | Oct 30, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | All areas |
| General Season | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | All areas |
| Muzzleloader | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | All areas |
| Youth-Only | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | All areas |
Harris County public ground and nearby tracts
Public hunting near Harris County means a drive to one of these 8 tracts. The orange markers are in the county.
From TPWD’s 2026-27 public hunting lists and the federal land managers, checked October 11, 2026. Distances are straight-line. How the Annual Public Hunting permit works.
Stocking up for Harris County
Items matched to the species listed for this place.
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Deer feeder
Feeders are legal for deer on private land; public areas set their own rules.
Survey harvest for the Harris County area
Unit Urban Houston is the management unit at the middle of Harris County; its 2017-18 survey estimate is below.
TPWD Big Game Harvest Survey, unit and ecoregion tables for 2017-18 (report). Estimates, not check-station counts; units cross county lines.
Sunrise, sunset and shooting time for Harris County
Whitetails, turkeys and quail can be taken from a half hour before sunup until a half hour after sundown. Migratory birds close at sundown.
Times worked out for Harris County in Central time. Rule from the TPWD Outdoor Annual (shooting hours). Nongame, exotics and feral hogs on private land may be hunted at any hour. Shooting hours for every county.
Getting a Harris County deer processed
County listings, then the counties that touch it.
TPWD Law Enforcement Office (Houston North) in Houston is the TPWD office closest to the county, 6 miles away.
Listings from Academy, Bass Pro and Cabela’s store locators, the TPWD warden office list, Hunters for the Hungry and business directory pages, checked October 11, 2026. Call ahead; seasonal hours vary.
Harris County: dinners, hunts and competitions
Banquets and expos account for 3 upcoming dates here.
Upcoming here
| Dates | Name | Where | Sign-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 21, 2026 | Oyster Creek Ducks Unlimited Banquet (Southwest Houston Area) · chapter dinner and auction | Houston, Harris County | Tickets |
| Feb 6, 2027 | Houston Chapter, TX · chapter dinner and auction | Houston, Harris County | Tickets |
| Aug 6-8, 2027 | TTHA Hunters Extravaganza Houston 2027 · hunting show | Houston, Harris County | Organizer page |
Harris County: ranges and shoots
Inside the county line: 24 ranges.
Archery
Upcoming in Harris County
| Date | Match | Category | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 13, 2026 | Woodlands – Pistol Caliber Gun Club (2026-10-13) | Club match | Sign up |
| Oct 15, 2026 | Galleria Gunslingers Match 8PM-11PM (2026-10-15) | Club match | Sign up |
| Oct 15, 2026 | Spring – Pistol Caliber Gun Club (2026-10-15) | Club match | Sign up |
| Oct 22, 2026 | Galleria Gunslingers Match 8PM-11PM (2026-10-22) | Club match | Sign up |
| Oct 22, 2026 | Spring – Pistol Caliber Gun Club (2026-10-22) | Club match | Sign up |
| Oct 24, 2026 | BFAC Halloween Field Fun Shoot | Club match | Sign up |
Around the edges of Harris County
Its neighbors are 7 Texas counties.
Your Harris County questions
Which public areas are inside Harris County?
None inside the county line. Nearby tracts include Brazos Bend State Park, Gum Slough and Trinity River NWR – Boars Den Unit.
How many whitetails may I take in Harris County?
Up to 4 deer, no more than 2 antlered, 2 antlerless at most.
Are bucks restricted by antler size in Harris County?
It is an antler restriction county: an unbranched antler or 13 inches inside makes a legal buck, two in all.
What are the 2026-27 deer dates in Harris County?
Deer here follow the North Zone. General season runs Nov 7, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027, after bows open Oct 3, 2026.
Is Harris County open for spring gobblers?
Turkey hunting is closed here.
Where does Harris County fall on the waterfowl zone map?
Doves: Central Zone and South Zone. Ducks: North Zone and South Zone. Geese: Eastern Zone.
What are the javelina rules in Harris County?
Javelina are closed in this county.
How early can I be hunting in Harris County?
30 minutes before sunrise for every game species. Deer, turkey and quail run to 30 minutes after sunset; migratory birds stop at sunset. The weekly table above has the clock times.
Is there a wild game processor near Harris County?
Closest on file: Midway Deer Processing.
Which Texas license should I buy for deer?
Residents start with the $25 Resident Hunting License and add the $7 archery, upland or migratory endorsement for those hunts. Hunter education is required for birth dates from Sept. 2, 1971 on.
Last checks for Harris County
The TPWD county page is the final word on Harris County dates and bags.
Other photos on this page: Adrian Delgado2012 (CC BY 2.0); Calistemon (CC BY-SA 4.0); gurdonark (CC BY 2.0); gurdonark (CC BY 2.0); TexasExplorer98 (CC BY 2.0); Jeff Pang (CC BY 2.0); sonnia hill (CC BY 2.0); sonnia hill (CC BY 2.0); gurdonark (CC BY 2.0).