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TPWD Dallas/Ft. Worth region
Johnson County Hunting
Zone dates for every 2026-27 season, Johnson County deer limits from the TPWD county listing, the public land closest to it and the processors and wardens who serve it.
Photo: ejmc (CC BY 2.0)
In the Cross Timbers and Prairies, Johnson County runs to 725 square miles, governed from Cleburne. 210,547 residents in 2024 works out to about 290 a square mile. TPWD assigns it to the deer North Zone. Survey unit 22 covers the heart of the county.
Deer rules TPWD sets for Johnson County
County limits sit inside the statewide cap of five deer and three bucks. Here is the Johnson County version.
Deer limits
Antler restriction county. Spikes and other bucks with an unbranched antler count, as do bucks 13 inches wide inside; just one of your two may be a branched 13 inch buck.
Extra deer segments
The special late season allows antlerless deer and bucks with an unbranched antler only.
Deer dates
| Deer season | Opens | Closes | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery Only | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 6, 2026 | Countywide |
| Youth-Only | Oct 30, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | Countywide |
| General Season | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | Countywide |
| Special Late | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | Countywide |
| Youth-Only | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | Countywide |
Public tracts in and around Johnson County
With no public tract in Johnson County, these 8 nearby areas are the options. In-county areas are orange.
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.
Johnson County season calendar by zone
38 season segments across 13 speciess. The last column checks today’s date against each one.
| Game | Segment | Zone | From | Through | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Special Late | North Zone | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth-Only | North Zone | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| Turkey | Fall Archery Only | North Zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 6, 2026 | |
| Turkey | Fall Youth-Only | North Zone | Oct 30, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Turkey | Fall Youth-Only | North Zone | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| Turkey | Fall season | North Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Turkey | Spring Youth-Only | North Zone | Mar 27, 2027 | Mar 28, 2027 | |
| Turkey | Spring Youth-Only | North Zone | May 22, 2027 | May 23, 2027 | |
| Turkey | Spring season | North Zone | Apr 3, 2027 | May 16, 2027 | |
| Squirrel | General Season | All Other Counties | Sep 1, 2026 | Aug 31, 2027 | |
| Quail | Regular Season | Statewide | Nov 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Dove | Regular Season | Central Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Dove | Regular Season | Central Zone | Dec 11, 2026 | Jan 14, 2027 | |
| Dove | Falconry | Central Zone | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| September teal | September teal | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Youth-Only | North Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Veterans and military | North Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular Season | North Zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular Season | North Zone | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Dusky Duck | North Zone | Nov 19, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Dusky Duck | North Zone | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Falconry | North Zone | Feb 1, 2027 | Feb 21, 2027 | |
| Geese | Early Canada geese | Eastern Zone (East of IH 35W) | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Geese | Dark Geese | Eastern Zone (East of IH 35W) | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Geese | Light Geese | Eastern Zone (East of IH 35W) | Nov 7, 2026 | Feb 19, 2027 | |
| Geese | Dark Geese | Western Zone (West of IH 35W) | Nov 7, 2026 | Feb 7, 2027 | |
| Geese | Light Geese | Western Zone (West of IH 35W) | Nov 7, 2026 | Feb 7, 2027 | |
| Sandhill crane | Regular Season | Zone B (West of IH 35W only) | Nov 27, 2026 | Jan 31, 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.
Johnson County hunting kit
Click any item for current listings and prices.
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Harvest survey figures near Johnson County
TPWD reports harvest by management unit rather than county. These are the unit 22 figures for 2017-18.
TPWD Big Game Harvest Survey, unit and ecoregion tables for 2017-18 (report). Estimates, not check-station counts; units cross county lines.
Johnson County legal hunting light, next seven days
The TPWD window runs from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes past sunset, except for migratory game birds, which end right at sunset.
Times worked out for Johnson 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.
Johnson County processors, taxidermy and gear
Closest first within each county.
To reach a game warden, the nearest TPWD office is TPWD Law Enforcement Office (Fort Worth Area) in Haltom City, about 29 miles out.
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.
Where to shoot in Johnson County
The county’s own list runs to 4 ranges.
Next local matches
| Date | Event | Type | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 14, 2026 | 2026 Fall League | Sporting clays | Entry |
| Oct 15, 2026 | Linbeck 5th Annual Charity Clay Shoot (2026-10-15) | Sporting clays | Entry |
| Oct 16, 2026 | Night Trap League (2026-10-16) | Trap | Details |
| Oct 17, 2026 | Shotguns & Guitars (2026-10-17) | Sporting clays | Entry |
| Oct 18, 2026 | Fort Worth Food + Wine Foundation – “Shooting with the Chefs” (2026-10-18) | Sporting clays | Entry |
| Oct 21, 2026 | 2026 Fall League | Sporting clays | Entry |
Counties that touch Johnson County
7 Texas counties share a line with Johnson County.
Johnson County, answered
What does TPWD allow for deer in Johnson County?
4 deer per license year with a 2-buck cap and a 2-doe cap.
Does Johnson County have public hunting areas?
No, the public lists show nothing in Johnson County. Look at Benbrook Lake, Dinosaur Valley State Park and Whitney Lake.
When can I bowhunt deer in Johnson County?
Johnson County uses the North Zone dates. Rifle season: Nov 7, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027. Archery opens Oct 3, 2026.
Is there a 13 inch rule in Johnson County?
Yes. Spikes and other unbranched bucks are legal, as is any buck 13 inches inside; only one of your bucks may be wide and branched.
Which dove, duck and goose zones cover Johnson County?
The county is Central Zone (dove), North Zone (ducks) and Eastern Zone and Western Zone (geese).
Does Johnson County have a turkey season?
Open in the fall North Zone and spring North Zone. Each turkey must be reported within 24 hours.
Where should a Johnson County hunter take a deer for processing?
Joshua Deer Processing, per the directory.
Javelina zone for Johnson County?
TPWD sets no javelina season for this county.
Do I need a license to hunt my own land in Johnson County?
Yes, landowners need a hunting license too. Residents pay $25, and anyone younger than the Sept. 2, 1971 cutoff needs hunter education.
When does legal light end in Johnson County?
Legal light opens a half hour before sunrise. It closes a half hour after sunset for game animals and upland birds, and at sunset for doves and waterfowl. See the table above.
Johnson County trip checklist
Areas and leases can add their own permits and dates, so read the area page as well as the Johnson County listing.
Other photos on this page: Jeff Pang (CC BY 2.0); Wesley Fryer (CC BY 2.0); daveynin (CC BY 2.0); gurdonark (CC BY 2.0); gurdonark (CC BY 2.0); greg westfall. (CC BY 2.0); TexasExplorer98 (CC BY 2.0); gurdonark (CC BY 2.0); G Yancy (CC BY 2.0).