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Dallas/Ft. Worth · 2026-27
Tarrant County Hunting
The 2026-27 rules for Tarrant County in one place, along with mapped public land, the nearest warden office and meat processors.
Photo: greg westfall. (CC BY 2.0)
Land area here is 865 square miles, all inside TPWD’s Cross Timbers and Prairies ecoregion; the county seat is Fort Worth. Some 2,230,708 people live here (2024), roughly 2578 per square mile. Whitetail dates follow the North Zone. TPWD unit 22 takes in the middle of the county.
How many deer Tarrant County allows
Texas writes a deer bag for each county. These numbers are the 2026-27 figures for Tarrant County.
Deer bag and buck rules
TPWD restricts bucks here to those with an unbranched antler or a 13 inch or wider inside spread, two total, one of them the branched kind.
More county deer rules
Special late season: antlerless and unbranched antlered deer only.
2026-27 deer dates
| Segment | Opens | Closes | Part of county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery Only | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 6, 2026 | Entire county |
| Youth-Only | Oct 30, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | Entire county |
| General Season | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | Entire county |
| Special Late | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | Entire county |
| Youth-Only | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | Entire county |
Tarrant County hunting calendar, 2026-27
From archery deer to snipe, 41 dated segments apply to Tarrant County this license year.
| Game | Hunt | Zone | Opening | Closing | Open? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 (South of IH 30) | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Dove | Regular Season | Central Zone (South of IH 30) | Dec 11, 2026 | Jan 14, 2027 | |
| Dove | Falconry | Central Zone (South of IH 30) | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Dove | Regular Season | North Zone (North of IH 30) | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | |
| Dove | Regular Season | North Zone (North of IH 30) | Dec 18, 2026 | Jan 7, 2027 | |
| Dove | Falconry | North Zone (North of IH 30) | 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 (From the southern county line, east of IH 35W to Fort Worth and east of US 81 and US 287) | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Geese | Dark Geese | Eastern Zone (From the southern county line, east of IH 35W to Fort Worth and east of US 81 and US 287) | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Geese | Light Geese | Eastern Zone (From the southern county line, east of IH 35W to Fort Worth and east of US 81 and US 287) | Nov 7, 2026 | Feb 19, 2027 | |
| Geese | Dark Geese | Western Zone (From the southern county line, west of IH 35W to Fort Worth and west of US 81 and US 287) | Nov 7, 2026 | Feb 7, 2027 | |
| Geese | Light Geese | Western Zone (From the southern county line, west of IH 35W to Fort Worth and west of US 81 and US 287) | Nov 7, 2026 | Feb 7, 2027 | |
| Sandhill crane | Regular Season | Zone B (West of IH 35W and west of US 287 north of Fort Worth) | 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.
Public land within reach of Tarrant County
The map shows 1 inside Tarrant County and 8 nearby. Orange marks the county’s own tracts.
Benbrook Lake
Species: white-tailed deer, feral hog, turkey, dove, waterfowl. 1,400 acres.
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.
Shopping list for Tarrant County
Four items picked for the game hunted here, each with a live search.
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TPWD harvest estimates covering Tarrant County
The closest harvest number for Tarrant County is TPWD’s estimate for deer management unit 22.
TPWD Big Game Harvest Survey, unit and ecoregion tables for 2017-18 (report). Estimates, not check-station counts; units cross county lines.
How long you can hunt each day near Tarrant County
Texas opens game animals and upland birds 30 minutes ahead of sunrise and closes them 30 minutes after sunset; doves, ducks, geese and cranes quit at sunset.
Times worked out for Tarrant 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.
Taxidermists and processors for Tarrant County
Starting in Tarrant County and moving out to the next ring.
The nearest warden office is TPWD Law Enforcement Office (Fort Worth Area) in Haltom City, roughly 2 miles off.
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.
Hunting events tied to Tarrant County
Listed as of October 11, 2026: 2 upcoming dates.
Dates ahead
| When | Event | Location | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 5, 2027 | Panther City NWTF Inaugural Dinner and Auction · chapter dinner and auction | North Richland Hills, Tarrant County | Tickets |
| Aug 13-15, 2027 | TTHA Hunters Extravaganza Fort Worth 2027 · hunting show | Fort Worth, Tarrant County | Organizer page |
Ranges for Tarrant County hunters
Tarrant County holds 15 listed ranges.
Coming up in the county
| When | Name | Type | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 13, 2026 | Hit Factor Match (2026-10-13) | USPSA | Sign up |
| Oct 14, 2026 | Practical Shooting 1 (2026-10-14) | Class | Sign up |
| Oct 15, 2026 | Action Shooting (Hit Factor) – CTASA, Gritr Sports 6pm – 9pm (2026-10-15) | USPSA | Sign up |
| Oct 15, 2026 | The Opening Table (2026-10-15) | Sporting clays | Register |
| Oct 16, 2026 | USCCA Seminar: Drawing From The Holster (2026-10-16) | Class | Sign up |
| Oct 16, 2026 | USCCA Seminar: Real World Pistol Skills (2026-10-16) | Class | Sign up |
Bordering Tarrant County
Surrounding Tarrant County are 6 Texas counties.
Tarrant County questions and answers
What turkey zones cover Tarrant County?
It is covered by the fall North Zone and spring North Zone. A 24 hour harvest report is required for turkey.
Can I hunt public ground in Tarrant County?
Yes: Benbrook Lake. Nearest beyond the line: Grapevine Lake, Lewisville Lake and Lake Mineral Wells State Park.
What is the 2026-27 whitetail bag in Tarrant County?
4 whitetails in all, 2 of them bucks and up to 2 antlerless.
Is Tarrant County North Zone or South Zone for deer?
TPWD lists it in the North Zone. The main season covers Nov 7, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027. Archery-only opens Oct 3, 2026.
Can javelina be hunted in Tarrant County?
No open javelina season here.
Are spikes legal in Tarrant County?
Yes. A buck is legal with at least one unbranched antler or a 13 inch inside spread, and only one of the two bucks may be the branched, 13 inch kind.
What license does a Tarrant County hunt need?
A Texas hunting license ($25 for residents), plus endorsements for archery season, upland birds or migratory birds as needed. Hunter education applies to anyone with a birth date of Sept. 2, 1971 or later.
Dove and duck zones for Tarrant County?
Central Zone and North Zone for dove, North Zone for ducks, Eastern Zone and Western Zone for geese.
Who cuts and wraps deer near Tarrant County?
No processor is on file nearby yet.
How late can I hunt in Tarrant County?
The table above lists each day. Deer and quail hunters get 30 minutes after sunset; dove and duck hunters do not.
Heading out in Tarrant County
Public tracts near Tarrant County set their own seasons. Check the tract page and the county page together.
Other photos on this page: ejmc (CC BY 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain); gurdonark (CC BY 2.0); daveynin (CC BY 2.0); gurdonark (CC BY 2.0); G Yancy (CC BY 2.0); ejmc (CC BY 2.0); gurdonark (CC BY 2.0).