Texas Big Game Awards · harvest surveys
Texas Hunting Records and Harvest
No state record list published by TPWD turned up. Trophies are recognized through the Texas Big Game Awards, and the herd is tracked through TPWD harvest surveys. Both are below.
Photo: NPS Photo (Public domain)
Texas Big Game Awards
Eligible species: white-tailed deer, mule deer, pronghorn, javelina and desert bighorn sheep. South Texas carries the highest whitetail minimums.
Sponsored by TPWD and Texas Wildlife Association. 2025-2026 program rules are the latest posted; 2026-27 rules had not been posted when this was checked, and no entry fee is stated in them.
- Scored entries: typical white-tailed deer, non-typical white-tailed deer, typical mule deer, non-typical mule deer, pronghorn, javelina, desert bighorn sheep
- First Big Game Harvest (any age, once per lifetime)
- Youth Division (hunting on a Youth Hunting License)
- Texas Slam (qualifying white-tailed deer, mule deer, pronghorn and javelina in one season)
- Low fence and High Fence / High Fence Released divisions for white-tailed deer
White-tailed deer minimums by region
| Region | Typical | Non-typical |
|---|---|---|
| Trans Pecos | 125 | 140 |
| Panhandle | 130 | 145 |
| Cross Timbers | 130 | 145 |
| Edwards Plateau | 130 | 145 |
| Post Oak Savannah | 125 | 140 |
| Pineywoods | 125 | 140 |
| Coastal Prairies | 125 | 140 |
| South Texas | 140 | 155 |
Other species
| Species | Region | Minimum |
|---|---|---|
| Mule deer | Trans Pecos | 145/160 |
| Mule deer | Panhandle | 145/160 |
| Pronghorn | Trans Pecos | 70 |
| Pronghorn | Panhandle | 70 |
| Pronghorn | Cross Timbers | 70 |
| Javelina | Statewide | 13 4/16 |
How to enter
Have the animal scored by a certified TBGA scorer (or official B&C measurer); mail the entry form to Texas Wildlife Association, New Braunfels, postmarked by March 1 after the season. Native, wild-raised animals only; no scored entries from deer release sites within 5 years of last release. Top five per category subject to rescore.
Sources: TBGA 2025-26 rules; Texas Big Game Awards; Texas Slam, checked October 11, 2026.
What TPWD publishes, and what it does not
State record lists
No TPWD-published state record list was found; TBGA publishes standings at texasbiggameawards.org/standings/. This page does not reproduce standings.
County harvest
TPWD publishes no county-level harvest for Texas. Survey estimates exist statewide, by deer management unit and by ecoregion; the latest unit and ecoregion tables are from 2017-18.
Statewide harvest history
TPWD survey estimates from 2005-06 to 2017-18, then 2025-26. In 2017-18 the deer estimate was 918,009; in 2025-26 it was 782,405.
TPWD has not posted 2018-19 through 2024-25 on its public page, so the last bar jumps from 2017-18 to 2025-26. All numbers are TPWD survey estimates (not check-station counts).
Sources: harvest survey 2005-06 to 2017-18; TPWD harvest surveys page, checked October 11, 2026.
Turkey, 2025-26
From the Small Game Harvest Survey. Turkey is reported statewide only.
Records and harvest questions
Does TPWD keep a state record list?
No TPWD-published state record list was found. The Texas Big Game Awards publishes standings on its own site.
What is the Texas Big Game Awards program?
A recognition program run by TPWD and Texas Wildlife Association for white-tailed deer, mule deer, pronghorn, javelina and desert bighorn sheep, scored by region.
What score does a South Texas whitetail need?
140 typical or 155 non-typical under the 2025-26 rules.
When is the entry deadline?
Entries are mailed to the Texas Wildlife Association in New Braunfels, postmarked by March 1 after the season.
Is there an entry fee?
The 2025-26 rules on file do not state one.
Which animals make up a Texas Slam?
Qualifying white-tailed deer, mule deer, pronghorn and javelina taken in one season.
How many deer did Texas hunters take in 2025-26?
About 782,405 by TPWD survey estimate, from 714,424 hunters with a 63.36% success rate.
Why is there a gap in the harvest charts?
Estimates for 2018-19 through 2024-25 are not on the public TPWD page; TPWD says earlier years are available by email.
Confirm and go
Rules on a leased tract, a WMA or a drawn hunt can be tighter than the statewide rule. Read both before the trip.
Other photos on this page: Forest Service Photography (Public domain); USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain); USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0).