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Coyote and Bobcat Hunting in Texas

Bobcats, coyotes, mountain lions and other nongame animals have no closed season, bag or possession limit on private property in Texas. 2026-27 predator dates, bag, zones, rules and public tracts.

When coyotes and bobcats openBag limitsPublic land
Year-roundSeason
NoneLimit
254Counties open
84Public units

Photo: ZionNPS (CC BY 2.0)

A hunting license is required, except to take coyotes that are attacking or about to attack livestock. Nongame on private land has no closed season and no hunting hours, so coyotes may be hunted at night there. 84 public areas in our list name predators or furbearers.

MapCoyote and Bobcat land map84 areas with coyotes and bobcatsPermitsCoyote and Bobcat in the drawing3 categories

TPWD quick facts on coyotes and bobcats

  • No closed season or limit on private property; hunting license required.
  • Bobcat pelts need CITES tag to sell or ship out of state; live coyotes under rabies quarantine.

When coyotes and bobcats are in season

Each of the 1 line below is a predator segment for one zone, with its length in days.

AreaSeasonFirst dayLast dayDaysToday
StatewideNo closed seasonYear-roundYear-round365Year-round

Dates from the TPWD Outdoor Annual 2026-27 (species page), checked October 11, 2026.

Bag rules for coyotes and bobcats

Predator limits come from the TPWD species page and the season notes for each zone.

Year-roundCoyote season
NoneBobcat bag
84Public areas
RequiredLicense

Limit, nongame incl. bobcat, coyote, mountain lion

TPWD

No closed season, bag or possession limit on private property.

County lists for coyotes and bobcats

Pick a predator zone below to see its counties; where a highway splits a county, the side it covers is noted.

AreaEntire countiesPartial
Statewide, private land2540
List Statewide (254)

Legal requirements for coyotes and bobcats

License items, hours, orange and the means and methods TPWD names for coyotes and bobcats.

Paperwork

License costs that apply to coyotes and bobcats in 2026-27.

$25Resident license
$48Nonresident 5-day
$7Youth license
$48APH permit

Shooting hours

TPWD sets no hours for coyotes and bobcats on private land; day or night is legal.

Orange rule

Public land coyotes and bobcats hunters need the full orange set, 400 square inches with headwear; private land coyotes and bobcats hunters do not.

Hunter ed rule

For coyotes and bobcats, TPWD requires hunter education of everyone born on or after Sept. 2, 1971, nonresidents included.

Bobcat pelts and live coyotes

Live coyotes may not be transported or sold (rabies quarantine). Bobcat pelts need a CITES pelt tag to be sold or shipped out of state.

Canned hunts

No canned hunts of captive mountain lions or dangerous wild animals (lion, tiger, bear, wolf, etc.).

Black bears

State-threatened; protected and cannot be hunted or killed. Report sightings at (512) 389-4505.

From the TPWD Outdoor Annual general regulations, license and species pages (endorsements, hunting regulations), checked October 11, 2026. All Texas hunting laws · License guide.

Mapped public areas for coyotes and bobcats

The map shows 84 areas that name coyotes and bobcats, grouped below by TPWD region, the largest of them Sam Houston National Forest at 163,037 acres.

Panhandle (27)

Abernathy North (194 ac) · Betty (326 ac) · Bluestem (80 ac) · Brillhart (322 ac) · Circle Tree (381 ac) · Cobb Farms (250 ac) · Correll (384 ac) · De Campo (626 ac) · FM 759 HQ (325 ac) · Gene Howe WMA (5,394 ac) · Goat Barn (321 ac) · La Lanza (640 ac) · La Playa (1,280 ac) · Lake Meredith National Recreation Area · Margoso (1,568 ac) · Matador WMA (28,183 ac) · Morris (1,280 ac) · Pat's Place (350 ac) · Porter (965 ac) · Rio Farms (2,552 ac) · South Place (640 ac) · Stovall (630 ac) · Teacup Mountain WMA (11,091 ac) · Temprano (640 ac) · Texas Roberts (1,625 ac) · West of Town (481 ac) · Yoakum Dunes WMA

Pineywoods (20)

Alabama Creek WMA (14,561 ac) · Alazan Bayou WMA – Blount Tract (2,255 ac) · Alazan Bayou WMA – Old River Tract (485 ac) · Angelina National Forest (153,179 ac) · Angelina-Neches/Dam B WMA (12,636 ac) · Bannister WMA (25,695 ac) · Caddo Lake WMA (8,124 ac) · Davy Crockett National Forest (161,100 ac) · Gus Engeling WMA (11,095 ac) · I.D. Fairchild State Forest · Moore Plantation WMA (26,772 ac) · Neches River NWR – Rocky Point Unit · Neches River NWR – Sandy Bluff Unit · Neches River NWR – Walnut Branch Unit · Neches River National Wildlife Refuge (10,537 ac) · North Toledo Bend WMA (3,650 ac) · Old Sabine Bottom WMA (5,727 ac) · Sabine National Forest (160,656 ac) · Sabine River Authority Unit 630 (7,484 ac) · White Oak Creek WMA (25,777 ac)

Austin/Waco (12)

Beevill Branch (113 ac) · FM 1771 (307 ac) · FM 413 (310 ac) · Granger Public Hunting Lands (10,888 ac) · Luminant Texas Public Hunting Unit (1,071 ac) · Marlin Lake Park (903 ac) · Mertens (378 ac) · Richland Creek WMA · Richland Creek WMA – South Unit (8,974 ac) · Rocky Creek (282 ac) · Somerville Public Hunting Lands · Waco Lake (3,000 ac)

Dallas/Ft. Worth (8)

Caddo National Grassland (17,727 ac) · Caddo National Grasslands WMA (16,140 ac) · Caddo National Grasslands WMA – Bois d'Arc Unit (13,360 ac) · Caddo National Grasslands WMA – Ladonia Unit · Lewisville Lake (9,138 ac) · Pat Mayse WMA (8,925 ac) · Roger R. Fawcett WMA (5,459 ac) · Tawakoni WMA (2,335 ac)

Houston/Beaumont (6)

Justin Hurst WMA · Mad Island WMA (7,714 ac) · Nannie M. Stringfellow WMA (3,666 ac) · Sam Houston National Forest (163,037 ac) · Sam Houston National Forest WMA (161,508 ac) · Tony Houseman/Blue Elbow Swamp WMA

Central Texas (5)

Kerr WMA (6,459 ac) · Mason Mountain WMA · McGillivray and Leona McKie Muse WMA (1,972 ac) · Paul and Toni Fox Burns WMA (2,178 ac) · Twin Buttes Public Hunting Lands (12,858 ac)

San Antonio/Corpus Christi (3)

Chaparral WMA (15,200 ac) · Guadalupe Delta WMA · James E. Daughtrey WMA

Trans-Pecos (3)

Black Gap WMA (103,000 ac) · Elephant Mountain WMA (23,147 ac) · Sierra Diablo WMA (11,624 ac)

TPWD lands require the $48 APH permit of predator callers 17 and up, bought with a season hunting license. 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.

Public draw hunts that include coyotes and bobcats

For coyotes and bobcats, the drawing has 3 matching categories.

DrawingCategoryDue
E-Postcard (APH)Feral Hog/PredatorNov 1, 2026
E-Postcard (APH)Furbearer/PredatorNot listed
E-Postcard (APH)PredatorNov 1, 2026

Drawn predator hunt fees: $3 to apply, $80 or $130 if selected, nothing for hunters under 17.

TPWD Public Hunt Drawing catalog, fees and deadlines (drawing) and Big Time Texas Hunts (BTTH), checked October 11, 2026. Texas drawn hunts.

Shopping list for Coyote and Bobcat country

Click any item for current listings and prices.

Amazon links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you.

Electronic predator call

Coyotes and bobcats come to distress sounds.

See Amazon prices

Shooting sticks

A steady rest for open country shots.

See Amazon prices

Night hunting light

Predator hunting at night is legal on private land.

See Amazon prices

Camo face mask

Predators pick up movement fast.

See Amazon prices

Compare hunting gearHunting gear guide

Other game to pair with coyotes and bobcats

Year-roundFurbearerSep 1 to Aug 31 · 84 areasYear-roundFeral HogYear-round · 180 areasSmall gameRabbit and HareYear-round · 156 areasYear-roundExotic GameYear-round · 59 areas

Coyote and Bobcat questions and answers

Do I need a license to shoot a coyote in Texas?

Yes, unless the coyote is attacking or about to attack livestock.

Can I sell a bobcat pelt?

Bobcat pelts need a CITES pelt tag to be sold or shipped out of state.

Can black bears be hunted in Texas?

No. Black bears are state-threatened and may not be hunted or killed.

Do coyotes and bobcats fall under the orange rule?

Public land coyotes and bobcats hunters need the full orange set, 400 square inches with headwear; private land coyotes and bobcats hunters do not.

When can predator callers start shooting?

TPWD sets no hours for coyotes and bobcats on private land; day or night is legal.

Are coyotes and bobcats open in every county?

TPWD county pages show coyotes and bobcats in 254 counties.

Can I apply for a public predator hunt?

TPWD drawing categories for coyotes and bobcats: Feral Hog/Predator, Furbearer/Predator and Predator. Applications are online only.

How many coyotes and bobcats may I keep?

No closed season, bag or possession limit on private property.

Is predator hunting seasonal?

There are no closed dates for coyotes and bobcats on private ground.

Where do predator callers hunt without a lease?

84 tracts, among them Sam Houston National Forest, Sam Houston National Forest WMA and Davy Crockett National Forest. The APH permit for adult predator callers is $48.

Coyote and Bobcat: final checks

TPWD can amend predator rules during the license year, so check the predator page linked below before heading out.

More speciesHunting seasonsPublic mapTPWD predator page

Other photos on this page: US Forest Service – Southern Region (Public domain); bgautrea (CC BY-SA 2.0); U.S. Geological Survey (CC0 1.0); Life Lenses (CC BY-SA 2.0); btrentler (CC BY 2.0); Buck Valley Ranch (CC BY 2.0).