Home › Texas › Species › Snipe

Texas migratory birds

Snipe Hunting in Texas

Wilson’s snipe are open statewide from Nov. 7, 2026 to Feb. 21, 2027, a longer run than either the rail or the woodcock season. Below: every 2026-27 segment by zone, the limits, the county lists and the public land that names snipe.

Nov 7First day
Feb 21Closing
254Open counties
53Public areas

Photo: ShenandoahNPS (Public domain)

The snipe bag is eight a day and three times that, 24, in possession. The TPWD snipe listing shows no separate falconry segment. 53 public areas in our list name other migratory birds, which includes snipe.

Snipe: TPWD summary

  • Nov. 7, 2026 – Feb. 21, 2027; 8/day.

Snipe calendar by zone

1 Segment for snipe, sorted as TPWD lists them, with an open or closed flag for today.

ZoneHuntStartsEndsLengthStatus
StatewideRegular SeasonNov 7, 2026Feb 21, 2027107

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

Snipe take, daily and seasonal

Read the snipe limit cards before counting birds or tags; TPWD wording is kept intact.

8Snipe a day
24Snipe in possession
107Season length, days
254Counties open

Snipe limit

TPWD

8/day, 24 possession.

ZoneWhatTPWD text
StatewideDaily Bag Limit8
StatewidePossession Limit3x the daily bag

Snipe: zones and the counties in them

254 counties have snipe dates in 2026-27, per the snipe lines on the 254 TPWD county pages.

Zone or listWhole countiesSplit counties
Statewide2540
Statewide, all 254 counties

Snipe regulations beyond the bag

Everything below is from the 2026-27 Outdoor Annual and applies to snipe statewide unless a county or area says otherwise.

Fees

Licenses and stamps for snipe, resident prices unless noted.

$25Resident license
$7Migratory endorsement
FreeHIP certification
$48Nonresident 5-day
$7Youth license
$48APH permit

Legal light

As migratory birds, snipe may be shot from one-half hour before sunrise until sunset.

Wearing orange

TPWD exempts snipe from the 400 square inch orange rule on public hunting lands.

Hunter education

Snipe hunters under 9 must hunt within voice control of a qualified, licensed adult 17 or older; from 9 up, hunter education or accompaniment applies.

Snipe and HIP

Snipe hunters need HIP certification and the migratory endorsement but no duck stamp.

Snipe shotguns

Snipe are taken with shotguns no larger than 10 gauge, plugged to three shells.

Snipe in transit

A wing or head stays on each dressed snipe until it reaches home.

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

Public land that lists snipe

Snipe hunters have 53 public options on the TPWD and federal lists, spread over 5 regions.

Pineywoods (18)

Big Lake Bottom WMA (Anderson Co.) · Gus Engeling WMA (Anderson Co.) · Alazan Bayou WMA – Old River Tract (Angelina Co.) · Angelina National Forest (Angelina Co.) · White Oak Creek WMA (Bowie Co.) · Wright Patman Lake (Bowie Co.) · Lake Striker Public Hunting Lands (Cherokee Co.) · Davy Crockett National Forest (Houston Co.) · Angelina-Neches/Dam B WMA (Jasper Co.) · Caddo Lake WMA (Marion Co.) · Alazan Bayou WMA – Blount Tract (Nacogdoches Co.) · Sabine River Authority Unit 630 (Panola Co.) · Moore Plantation WMA (Sabine Co.) · Sabine National Forest (Sabine Co.) · Bannister WMA (San Augustine Co.) · North Toledo Bend WMA (Shelby Co.) · Old Sabine Bottom WMA (Smith Co.) · Alabama Creek WMA (Trinity Co.)

Dallas/Ft. Worth (12)

Lavon Lake (Collin Co.) · Ray Roberts Public Hunting Lands (Cooke Co.) · Cooper WMA (Delta Co.) · Lewisville Lake (Denton Co.) · Bardwell Lake (Ellis Co.) · Bois d'Arc Lake Public Hunting Lands (Fannin Co.) · Caddo National Grassland (Fannin Co.) · Caddo National Grasslands WMA (Fannin Co.) · Caddo National Grasslands WMA – Bois d'Arc Unit (Fannin Co.) · Caddo National Grasslands WMA – Ladonia Unit (Fannin Co.) · Tawakoni WMA (Hunt Co.) · Pat Mayse WMA (Lamar Co.)

Houston/Beaumont (12)

Justin Hurst WMA (Brazoria Co.) · J.D. Murphree WMA – Big Hill Unit (Jefferson Co.) · J.D. Murphree WMA – Salt Bayou Unit (Jefferson Co.) · Sea Rim State Park (Jefferson Co.) · South China Road (Jefferson Co.) · Mad Island WMA (Matagorda Co.) · Sam Houston National Forest (Montgomery Co.) · Sam Houston National Forest WMA (Montgomery Co.) · Lower Neches WMA (Orange Co.) · Lower Neches WMA – Nelda Stark Unit (Orange Co.) · Lower Neches WMA – Old River Unit (Orange Co.) · Tony Houseman/Blue Elbow Swamp WMA (Orange Co.)

Austin/Waco (6)

Belton Lake (Bell Co.) · Stillhouse Hollow Lake (Bell Co.) · Richland Creek WMA (Freestone Co.) · Richland Creek WMA – Carl Frentress Unit (Freestone Co.) · Luminant Texas Public Hunting Unit (Robertson Co.) · Granger Public Hunting Lands (Williamson Co.)

San Antonio/Corpus Christi (5)

Guadalupe Delta WMA (Calhoun Co.) · Guadalupe Delta WMA – Mission Lake Unit (Calhoun Co.) · James E. Daughtrey WMA (Live Oak Co.) · Guadalupe Delta WMA – Guadalupe River Unit (Refugio Co.) · Guadalupe Delta WMA – Hynes Bay Unit (Refugio Co.)

For snipe, the $48 APH permit opens more than a million acres and about 120 leased dove and small game units. 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.

Snipe: drawn and premium hunts

The drawing catalog does not name snipe; APH units are the public route.

Waterfowl E-Postcards may or may not include snipe; TPWD does not specify.

Stocking up for Snipe country

Picked for the hunting done here; prices come from a live search.

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

Dove decoys

Clip-on decoys on a fence or dead tree draw birds in.

Amazon listings

Shell bag

Dove shoots burn through boxes of shells.

Amazon listings

Dove stool with storage

A bucket seat for long waits at a stock tank or field edge.

Amazon listings

Shooting glasses

Eye protection for a crowded dove field.

Amazon listings

Quick answers on snipe

How many snipe can I keep?

Eight a day and 24 in possession.

Do snipe hunters need a duck stamp?

No. The Federal Duck Stamp is for waterfowl; snipe need HIP and the migratory endorsement.

What paperwork do snipe hunters carry?

For snipe: Resident license ($25); Migratory endorsement ($7); HIP certification (Free); Nonresident 5-day ($48).

Can I hunt snipe on a WMA?

Our list has 53; by acreage, Sam Houston National Forest, Sam Houston National Forest WMA and Davy Crockett National Forest come first. Snipe hunters 17 and up carry a $48 APH permit there.

Can snipe be hunted at night?

As migratory birds, snipe may be shot from one-half hour before sunrise until sunset.

Is orange needed when hunting snipe?

TPWD exempts snipe from the 400 square inch orange rule on public hunting lands.

Where in Texas are snipe legal?

254 of 254 counties.

When can I hunt snipe this season?

Snipe hunters get Statewide regular season Nov 7, 2026 to Feb 21, 2027.

Wrapping up snipe

A public area or a lease can set tighter snipe rules than the statewide ones on this page.

Other photos on this page: gurdonark (CC BY 2.0); Calistemon (CC BY-SA 4.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); Charles & Clint (CC BY-SA 2.0); Shiva Shenoy (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0).