New Texas hunting and fishing regulations start Sept. 1
For the first time, hunters and anglers can purchase digital hunting and fishing licenses with a digital tag option. Go online to TPWD.texas.gov and search for the Texas License Connection. Courtesy photo
For the first time, Texas hunters and anglers can purchase a digital Super Combo license that will allow for digital tagging of harvested deer, turkey, and oversize red drum. The change is among a handful of new game and fishing regulations due to go into effect Thursday, Sept. 1, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department recently announced. Sept. 1 is also when dove season opens in parts of Texas, including the Highland Lakes, which is in the Central Zone.
New this year, all regulations and any changes are available in an online version of the TPWD Outdoor Annual. The book can be downloaded to a smartphone, tablet, or computer. You can still get your hands on a traditional hard copy or download and print one from the online connection.
Digital hunting licenses can only be purchased online. With no printed tags or licenses, hunters and anglers will be required to keep their digital licenses available wherever they are in the field. Licenses and tags can be viewed through the TWPD Outdoor Annual or the My Texas Hunt Harvest mobile apps.
The free mobile apps operate without an internet connection so they can be available even in the most remote areas.
New regulations beginning Sept. 1 for the 2022-23 season involve white-tailed deer and include modified definitions of buck and anterless deer, modified proof of sex requirements for harvested buck, and new definitions for commercial cold storage facilities.
The season for mule deer was expanded to 16 days from nine in 15 southwestern Panhandle counties as well as Terrell County in the Trans-Pecos.
A special archery season was added for deer hunters. Of the state’s 254 counties, 252 offer archery from Oct. 1-Nov. 4
Veterans and active-duty military members may now hunt waterfowl during youth-only season in all duck zones. Also, daily bag limit restrictions were removed for hooded mergansers, and daily bag limits for merganser and duck were combined into a single aggregate daily bag limit.
Turkey season east of Interstate 35 in Ellis County has been closed.
New fishing regulations for the upcoming season include:
FRESH WATER FISHING
- Modified regulations to prevent the transfer of invasive carp as bait from Red River tributaries.
- Established reservoir boundaries for Sam Rayburn Reservoir and Lake Texoma.
- New largemouth bass harvest regulations for soon-to-be-opened Bois d’Arc Lake.
- Modified harvest regulations for alligator gar, walleye, and red drum at specific locations.
SALTWATER FISHING
- Spotted seatrout regulations for all bay systems south of FM 457 were updated.
- A digital tagging option is now available for oversized red drum for holders of specific electronic license types.
For more details on these and other changes, visit the TPWD Outdoor Annual online.