Where Can I Go Mule Deer Hunting In Texas?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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The Trans-Pecos and the Panhandle regions

offer some phenomenal Mule Deer hunting. In Texas it’s 90% private landowner tags, with an over the counter license. HWO has access to multiple different private ranches with basically unlimited acreage.

When can you hunt mule deer in Texas?

Season Zone Dates General Panhandle

Nov. 21 – Dec. 6
SW Panhandle Nov. 21 – Nov. 29 Trans-Pecos Nov. 27 – Dec. 13 Archery 59 of 254 counties Oct. 3 – Nov. 6

Can you hunt mule deer on public land Texas?


You can come to Fritch, TX and hunt at Lake Meredith NRA

. No drawings, you just have to have a hunting license.

Where is the best place to deer hunt in Texas?

  • Sombrerito Ranch: This lovely 11,000-acre South Texas spread was originally part of a Spanish land grant. …
  • King Ranch: The quality of the deer is top-notch, but the mystique and historical wonder of the place is what sets it apart (not to mention its legendary size: more than 800,000 acres).

What part of Texas has the most mule deer?

Approximately 80–85 percent of the mule deer in Texas inhabit the

Trans-Pecos Region

while the remainder are found in the Panhandle and western Edwards Plateau regions (Fig. 1). the Trans-Pecos to Randall and Armstrong counties.

Do you need a tag for mule deer in Texas?


A buck deer must be tagged with a buck deer tag or applicable tag or permit

. For tagging purposes, all other deer are antlerless deer, regardless of sex.

How do you hunt desert mule deer?

  1. Glass for Bucks. Plan on spending long hours behind glass. …
  2. Monitor Doe Groups. Keep track of the doe groups you’ve located during your scouting efforts. …
  3. Stalk Within Range. …
  4. Hunt Water Holes. …
  5. Use Whitetail Tactics.

Does Texas have over the counter deer tags?

TEXAS. Most of the Lone Star State’s mule deer — about 80 to 85 percent — are the Trans-Pecos subspecies, which are a bit smaller than their Rocky Mountain and Sonoran Desert cousins. However,

every OTC Texas nonresident hunting license includes one buck and one doe mule deer tag with no extra or hidden tag fees

.

How many mule deer are in Texas?

DISTRIBUTION. Occurs over most of the Trans-Pecos and Panhandle regions of Texas and in some areas immediately east of there, partly as a result of introductions. The population size in Texas ranges from

about 150,000 during dry conditions to about 250,000 during wetter periods

.

Where can you hunt for free in Texas?

Backups: The National Park Service also offers hunting at

Lake Meredith National Recreation Area in the Panhandle

and provides free hunting permits for some areas of the Big Thicket National Preserve in Southeast Texas.

What deer can you hunt in Texas?

Deer hunting in Texas is a popular pursuit, governed by the regulations set forth by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Hunters have their choice of

white-tailed deer or mule deer

to hunt in the Lone Star State.

What county in Texas has the best deer hunting?

The Hill Country, and probably

Llano County

, is rightfully the deer hunting hotbed of Texas. The region’s claim to the title is solid as it accounts for almost 50 percent of the state’s 500,000-plus white-tailed deer harvest.

What part of Texas has the most deer?

The most heavily populated area of the state BY FAR is the

Edwards Plateau and the Texas Hill Country

where there can be as many as 293 deer per 1,000 acres. This region is almost 3 times as densely populated as any other region of the state.

What part of Texas has the biggest deer?

What part of Texas has the Biggest Bucks? The area that grows the largest mature bucks in Texas is the

South Texas Plains

. This is shown from Texas Parks and Wildlife harvest data across 15 years. The average score of a mature buck in South Texas is 134 inches.

Can you breed mule deer in Texas?


You can grow Big Mule Deer in Texas

. Our Mule Deer Facility is located in the Awesome Delaware Mountains of Culberson County Texas. Chronic Wasting Disease Complete Monitored Cervidae Herd, # CWD561TX/06 Level Certified. Semen available.

How far do mule deer travel?

Migration routes can be

well over 100 miles

in length, and function not only as travel corridors, but also as important foraging habitats

9

. The longest documented mule deer migration is over 240 miles from winter range in the Red Desert of Wyoming to summer range near Island Park, Idaho.

Are there mule deer in East Texas?

Between 1950 and 1988, desert mule deer were relocated from the Trans-Pecos to the Panhandle counties; and

Rocky Mountain mule deer from Colorado expanded into the eastern Texas Panhandle

. Mule deer poulations benefit greatly from the return of healthy and diverse Mule Deer habitats when rainfall cooperates.

How much is a deer tag in Texas?

License fees are

$25 for residents, $7 for youth (ages 16 and younger) and seniors (ages 65 and older), and $315 for non-residents

.

Is a button buck legal in Texas?

A spike buck must be tagged with a buck deer tag from the hunter’s hunting license or applicable permit. That was copied from Texas Parks and Wildlife site.

A button buck should be taged with a doe tag

.

How many counties in Texas have antler restrictions?

Deer hunters in 61 counties scattered across the eastern half of the state have more to keep in mind than just the standard, statewide, deer-related regulations.

Where can I find big mule deer bucks?

For the best place to find mule deer,

pick a good vantage point and look to the shade

. Mulies typically favor the shade, but don’t let that keep you from glassing into every possible location. As you plan out when and where to glass, consider where the mule deer spends most of their time living.

Where do you find big mule deer bucks?

Mule deer bucks, especially in the rut, love to lay up in tiny folds between hills, timber pockets, and little creek drainages you didn’t know were there.

Hiking hard from Point A to Point B with your head down and legs swinging

is the best way I know to run every good buck out of your zone.

Where can I find mature mule deer?

Mule deer can be hard to pick out from their surroundings, and good optics are an invaluable tool for finding them.

In snow-free terrain, you’ll often locate mule deer by seeing their whitish-colored rumps

. With snow on the ground, you’ll find them by looking for their brown bodies.

Where is the best place to mule deer hunt?

  • Colorado. Colorado is widely regarded as the nation’s top mule deer destination. …
  • Idaho. Idaho runs a close second to Colorado when it comes to mule deer hunting. …
  • Montana. Montana has a lot of country and lot of mule deer. …
  • Wyoming. …
  • Nebraska.

What Animals Can you hunt in Texas without a license?

Texas is home to an array of non-game animals. These include

armadillos, bobcats, coyotes, flying squirrels, frogs, ground squirrels, mountain lions, porcupines, prairie dogs, rabbits and turtles

. On private property, these species can be hunted at any time with a valid hunting license.

Which states have over the counter mule deer tags?


Arizona, California, Idaho, Oregon, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Washington

are states where you can purchase tags over the counter and hunt mule deer every year. Arizona, California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington also offer draw tags for some units.

Diane Mitchell
Author
Diane Mitchell
Diane Mitchell is an animal lover and trainer with over 15 years of experience working with a variety of animals, including dogs, cats, birds, and horses. She has worked with leading animal welfare organizations. Diane is passionate about promoting responsible pet ownership and educating pet owners on the best practices for training and caring for their furry friends.