Ridgeline Raven
Texas

All states › Texas

Texas County Finder

Answer six questions and get all 254 Texas counties ranked by habitat fit, 2026–27 county seasons and public land, for whitetail, mule deer, turkey, javelina, pronghorn, alligator, feral hogs, quail and waterfowl.

How the Texas finder works

Texas Parks and Wildlife estimates deer, mule deer and javelina harvest statewide and by ecoregion, not by county, so this tool scores all 254 counties on USGS land-cover and elevation data, the share of public land such as national forests, wildlife management areas, national grasslands and refuges, and each county's own 2026–27 seasons.

Season fit uses TPWD's 2026–27 Outdoor Annual county pages: each county's white-tailed deer zone (North or South, with archery, general, youth, muzzleloader and special late seasons), mule deer, javelina, pronghorn, alligator (core and non-core counties), spring and fall turkey, quail, pheasant and migratory bird zones. More than 95% of Texas is private land, so most hunting is on leases; the Draw Odds page covers TPWD's drawn public hunts.

Species covered

  • Mule deer
  • White-tailed deer
  • Pronghorn antelope
  • Javelina
  • American alligator
  • Wild pig
  • Wild turkey

Upland birds (ranked by county)

  • Ring-necked pheasant
  • Quail

Waterfowl and migratory birds (ranked by county)

  • Ducks
  • Canada and dark geese
  • Snow and Ross's geese
  • Mourning dove
  • Sandhill crane
  • American woodcock

About every species on the species page →

Data sources

Texas hunting FAQ

Does Texas publish deer harvest by county?

No. TPWD's Big Game Harvest Survey reports deer, mule deer and javelina harvest statewide and by ecoregion (about 837,000 white-tailed deer in 2024), not by county, so the tool ranks counties on habitat, public land and season.

When does Texas deer season open in 2026?

Archery opens Oct. 3, 2026 statewide. The general season opens Nov. 7 and runs to Jan. 3, 2027 in the North Zone and Jan. 17 in the South Zone, with youth-only weekends and special late seasons by county. Each county's dates are on its result.

Where can I hunt public land in Texas?

Texas is more than 95% private, so public hunting is on national forests and grasslands, wildlife management areas, state parks and refuges, much of it through TPWD's Annual Public Hunting Permit and drawn hunts. Pick Public land only to rank counties with the most public ground.

Texas harvest leaders

The counties with the highest average reported harvest for each species. High totals often reflect large areas and many hunters; the tool above also weighs harvest per square mile, hunter success, habitat and access.

Ducks (USFWS 10-year average)

  1. Jefferson County: 97,680 per year
  2. Colorado County: 94,510 per year
  3. Matagorda County: 65,310 per year
  4. Wharton County: 62,605 per year
  5. Calhoun County: 38,566 per year

Canada and dark geese (USFWS 10-year average)

  1. Colorado County: 58,125 per year
  2. Wharton County: 54,249 per year
  3. Matagorda County: 15,417 per year
  4. Brazoria County: 8,914 per year
  5. Lubbock County: 6,622 per year