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TITLE 31NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION
PART 2TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT
CHAPTER 65WILDLIFE
SUBCHAPTER ASTATEWIDE HUNTING PROCLAMATION
DIVISION 2OPEN SEASONS AND BAG LIMITS
RULE §65.42Deer

(a) General.

  (1) No person may exceed the applicable county bag limit or the annual bag limit of five white-tailed deer (no more than three bucks) and two mule deer (no more than one buck), except as provided by:

    (A) §65.29 of this title (relating to Managed Lands Deer Programs (MLDP));

    (B) use of an antlerless mule deer permit issued under §65.32 of this title (relating to Antlerless Mule Deer Permit);

    (C) use of a special permit under the provisions of Subchapter H of this chapter (relating to Public Hunting Proclamation); or

    (D) use of special antlerless permit issued by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) for use on USFS lands that are part of the department's public hunting program.

  (2) During an archery-only open season, deer may be taken only by the means described in §65.11(2) and (3) of this title (relating to Lawful Means).

  (3) The issuance and use of MLDP tags is prescribed by §65.29 of this title.

  (4) Except as provided in Subchapter H of this chapter and subsections (b)(2)(E) and (b)(4) - (6) of this section, the take of antlerless deer is prohibited on USFS lands.

  (5) In the counties or portions of counties listed in subsection (b)(2)(H) of this section, antlerless deer harvested on properties not subject to the provisions of §65.29 of this title (relating to Managed Lands Deer (MLD) Programs) must be reported via the department's internet or mobile application within 24 hours of the time of kill, including antlerless deer harvested during the special seasons established by subsection (b)(5) - (7) of this section. This paragraph does not apply to antlerless deer harvested under a digital license issued by the department pursuant to §53.3(a)(12) of this title (relating to Super Combination Hunting and Fishing Packages), a valid license with digital tags issued under §53.4 of this title (relating to Lifetime Licenses), or a valid digital license issued under §53.5(a)(3) of this title (relating to Recreational Hunting License, Stamps, and Tags), which must be reported as required under §65.10 of this title (relating to Possession of Wildlife Resources).

(b) White-tailed deer. The open seasons and bag limits for white-tailed deer shall be as follows.

  (1) South Zone. The general open season for the counties listed in this subparagraph is from the first Saturday in November through the third Sunday in January.

    (A) In Aransas, Bee, Brooks, Calhoun, Cameron, Dimmit, Duval, Frio, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kinney (south of U.S. Highway 90), Kleberg, LaSalle, Live Oak, Maverick, McMullen, Medina (south of U.S. Highway 90), Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, Starr, Uvalde (south of U.S. Highway 90), Val Verde (south of a line beginning at the International Bridge and proceeding along Spur 239 to U.S. Hwy. 90 and thence to the Kinney County line), Webb, Willacy, Zapata, and Zavala counties, there is a general open season. The bag limit is five deer, no more than three bucks.

    (B) In Atascosa County there is a general open season.

      (i) The bag limit is five deer, no more than two bucks; and

      (ii) the antler restrictions described in paragraph (3) of this subsection apply.

  (2) The general open season for the counties listed in this subparagraph is from the first Saturday in November through the first Sunday in January.

    (A) In Bandera, Baylor, Bexar, Blanco, Burnet, Callahan, Coke, Coleman, Comal (west of Interstate 35), Concho, Crockett, Edwards, Gillespie, Glasscock, Haskell, Hays (west of Interstate 35), Howard, Irion, Jones, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney (north of U.S. Highway 90), Knox, Llano, Mason, McCulloch, Medina (north of U.S. Highway 90), Menard, Mitchell, Nolan, Pecos, Real, Reagan, Runnels, San Saba, Schleicher, Shackelford, Sterling, Sutton, Taylor, Terrell, Throckmorton, Tom Green, Travis (west of Interstate 35), Upton, Uvalde (north of U.S. Highway 90), Val Verde (north of a line beginning at the International Bridge and proceeding along Spur 239 to U.S. Hwy. 90 and thence to the Kinney County line), and Wilbarger counties, the bag limit is five deer, no more than two bucks.

    (B) In Archer, Bell (west of IH 35), Bosque, Brown, Clay, Coryell, Hamilton, Hill, Jack, Lampasas, McLennan, Mills, Palo Pinto, Somervell, Stephens, Wichita, Williamson (west of IH 35) and Young counties:

      (i) the bag limit is five deer, no more than two bucks; and

      (ii) the antler restrictions described in paragraph (3) of this subsection apply.

    (C) In Armstrong, Borden, Briscoe, Carson, Childress, Collingsworth, Cottle, Crosby, Dickens, Donley, Fisher, Floyd, Foard, Garza, Gray, Hall, Hardeman, Hemphill, Hutchinson, Kent, King, Lipscomb, Motley, Ochiltree, Roberts, Scurry, Stonewall, and Wheeler counties, the bag limit is five deer, no more than one buck.

    (D) In Brewster, Culberson, Jeff Davis, Presidio, and Reeves counties, the bag limit is four deer, no more than two bucks.

    (E) In Comanche, Cooke, Denton, Eastland, Erath, Hood, Johnson, Montague, Parker, Tarrant, and Wise counties:

      (i) the bag limit is four deer, no more than two bucks and no more than two antlerless;

      (ii) the antler restrictions described in paragraph (3) of this subsection apply; and

      (iii) on USFS lands in Montague and Wise counties, antlerless deer may be taken only from Thanksgiving Day through the Sunday immediately following Thanksgiving Day.

    (F) In Angelina, Brazoria, Chambers, Cherokee, Fort Bend, Galveston, Goliad (south of U.S. Highway 59), Hardin, Harris, Houston, Jackson (south of U.S. Highway 59), Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, Newton, Orange, Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity, Tyler, Victoria (south of U.S. Highway 59), Walker, and Wharton (south of U.S. Highway 59) counties:

      (i) the bag limit is four deer, no more than two bucks and no more than two antlerless;

      (ii) the antler restrictions described in paragraph (3) of this subsection apply; and

      (iii) antlerless deer may be taken from opening day through the Sunday immediately following Thanksgiving Day.

    (G) In Anderson, Bell (East of IH 35), Bowie, Burleson, Brazos, Camp, Cass, Delta, Ellis, Falls, Fannin, Franklin, Freestone, Gregg, Grimes, Harrison, Henderson, Hopkins, Hunt, Kauffman, Lamar, Leon, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Milam, Morris, Nacogdoches, Navarro, Panola, Rains, Red River, Robertson, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby, Smith, Titus, Upshur, Van Zandt, Williamson (east of IH 35), and Wood counties:

      (i) the bag limit is four deer, no more than two bucks and no more than two antlerless;

      (ii) the antler restrictions described in paragraph (3) of this subsection apply; and

      (iii) antlerless deer may be taken during the first 16 days of the season.

    (H) In Austin, Bastrop, Caldwell, Colorado, Comal (east of IH 35), DeWitt, Fayette, Goliad (north of U.S. Highway 59), Gonzales, Guadalupe, Hays (east of IH 35), Jackson (north of U.S. Highway 59), Karnes, Lavaca, Lee, Travis (east of IH 35), Victoria (north of U.S. Highway 59), Waller, Washington, Wharton (north of U.S. Highway 59), and Wilson counties:

      (i) the bag limit is four deer, no more than two bucks and no more than two antlerless;

      (ii) the antler restrictions described in paragraph (3) of this subsection apply; and

      (iii) antlerless deer may be taken from Thanksgiving Day through the Sunday immediately following Thanksgiving Day.

      (iv) In the counties or portions of counties listed in this subparagraph, antlerless deer harvested on properties not subject to the provisions of §65.29 of this title (relating to Managed Lands Deer (MLD) Programs) must be reported via the department's internet or mobile application within 24 hours of the time of kill, including antlerless deer harvested during any special seasons established by subsection (b)(5) - (7) of this section.

    (I) In Collin, Dallas, Grayson, and Rockwall counties there is a general open season:

      (i) the bag limit is four deer, no more than two bucks and no more than two antlerless;

      (ii) the antler restrictions described in paragraph (3) of this subsection apply;

      (iii) lawful means are restricted to lawful archery equipment, including properties for which MLDP tags have been issued; and

      (iv) all deer harvested on properties not subject to the provisions of §65.29 of this title (relating to Managed Lands Deer (MLD) Programs) must be reported via the department's internet or mobile application within 24 hours of the time of kill, including deer harvested during any special season established by subsection (b)(5) - (7) of this section.

Cont'd...

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