Cooler weather is here, just in time for the opening of white-tailed deer season.

An excellent season is forecast, and you can expect an abundance of bucks in the 5.5 to 7.5-years age range. Exceptionally good habitat conditions earlier this year should translate into above-average antler quality. 

3 must-hunt areas for white-tails are:

• Edwards Plateau, which has the highest deer population in Texas
• South Texas Plains, famous for its top-quality bucks
• Cross Timbers Region, with the second-highest deer population 

Good luck this fall, and enjoy your time hunting with friends and family.

You must carry:

• Hunting license
• Proof of Hunter Ed., if you can't find your certification, print a replacement

You should also:

• Correctly log and tag your harvest
• Refer to your Outdoor Annual for county-specific regulations.
• Bring any deer harvested in a CWD Zone to a CWD check station within 48 hours for testing

What’s NEW this season: 

• One of the CWD check stations in the Trans-Pecos has changed location.
• Experimental mule deer antler restrictions are expanded to Lynn County. If you harvest a mule deer buck in a county with experimental antler restrictions, bring it to a harvest check station for a chance to win some great prizes!
• Doe opportunities have expanded, and 21 counties will have their first antlerless deer season. Mandatory reporting of antlerless deer harvest in these counties is required using the My Texas Hunt Harvest app or online.  

The public hunting program is a wonderful resource for hunters. Over a million acres of leased and public lands are made available for the cost of a $48 annual public hunting permit. And anyone under 17 can access these areas for free with a permitted adult.

With so many options, which hunt area should you choose? Check out your options using our popular area and game search tool, interactive map or downloadable booklet (PDF). Once you find that perfect spot, purchase your annual permit before you head out. You can also browse the drawn hunt catalog for standby hunt opportunities and location ideas. See you out there!

Help stop the spread of CWD by following these safe handling guidelines for white-tailed deer, mule deer and elk:

Parts Safe to Transport:

• Portions of meat with no part of the spine or head attached
• Hides and capes with all excess tissue removed
• Antlers, including antlers attached to skulls or skull plates, cleaned of all muscle and brain tissue

Proper Carcass Disposal:

• Avoid cutting through bones, spine, or brain
• Place carcass parts in trash bags and dispose of them using a trash service or in a landfill
• If you have your harvest mounted, use a licensed taxidermist to assure the carcass is disposed of properly

Watch the video, How to Debone a Deer in a CWD Area, and review how to properly quarter a deer and dispose of the carcass.

Always properly dispose of unused carcass parts, even if your harvest is not in a CWD zone.