Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists expect hunters will find good harvest numbers and quality bucks in the 2026-27 hunting season. Following three years of above-average fawn survival, the state's white-tailed deer population has grown to 5.64 million, according to the agency.
Rainfall and habitat conditions were key to the outlook. While most of Texas began spring under drought conditions, late spring and early summer rain improved habitat statewide. Some regions—the Cross Timbers, Edwards Plateau, Eastern Rolling Plains, and parts of the Post Oak Savannah and Blackland Prairie—saw better conditions and are expected to have slightly above-average seasons. South Texas and portions of the Pineywoods received less benefit from late-spring rains but benefited from mid-summer rainfall and below-average temperatures that boosted fawn survival.
Hunters should see slightly above-average antler quality overall. The Edwards Plateau, home to 1.973 million white-tailed deer, has the highest population in the state and consistently produces one of the highest hunter success rates. South Texas, known for mature bucks, has an estimated 478,000 white-tailed deer. The Cross Timbers has the second-highest population at 924,242 deer, and the Pineywoods population is estimated at 334,414.
The agency flagged two wildlife concerns for hunters. New World Screwworm was confirmed in Texas in 2026, and hunters are asked to monitor wildlife and report any signs of infestation to their local TPWD biologist. Hunters are also encouraged to manage Chronic Wasting Disease through proper carcass disposal and voluntary testing.