Texas Porch

Hunting / Where you can hunt

Where you can hunt.

More than 95% of Texas is privately owned, so most hunting happens on private land. But there is real public land too.

Private land

Public land

There's more public hunting in Texas than people expect - you just need the right permit or a bit of luck in the draw.

Best starting point

Annual Public Hunting (APH) Permit

about $48

One permit opens over 1 million acres of public hunting land — wildlife management areas and national forest land — with no lottery. You get a map booklet showing where to go and what you can hunt. Great value for hogs, deer, dove, and squirrel.

Drawn hunts

$3-$10 to apply

TPWD runs a lottery for thousands of special hunts (deer, pronghorn, gator, exotics, even bighorn). If drawn, the hunt fee runs about $80 (regular) to $130 (extended). Youth hunts are often free. Not drawn? You earn a loyalty point for better odds next year.

Big Time Texas Hunts

about $9 per entry

A raffle for dream hunt packages (like the Texas Grand Slam). The money funds conservation.

National Wildlife Refuges

varies

Federal lands run by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service also offer drawn hunts.

Before you go

Official sources

Public-land access, the APH permit, and drawn hunts are run by Texas Parks & Wildlife. Confirm permit prices and application windows on the official pages.

Data vintage:
Built on the 2026-2027 season
Last reviewed:
June 15, 2026

Caution: Permit prices, fees, and application windows change. The official TPWD public-hunting pages are the final word.

Spot something that needs a Texas check? This first pass is built to be polished over time. Send the page name, county, parcel context if relevant, and the official source you are looking at. Email Texas Porch.