Franklin County, Texas Hunting Seasons 2026-27

County seat: Mount Vernon. Every open season, zone and bag limit for Franklin County for the 2026-27 license year. White-tailed deer general season: Nov. 7, 2026 - Jan. 3, 2027.

Official TPWD page for Franklin County ↗

It is the hunter's responsibility to know restricted areas, local rules and license requirements. Check TPWD restricted areas in counties.

Alligator

Non-core

General SeasonApr. 1 - June 30, 2027
Bag Limit: 1 per person per year
Dove
⚠ Migratory Game Bird Endorsement & HIP Certification Required

North Zone — North of IH 30

Regular SeasonSept. 1 - Nov. 8, 2026
Dec. 18, 2026 - Jan. 7, 2027
Daily Bag Limit: 15 white-winged, mourning and white-tipped doves in the aggregate, to include no more than 2 white-tipped
Possession Limit: Three times the daily bag limit
Legal Shooting Hours: From one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
FalconryNov. 13 - 29, 2026
Daily Bag Limit: 3 in the aggregate
Possession Limit: Three times the daily bag limit

Central Zone — South of IH 30

Regular SeasonSept. 1 - Oct. 25, 2026
Dec. 11, 2026 - Jan. 14, 2027
Possession Limit: Three times the daily bag limit
Legal Shooting Hours: From one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
FalconryNov. 13 - 29, 2026
Daily Bag Limit: 3 in the aggregate
Possession Limit: Three times the daily bag limit
Duck
⚠ Migratory Game Bird Endorsement, HIP Certification & Federal Duck Stamp Required

North Zone

Duck Daily Bag Limit with Gun: 6 in the aggregate. Includes mergansers. No more than: 5 mallards (only two may be hens) 3 wood ducks 3 pintail 2 redheads 2 canvasback 1 scaup 1 "dusky" duck (mottled duck, Mexican duck, black duck, and their hybrids are closed the first five days of the season in each zone) All other species not listed: 6
Coot Daily Bag Limit: 15 birds
Possession Limit with Gun: Three times the daily bag limit
Youth-OnlyNov. 7 - 8, 2026
Note: Learn More about Youth Only Seasons
Veterans and Active Duty MilitaryNov. 7 - 8, 2026
Regular SeasonNov. 14 - 29, 2026
Dec. 5, 2026 - Jan. 31, 2027
"Dusky" DuckNov. 19 - 29, 2026
Dec. 5, 2026 - Jan. 31, 2027
FalconryFeb. 1 - 21, 2027
Daily Bag Limit by Falconry: 3 migratory game birds, singly or in the aggregate.
Possession Limit by Falconry: 9 migratory game birds, singly or in the aggregate.
Goose
⚠ Migratory Game Bird Endorsement, HIP Certification & Federal Duck Stamp Required

Eastern Zone

Daily Bag Limit: 5 Early Canada geese; 5 regular dark geese (to include no more than 2 White-fronted geese); 5 light geese in the aggregate.
Possession Limit: Three times the daily bag limit.
Early Canada Geese SeasonSept. 12 - 27, 2026
Dark GeeseNov. 7, 2026 - Jan. 31, 2027
Light GeeseNov. 7, 2026 - Feb. 19, 2027
Quail
⚠ Upland Game Bird Endorsement Required

Statewide

Regular SeasonNov. 1, 2026 - Feb. 28, 2027
Daily Bag Limit: 15
Possession Limit: 45
Mearns' (Montezuma) Quail: No open season.
Rails, Gallinules and Moorhens
⚠ Migratory Game Bird Endorsement & HIP Certification Required

Statewide

Regular SeasonSept. 19 - 27, 2026
Nov. 7, 2026 - Jan. 6, 2027
Daily Bag Limit: 15 King and Clapper Rails in the aggregate; 25 Sora and Virginia Rails in the aggregate; 15 Moorhens (Common Gallinules) and Purple Gallinules in the aggregate.
Possession Limit: Three times the daily bag limit
FalconryFeb. 1 - 21, 2027
Daily Bag Limit: 3 in the aggregate
Possession Limit: Three times the daily bag limit
Squirrel

East Texas

Daily Bag Limit: 10
Possession Limit: 20
General SeasonOct. 1, 2026 - Feb. 28, 2027
May 1 - 31, 2027
Youth-OnlySept. 25 - 27, 2026
Teal
⚠ Migratory Game Bird Endorsement, HIP Certification & Federal Duck Stamp Required

Statewide

September Teal Only SeasonSept. 19 - 27, 2026
Daily Bag Limit: 6 in the aggregate
Possession Limit: Three times the daily bag limit
White-tailed Deer
⚠ Archery Endorsement Required for Archery Hunting

North Zone

Bag Limit: 4 deer, no more than 2 bucks, and no more than 2 antlerless, all seasons combined.
Antler Restrictions: The bag limit in this county is two legal bucks, but only ONE may have an inside spread of 13 inches or greater. A legal buck deer is defined as a buck deer with: at least one unbranched antler; OR an inside spread of 13 inches or greater (does not apply to a buck that has an unbranched antler). A hunter may also take ONE buck with an inside spread of 13 inches or greater in a different county with antler restrictions, and not to exceed that county's bag limit.
Antlerless Deer: Antlerless deer may be taken by hunting license tag during archery, muzzleloader, and youth-only seasons, except on properties where antlerless MLDP tags have been issued then take is by MLDP tag only. Antlerless deer may also be taken by hunting license tags during designated periods in the General Season, see General Season section below for specific dates.
MLDP: If MLDP buck tags have been issued for a property, harvest is by MLDP tag only and all bucks must be tagged with a MLDP tag. If MLDP antlerless tags have been issued for a property, harvest is by MLDP tag only and all antlerless deer must be tagged with a MLDP antlerless tag. The landowner or designated agent are responsible for providing MLDP tags to the hunters on MLDP properties. All hunters using MLDP tags are required to possess a Resident or Non-resident General hunting license.
Archery OnlyOct. 3 - Nov. 6, 2026
General SeasonNov. 7, 2026 - Jan. 3, 2027
Antlerless Deer: Nov. 7-29, antlerless deer by hunting license tag.
Youth-Only: Early Youth-Only SeasonOct. 30 - Nov. 1, 2026
Youth-Only: Late Youth-Only SeasonJan. 4 - 17, 2027
MuzzleloaderJan. 4 - 17, 2027
Wilson's Snipe (Common Snipe or Jacksnipe)
⚠ Migratory Game Bird Endorsement & HIP Certification Required

Statewide

Regular SeasonNov. 7, 2026 - Feb. 21, 2027
Daily Bag Limit: 8
Possession Limit: Three times the daily bag limit
Woodcock
⚠ Migratory Game Bird Endorsement & HIP Certification Required

Statewide

Regular SeasonDec. 18, 2026 - Jan. 31, 2027
Daily Bag Limit: 3
Possession Limit: Three times the daily bag limit
FalconryFeb. 1 - 21, 2027
Daily Bag Limit: 3
Possession Limit: Three times the daily bag limit

No open season in Franklin County

Javelina

Plan the trip

Get the best fishing times for the same weekend, or read our Texas gear guides. Look up another county.

Source: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 2026-2027 Hunting Season Dates and the TPWD Outdoor Annual "Seasons by County" listings, retrieved October 23, 2026. Dates and limits shown exactly as published by TPWD for the 2026-27 license year (Sept. 1, 2026 – Aug. 31, 2027). Not an official TPWD site. Always confirm before you hunt.