Texas Hunting & Fishing Licenses Now On Sale

Calling all hunters and fishermen, it is now time to renew your licenses for the new season.

Each year, more than two million licenses are sold in Texas but now the current ones you have now will expire at the end of August so you better act fast for the new license. There are some new things you do need to know.

This is nothing new but for people that don't know in Texas to hunt or fish legally without getting in trouble, you must have a license. There are different ones you can buy depending on what you want to do.

What's new? 

New this year, hunters and anglers can purchase additional types of digital licenses including Youth Hunting (Item 169), Lifetime Hunting tags (Item 991), Lifetime Fishing tags (Item 992) and the Exempt Angler tag (Item 257). The Super Combo license (Items 111, 117 and 990) continues to be available for purchase as a digital license this year as well.

Also if you are a digital license holder, you will not receive a printed license or tags so you will have to keep a digital license available while in the field. You can find those licenses through the TPWD Outdoor Annual and My Texas Hunt Harvest mobile apps.

The apps will also now tell you about alligator gar harvest reporting and support digital tagging of harvested deer, turkey, and oversized red drum for certain license holders.

How do you get the license in Texas?

I think you will be surprised but almost 2.7 million licenses are purchased a year. You can buy things like just fishing, lease small, Exotic Safari, combo packages, and all kinds of things. Plus, you can always add on later in the year. If you have no idea which one to buy they lit out in detail what they mean. There are three ways you can buy, online, by phone (1-800-895-4248), or in person. Depending on what you get depends on the price. A $5 administrative fee is charged for online transactions.

Hunters and anglers can search for licensed retailers here.

When buying their license, resident hunters and anglers may wish to purchase an entry in the Lifetime License Drawing. Three lucky winners will each win a Lifetime Super Combo License and never need to buy a Texas hunting or fishing license again. Entries are $5 each and can be purchased online, by phone or at any license retailer. The first entry deadline is Sept. 30th.

When you buy these licenses they will not be effective until September 1st, 2023.