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Planning Updated Jan 29, 2026

Texas Best Times to Hunt

Solunar calendar and moon phase predictions for Texas

Best Times to Hunt in Texas

Solunar reference for Texas hunters: timezone, TX agency rules, and major/minor period guidance tuned to Texas-specific notes.

TX timezone Moon phase tracking Activity ratings Major & minor periods

How Texas hunters read the solunar calendar

Texas-specific timing patterns — what makes TX different from the surrounding region

No other state runs more parallel hunting calendars. South Texas brush country whitetails rut December into early January with the heaviest body weights in the country. Hill Country deer in the central Edwards Plateau peak rut mid-November. Pineywoods East Texas runs a mid-to-late November rut on a southeastern timeline. Trans-Pecos mule deer in the Big Bend country rut December into January. El Paso and Hudspeth counties — the two westernmost — sit in Mountain Time. Gulf Coast prairie waterfowl peaks December and January, with rice fields holding mallards, pintails, and white-fronted geese. Texas norther fronts arriving from the Panhandle in late October and November are the single biggest driver of deer movement statewide; a 30-degree drop overlapping a major solunar period remains the textbook setup.

TX

Texas Solunar Information

Hunting conditions and wildlife patterns

Timezone
Chicago
Hunting Notes
No other state runs more parallel hunting calendars. South Texas brush country whitetails rut December into early January with the heaviest body weights in the country. Hill Country deer in the central Edwards Plateau peak rut mid-November. Pineywoods East Texas runs a mid-to-late November rut on a southeastern timeline. Trans-Pecos mule deer in the Big Bend country rut December into January. El Paso and Hudspeth counties — the two westernmost — sit in Mountain Time. Gulf Coast prairie waterfowl peaks December and January, with rice fields holding mallards, pintails, and white-fronted geese. Texas norther fronts arriving from the Panhandle in late October and November are the single biggest driver of deer movement statewide; a 30-degree drop overlapping a major solunar period remains the textbook setup.
Official Source: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
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This information is for reference only. Always verify regulations with your state wildlife agency before hunting or fishing.

Last verified: January 2026

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Texas Best Times FAQ

Common questions about solunar hunting in Texas

What timezone do Texas solunar tables use?

The Texas calendar runs in the Chicago timezone (America/Chicago). Major and minor periods on this page are already shifted to local TX time, so you can match them directly against your sunrise and sunset. No other state runs more parallel hunting calendars. South Texas brush country whitetails rut December into early January with the heaviest body weights in the country. Hill Country deer in the central Edwards Plateau peak rut mid-November. Pineywoods East Texas runs a mid-to-late November rut on a southeastern timeline. Trans-Pecos mule deer in the Big Bend country rut December into January. El Paso and Hudspeth counties — the two westernmost — sit in Mountain Time. Gulf Coast prairie waterfowl peaks December and January, with rice fields holding mallards, pintails, and white-fronted geese. Texas norther fronts arriving from the Panhandle in late October and November are the single biggest driver of deer movement statewide; a 30-degree drop overlapping a major solunar period remains the textbook setup.

What's specific to hunting in Texas that changes the timing?

No other state runs more parallel hunting calendars. South Texas brush country whitetails rut December into early January with the heaviest body weights in the country. Hill Country deer in the central Edwards Plateau peak rut mid-November. Pineywoods East Texas runs a mid-to-late November rut on a southeastern timeline. Trans-Pecos mule deer in the Big Bend country rut December into January. El Paso and Hudspeth counties — the two westernmost — sit in Mountain Time. Gulf Coast prairie waterfowl peaks December and January, with rice fields holding mallards, pintails, and white-fronted geese. Texas norther fronts arriving from the Panhandle in late October and November are the single biggest driver of deer movement statewide; a 30-degree drop overlapping a major solunar period remains the textbook setup.

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