Wild Hog Hunting in Texas: Season, Rules & Where to Go (2026)
Texas is home to an estimated 2.6 million feral hogs — more than any other state, and by some estimates nearly half the U.S. population. That scale, combined with hunter-friendly regulations, makes Texas the single best state in the country to hunt wild hogs, whether you’re after meat, trophy boars, or just want to help a landowner manage damage.
Texas Wild Hog Hunting Rules
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Season | No closed season on private land — hogs may be hunted 365 days a year, day or night, with landowner permission. |
| Bag limit | None. |
| License | A valid Texas hunting license is required for hunters on private land. Landowners (or their authorized agents) may take depredating hogs on their own property without a hunting license. |
| Night hunting | Legal on private land with landowner consent. Night vision, thermal scopes, and artificial light (spotlights) are all legal tools. |
| Key restriction | It is unlawful to hunt from a motor vehicle. Lights must be handheld, head-worn, or weapon-mounted — not vehicle-mounted. |
| Public land | Texas Parks & Wildlife runs drawn public hunts specifically for feral hogs on select Wildlife Management Areas and Corps of Engineers lands — apply through the TPWD public hunt drawing system. |
Source: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Regulations current as of mid-2026 — always confirm before you hunt.
Where to Hunt
Feral hogs are established in nearly all 254 Texas counties, but the heaviest concentrations are in East and South Texas — particularly the Piney Woods, the Post Oak Savannah, and the brush country south of San Antonio toward the Rio Grande. Many landowners in these regions actively want hogs removed and either allow hunting for free, charge a modest day rate, or run guided hunts as a side business, since hog damage to crops and pastureland is a real financial problem for them.
Methods That Work
Because Texas allows night hunting with no restrictions on optics, most serious hog hunters focus on after-dark hunts over corn feeders or bait sites using thermal scopes — hogs are largely nocturnal in areas with any hunting pressure, so daytime sightings become rare fast. Helicopter hog hunts are also legal and popular in Texas (a rarity nationally) for landowners managing large acreages with severe hog damage, though these are typically booked through specialized outfitters rather than DIY.
For rifle selection, see our wild hog caliber and rifle guide — Texas hunters commonly run .223/5.56 for daytime hogs and step up to .308 or larger for night hunting over bait, where follow-up shots on multiple hogs are common.
Cost to Hunt
Because of the sheer hog population, Texas has the widest range of price points in the country — from free (landowner-permission DIY hunts) to several hundred dollars a day for guided night hunts with thermal-equipped guides. See our full cost comparison for a breakdown of what to expect at each price tier.
