Thinking Through the Extended Antlerless and Spike Hunting Season
If you’ve spent any time hunting in Texas, you’ve probably noticed the extended white-tailed deer doe (antlerless) and spike hunting season in many counties. In fact, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) offers this extended season in 132 of the state’s 254 counties. But why?
Some hunters believe it’s all about herd management, while others think it’s TPWD’s way of thinning out an overabundant deer population. And, of course, plenty of folks just see it as a great way to put more venison in the freezer. The truth? It’s a mix of all those things. At its core, TPWD’s job is to manage wildlife for conservation and sustainable use³—meaning the extended antlerless and spike season is designed to keep deer populations healthy while giving hunters more opportunity to do what they love.
Why The Extended Season?
The main reason for extending the season on does and spike bucks is simple: population control. But here’s the thing—more deer doesn’t necessarily mean a healthier herd. Every piece of land has a limit on how many deer it can support, a concept known as carrying capacity. When too many deer compete for limited food, water, and cover, bad things start happening—disease spreads, malnutrition kicks in, and overall herd quality declines¹, ².
This is a major issue in certain parts of Texas, especially the Hill Country, where deer numbers can skyrocket beyond what the land can handle¹. TPWD relies heavily on hunters to keep populations in check, and extending the season helps increase the number of deer taken, especially the ones that need to be harvested most.
Why Focus on Does and Spikes?
You might be wondering—why target does and spike bucks specifically?
For does, it’s all about maintaining a balanced sex ratio and controlling population growth. Back in the day, shooting does was practically unheard of because more does meant more fawns and faster herd growth. But now that deer numbers have rebounded, proper herd management means making sure there aren’t too many does compared to bucks. A good ratio is somewhere around 1 buck per 1.5 to 2.5 does. Too many does lead to rapid population expansion, which, again, can overwhelm the land’s resources.
As for spikes, that’s a whole debate in itself (check out my article Spikes: To Cull or Not to Cull? from October 2024). But the general idea is that many spikes are genetically inferior compared to branched-antlered bucks of the same age. By focusing harvests on these deer, hunters can help improve overall herd quality over time.
Why Some Counties Don’t Have an Extended Season
You’ll notice that some counties don’t get this extended opportunity—typically the ones where antlerless harvest is already pretty restricted (think archery-only or limited muzzleloader seasons). That’s because those areas don’t have the same overpopulation issues, so TPWD doesn’t need to encourage additional doe harvests⁴.
Does Timing Matter?
There’s an interesting argument that allowing doe harvests later in the season has an added management benefit. By letting deer stay on the landscape through the early part of winter, there’s more competition for food, and does are already putting energy into reproduction before being harvested. This could lead to a slight reduction in overall fawn production. However, the bigger impact comes from simply removing breeding-age females from the population—it’s a numbers game more than anything.
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, the extended antlerless and spike season is a win-win. It helps TPWD manage deer populations effectively while giving Texas hunters more time in the field. Whether you see it as a way to improve herd quality, keep numbers in check, or just fill your freezer, the extended season plays a key role in keeping Texas deer hunting strong for generations to come.
So, next time you’re out there with your rifle or bow, know that you’re not just hunting—you’re helping manage one of the state’s most prized resources. Happy hunting, and good luck this season!
Bibliography
- DeMarias, S., & Zaiglin, B. (1998). The Effect of Doe Harvest on White-tailed Deer Populations. Wildlife Management Handbook, pp. 25–27.
- Côté, S. D., Rooney, T. P., Tremblay, J. P., Dussault, C., & Waller, D. M. (2004). Ecological Impacts of Deer Overabundance. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, 35, 113–147.
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. (2006). Mission & Philosophy. https://tpwd.texas.gov/about/mission-philosophy. Accessed January 16, 2025.
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. (2024). Seasons by County. https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/hunting/seasons/county-listing/. Accessed January 16, 2025.
