January 8 - 21, 2024 marks the late muzzleloader season for whitetail deer in 90  of the 254 counties across the state. Find the rules for your county here.

As with many late muzzleloader seasons, Texas pitches the season as one last chance to get the deer you are after, but iwht a more difficult method of take.

“The last muzzleloader season is a great way for hunters to bag the does they passed up while holding out for that trophy buck or maybe get the one that got away,” said TF&G Hunting Editor Lou Marullo.

“Muzzleloader hunting is a big deal in many northern states because of the restrictive gun seasons but it has never taken off at the level I think it should in Texas. I am hearing more hunters talk about it and with two extra week”

Texas defines a muzzleloader as follows:

A muzzleloader is any firearm that is loaded only through the muzzle. Note: A cap and ball firearm in which the powder and ball are loaded into a cylinder is not a muzzleloader. Muzzleloader deer seasons are restricted to muzzleloading firearms only.

The rules are very lenient compared to other states, but they do go so far as to enforce the “only through the muzzle” rule, which takes cap and ball revolvers and arms like the “Nitro Fire” and “Cross Fire” out of use for this season.

While many will flock to bubble-pack muzzleloaders that fit the rules of the state for the “extra chance”, don’t be quick to discount the season. As with any muzzleloader season, this is a great opportunity for enthusiasts to connect to the history of their state. Texas played a big role in westward expansion after the American Revolutionary War and it’s history is filled to the brim with muzzleloading well before the six-shooter toting legends were born.

If you are in Texas and can, try to bring someone new along on your hunt that might share an interest in history. Expose them to the idea that muzzleloading offers more than an extra season, it’s a connection to so much more.