Hunting in Big Thicket requires a free preserve permit plus a Texas license

Seven hunting areas open inside the preserve, and the permit to use them is free. Permits go first-come, first-served starting September 1, and anyone 16 or older has to pick theirs up in person at the visitor center. The limit is one permit per person, per season.

The free permit doesn't replace your Texas hunting license; you carry both. White-tailed deer, feral hogs, squirrels, and waterfowl are all on the table, with seasons that generally stretch from late September into late February. The dates shift year to year, so the calendar is worth a look before you set a date.

The piece hunters forget is the back end: a harvest report is due by April 1 after the season closes. Skip it and you lose your eligibility to hunt the preserve the following year, a steep price for one missed form.