Texas guide · last checked Oct 29, 2026
Public hunting land near San Antonio, Texas
A shortlist of named public land units west, north and southeast of San Antonio from our directory, plus TPWD Annual Public Hunting Permit facts.
Last checked Oct 29, 2026. Units below come from our PAD-US directory for Texas. PAD-US does not prove hunting is open. Confirm seasons, permits and access with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the land manager before you hunt near San Antonio, Texas.
What “near San Antonio, Texas” means here
San Antonio’s urban core has little walk-up public hunting. Hunters typically drive to Hill Country WMAs, Canyon Lake, coastal refuges farther southeast, or Balcones Canyonlands to the north. Units below are already listed under Texas.
Start with TPWD’s Annual Public Hunting Permit
For TPWD’s own walk-in public hunting lands (wildlife management areas, some state parks, and leased dove/small-game tracts), Texas Parks and Wildlife sells a $48 Annual Public Hunting (APH) Permit for the 2026–27 season (valid Sep 1, 2026–Aug 31, 2027, per TPWD). You also need a season Texas hunting license. Youth under 17 may access those APH areas free with a permitted adult. A $12 Limited Public Use permit covers recreation on the same lands without hunting.
Not every public acre in our directory is an APH area. National forests, national wildlife refuges, and Corps of Engineers lakes have their own managers and rules. Use TPWD’s Area/Legal Game Search to see which units the APH permit covers, and read our Texas APH permit guide for the full summary.
TPWD: APH Permit / Walk-in Hunts · TPWD: Public Hunting in Texas
Wildlife management areas & game lands
State-managed units. Many need check-in, drawings or special permits—confirm on the agency page for each area.
- State wildlife / game area
Kerr Wildlife Management Area
6,519 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Kerr County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Chaparral Wildlife Management Area
15,199 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Dimmit County, La Salle County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Mason Mountain Wildlife Management Area
5,316 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Mason County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Guadalupe Delta Wildlife Management Area
7,228 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Calhoun County, Refugio County + 1 more
Restricted access
National wildlife refuges
Refuge hunting, when offered, is often limited by season, unit or permit. Read the refuge page before you go.
- National Wildlife Refuge
Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge
21,707 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Travis County, Burnet County + 1 more
Restricted access - National Wildlife Refuge
Aransas National Wildlife Refuge
90,862 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Aransas County, Calhoun County + 1 more
Restricted access
Lakes & recreation areas
Corps and similar lake projects may allow hunting only in designated zones. Do not assume a directory page means the lake is open to hunt.
- Army Corps of Engineers project land
Canyon Recreation Area
11,604 acres
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Comal County
Open access - Bureau of Reclamation project land
Lake Texana
13,776 acres
Bureau of Reclamation · Jackson County
Open access - Army Corps of Engineers project land
Georgetown Recreation Area
5,332 acres
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Williamson County
Open access - Army Corps of Engineers project land
Granger Recreation Area
13,594 acres
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Williamson County
Open access
How to use this guide with our directory
- Pick a named area below and open its page for acreage, counties, the PAD-US access tag, and nearby units.
- Follow the managing-agency link on that page (state wildlife agency, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, BLM, or Corps of Engineers).
- Buy the required state hunting license and any stamps/permits that agency lists for the species and land type.
- Confirm deer season dates for Texas if you are hunting deer in a verified state we cover.
- Recheck closures the week you go—fire restrictions, refuge hunt lotteries and WMA check-in rules change.
Agency hunting hub: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Federal overviews: USFS hunting · FWS refuge hunting · Corps Lakes.
Common questions
Where can I hunt public land near San Antonio?
Hill Country WMAs such as Kerr and Chaparral, some lake projects, and farther refuges appear in our directory. Confirm legal game and permits for each unit.
Does APH cover every unit on this page?
No. APH covers TPWD’s designated public hunting lands. Refuges and some lakes follow other agencies.
Deer seasons?
See Texas deer season dates and TPWD’s county listings.
Related guides
Not legal advice and not an official source. This independent site is not affiliated with any government agency. Season dates are copied from the agency pages linked above as of the “last checked” date and may have changed since. The agency’s current regulations are what count. Full disclaimer.