State guide
Public land that may allow hunting in Texas
113 named public land units in Texas from PAD-US 4.1: 50 state wildlife & game areas, 15 forests & grasslands, 17 wildlife refuges & WPAs, 1 BLM units, 26 lake & reservoir project lands, 2 state trust / land board tracts, 2 other public land units. The largest are Sam Houston National Forest, Davy Crockett National Forest, Sabine National Forest.
- 113listed areas
- 2.7Macres (approx.)
- 50state wildlife & game areas
Got a buck this season? Try our deer score calculator.
Texas deer season dates for 2026 (from the state agency) · Deer score calculator · How to score a buck
Regulations & licenses: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
This site does not list seasons, bag limits, license or permit rules. Those change every year and differ by area. Check them with the state agency before you go, and confirm the specific area is open to the hunting you plan.
Where the listed areas are
One dot per area at its reference point; larger dots are larger areas. Outline: U.S. Census Bureau.
Acres by land type
Approximate acres for the portion of each unit inside Texas.
All 113 areas, largest first
- National Forest land
Sam Houston National Forest
163,234 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · San Jacinto County, Walker County + 1 more
Open access - National Forest land
Davy Crockett National Forest
161,164 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · Houston County, Trinity County
Open access - National Forest land
Sabine National Forest
160,880 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · Sabine County, Shelby County + 2 more
Open access - National Forest land
Angelina National Forest
154,260 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · San Augustine County, Angelina County + 2 more
Open access - Army Corps of Engineers project land
Sam Rayburn Recreation Area
117,064 acres
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · San Augustine County, Angelina County + 3 more
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Black Gap Wildlife Management Area
104,873 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Brewster County
Restricted access - National Wildlife Refuge
Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge
100,406 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Cameron County, Willacy County
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 - National Wildlife Refuge
Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge
90,013 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Cameron County, Hidalgo County + 2 more
Restricted access - Army Corps of Engineers project land
Wright Patman Recreation Area
81,028 acres
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Bowie County, Cass County
Open access - National Grassland
Rita Blanca National Grassland
77,369 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · Dallam County
Open access - National Wildlife Refuge
San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge
67,662 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Brazoria County, Matagorda County + 2 more
Restricted access - National Wildlife Refuge
Mcfaddin National Wildlife Refuge
59,819 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Jefferson County, Chambers County + 1 more
Restricted access - National Recreation Area
Amistad National Recreation Area
54,976 acres
National Park Service · Val Verde County
Open access - Army Corps of Engineers project land
Ray Roberts Recreation Area
47,237 acres
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Denton County, Cooke County + 1 more
Open access - National Wildlife Refuge
Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge
47,034 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Brazoria County
Restricted access - Army Corps of Engineers project land
Lewisville Recreation Area
46,306 acres
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Denton County
Open access - Army Corps of Engineers project land
Whitney Point Recreation Area
45,108 acres
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Hill County, Bosque County
Open access - National Recreation Area
Lake Meredith National Recreation Area
40,840 acres
National Park Service · Potter County, Moore County + 1 more
Open access - National Wildlife Refuge
Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge
37,813 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Chambers County, Galveston County
Restricted access - Army Corps of Engineers project land
Lavon Recreation Area
37,651 acres
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Collin County
Open access - Army Corps of Engineers project land
Cooper Recreation Area
32,026 acres
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Delta County, Hopkins County
Open access - Army Corps of Engineers project land
Somerville Recreation Area
29,909 acres
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Burleson County, Washington County + 1 more
Open access - Army Corps of Engineers project land
Lake O' The Pines Recreation Area
29,420 acres
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Marion County, Upshur County + 2 more
Open access - National Wildlife Refuge
Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge
29,069 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Liberty County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Matador Wildlife Management Area
28,281 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Cottle County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Moore Plantation Wildlife Management Area
26,258 acres
State: park and recreation agency · Sabine County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Bannister Wildlife Management Area
25,952 acres
State: park and recreation agency · San Augustine County
Restricted access - Army Corps of Engineers project land
Belton Recreation Area
25,880 acres
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Bell County, Coryell County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area
25,659 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Jefferson County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
White Oak Creek Wildlife Management Area
25,603 acres
State: park and recreation agency · Morris County, Bowie County + 2 more
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Elephant Mountain Wildlife Management Area
23,060 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Brewster County
Restricted access - 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 Grassland
Lyndon B. Johnson National Grassland
20,068 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · Wise County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Cooper Reservoir Wildlife Management Area
18,393 acres
State: park and recreation agency · Delta County, Hopkins County
Restricted access - Army Corps of Engineers project land
O.C. Fisher Recreation Area
17,970 acres
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Tom Green County
Open access - National Grassland
Caddo National Grassland
17,726 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · Fannin County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Yoakum Dunes Wildlife Management Area
15,790 acres
State: park and recreation agency · Yoakum County, Cochran County + 1 more
Restricted access - Army Corps of Engineers project land
Grapevine Recreation Area
15,639 acres
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Denton County, Tarrant County
Open access - Army Corps of Engineers project land
Waco Recreation Area
15,432 acres
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · McLennan County
Open access - Army Corps of Engineers project land
Joe Pool Recreation Area
15,225 acres
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Dallas County, Tarrant County + 1 more
Open access - Army Corps of Engineers project land
Stillhouse Recreation Area
15,217 acres
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Bell County
Open 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
Justin Hurst Wildlife Management Area
14,764 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Brazoria County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Alabama Creek Wildlife Management Area
14,633 acres
State: park and recreation agency · Trinity County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Richland Creek Wildlife Management Area
14,242 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Freestone County, Navarro County
Restricted access - Bureau of Reclamation project land
Lake Texana
13,776 acres
Bureau of Reclamation · Jackson 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 - State wildlife / game area
Caddo National Grassland-Bois D'arc
13,203 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Fannin County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Angelina Neches/Dam Wildlife Management Area
12,983 acres
State: park and recreation agency · Jasper County, Tyler County
Restricted access - BLM public land
BLM Oklahoma Field Office Public Lands
11,998 acres
Bureau of Land Management · Potter County
Open access - Army Corps of Engineers project land
Canyon Recreation Area
11,604 acres
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Comal County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Gus Engeling Wildlife Management Area
11,069 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Anderson County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Sierra Diablo Wildlife Management Area
11,047 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Culberson County, Hudspeth County
Restricted access - Army Corps of Engineers project land
Navarro Mills Recreation Area
11,032 acres
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Navarro County, Hill County
Open access - Bureau of Reclamation project land
Twin Buttes Reservoir
10,668 acres
Bureau of Reclamation · Tom Green County
Open access - National Wildlife Refuge
Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge
10,583 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Colorado County, Austin County
Restricted access - Army Corps of Engineers project land
Aquilla Recreation Area
10,309 acres
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Hill County
Open access - National Wildlife Refuge
Neches River National Wildlife Refuge
9,379 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Cherokee County, Anderson County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Caddo Lake Wildlife Management Area
9,268 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Marion County, Harrison County
Restricted access - Army Corps of Engineers project land
Proctor Recreation Area
9,120 acres
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Comanche County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Pat Mayse Wildlife Management Area
9,018 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Lamar County
Restricted access - National Wildlife Refuge
Texas Point National Wildlife Refuge
8,372 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Jefferson County
Restricted access - Army Corps of Engineers project land
Benbrook Recreation Area
8,161 acres
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Tarrant County
Open access - National Wildlife Refuge
Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge
7,785 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Harrison County
Restricted access - National Wildlife Refuge
Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge
7,737 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Randall County
Restricted access - Army Corps of Engineers project land
Bardwell Recreation Area
7,521 acres
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Ellis County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Mad Island Wildlife Management Area
7,276 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Matagorda 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 - State wildlife / game area
Lower Neches Wildlife Management Area
6,795 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Orange County
Restricted access - National Wildlife Refuge
Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge
6,557 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Bailey County, Dickens County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Kerr Wildlife Management Area
6,519 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Kerr County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Gene Howe Wildlife Management Area
6,344 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Hemphill County, Lipscomb County
Restricted access - State forest
Turkey Creek Forest Legacy Project
6,065 acres
State: other or unknown agency · Tyler County, Hardin County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Old Sabine Bottom Wildlife Management Area
5,863 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Smith County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Roger R Fawcett Wildlife Management Area
5,453 acres
State: park and recreation agency · Palo Pinto County
Restricted access - State trust / land board land
Matagorda Peninsula
5,368 acres
State: land board · Matagorda County
Restricted access - Army Corps of Engineers project land
Georgetown Recreation Area
5,332 acres
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Williamson County
Open 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
Tony Houseman/ Blue Elbow Swamp Wildlife Management Area
4,331 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Orange County
Restricted access - National Wildlife Refuge
Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge
4,224 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Matagorda County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Big Lake Bottom Wildlife Management Area
3,813 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Anderson County
Restricted access - State trust / land board land
North Padre Island
3,750 acres
State: land board · Kleberg County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Nannie M. Stringfellow Wildlife Management Area
3,669 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Brazoria County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Las Palomas Wildlife Management Area
3,533 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Cameron County, Hidalgo County + 2 more
Restricted access - Army Corps of Engineers project land
Hords Creek Recreation Area
2,947 acres
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Coleman County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Alazan Bayou Wildlife Management Area
2,769 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Nacogdoches County, Angelina County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
North Toledo Bend Wildlife Management Area
2,658 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Shelby County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Caddo National Grassland-Ladonia
2,631 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Fannin County
Open access - National Wildlife Refuge
Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge
2,112 acres
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Hidalgo County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Tawakoni Wildlife Management Area
2,108 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Hunt County, Van Zandt County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
McGillivray and Leona McKie Muse Wildlife Management Area
1,974 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Brown County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Keechi Creek Wildlife Management Area
1,492 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Leon County
Restricted access - National Grassland
McClellan Creek National Grassland
1,408 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · Gray County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Welder Flats Wildlife Management Area
1,382 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Calhoun County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Playa Lakes Wildlife Management Area
944 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Donley County, Castro County
Restricted access - State forest
John Henry Kirby Memorial State Forest
607 acres
Not recorded · Tyler County
Restricted access - National Grassland
Black Kettle National Grassland
576 acres
U.S. Forest Service (USDA) · Hemphill County
Open access - State wildlife / game area
Tony Houseman Wildlife Management Area
291 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Orange County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
East Texas Conservation Center
256 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Jasper County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
D.R. Wintermann Wildlife Management Area
253 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Wharton County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Goodhorse
230 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Bexar County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Candy Abshier Wildlife Management Area
211 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Chambers County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Cedar Creek Islands Wildlife Management Area
159 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Kaufman County, Henderson County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Atkinson Island Wildlife Management Area
149 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Harris County, Chambers County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Coastal Conservation Association Marine Development Center
108 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Nueces County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center
106 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Henderson County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
M. O. Neasloney Wildlife Management Area
99 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Gonzales County
Restricted access - State wildlife / game area
Sea Center Texas
70 acres
State: fish and wildlife agency · Brazoria County
Restricted access
Acreage is calculated from simplified PAD-US boundaries for the portion inside Texas. “Access” is the PAD-US public access field, not a statement about hunting. National wildlife refuges are generally coded “restricted” in PAD-US because of seasonal or area closures.
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