Category: Public Hunting

Atlanta State Park is located in central Cass County and is approximately 10 miles northwest of Atlanta, Texas. The park is 1,475 acres in size and is set in pine forests adjacent to the Wright Patman Dam and Lake. The property was acquired by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in 1954. The property provides public hunting opportunity for white-tailed deer each fall.

The Atlanta park is closed to visitors during public hunts and the entrance fee is waived for hunt participants as long as they paid their draw permit fee. Hunters may use park camping facilities for which the standard camping fee is charged. Call the park headquarters at 903-796-6476 for further information on public hunting at Atlanta State Park.

The Granger Wildlife Management Area in Williamson County will be holding archery deer hunts for Texas hunters that posses an Annual Public Hunting Permit (APHP). Hunters will be selected in a postcard drawing. These deer hunts will take place on October 4-17 and 18-31. Two groups of up to 20 hunters will be permitted to hunt and the bag limit will consists of 3 white-tailed deer (either sex). Bucks must have at least one unbranched antler.

Hunts will begin at 11:00 am of the first day and end at 11:00 am of the last day. All selected hunters must attend a mandatory orientation on the first day of a hunt period. All waterfowl species having an open season, squirrel, rabbits, hares, and feral hogs may also be taken. Fishing is also allowed.

Each archery deer hunt postcard may contain up to 4 hunters. Submitted postcards must contain the hunt date (1st and 2nd choice), group leader’s daytime phone number, email address, and the names and ages of each hunter. Postcards must be mailed to: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, c/o Granger WMA Hunts, 213 Thomas Ridge, Burnet, TX 78611. The deadline for application is September 15, 2010. Selected hunt group leaders will be notified by phone or email.

For more information on Granger WMA and/or these postcard deer hunts, contact the wildlife field office at 512-461-9909.

The Guadalupe Delta Wildlife Management Area (WMA) will be offering public hunting for white-tailed deer at their Mission Lake Unit in Calhoun County. These deer hunts will be youth-only hunts. Hunters will be selected through a postcard drawing prior to the hunt. Baiting will be allowed and use of ATVs and ORVs is recommended. Centerfire rifles with mounted scopes are the only legal harvest means duirng these public hunts.

The youth deer hunting application may contain a single supervising adult and up to 2 youths, or 2 supervising adults and 2 youth hunters. Submitted postcards must contain the hunt type, hunt date, group leader’s daytime phone number, email address, and the names of each hunter. To maximize your chance of being selected to hunt, each person (youth) may apply for each hunt date. However, make sure that hunters do not send in more than one application per hunt date. A youth can also apply as a standby hunter at any or all hunt periods.

A total of 8 youth positions will be available for each hunt date. Youth deer hunt postcards must be mailed to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, c/o Mission Lake Youth Deer Hunts, 1700 7th Street, Bay City, TX 77414. The 3 whitetail hunting dates will take place on October 9-10, October 16-17, and October 23-24. The bag limit will be two deer of either sex, but no more than 1 buck. Bucks legal for harvest will vary by hunt period. Youth hunters may also harvest unlimited feral hogs and coyotes while deer hunting.

For more information on public hunting, Texas public hunting, or the Guadalupe Delta WMA, please contact the Bay City field office at 979-244-6808. The deadline for these whitetail hunts is September 15, 2010.

The Brazos Bend State Park is 4,975 acres of habitat found in Fort Bend County. The property is located about 20 miles southeast of Richmond, Texas. Most of the state park is in the Brazos River floodplain and is dominated by bottomland habitat. Because this is a water-dominated area in a humid part of the state, waterproof footwear is recommended for all public hunters.

Brazos Bend State Park provide good opportunity for public hunting, especially for white-tailed deer. The hunter check station is located at the group banquet hall in the interior of the park. Hunters may use the park’s water and electric campsites and shelters overnight, for which the regular use fee is charged. Call the park at 979-553-5101 for additional information on their public hunting opportunities.

The Muse Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is managed by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and was established in 2006. The management are comprises 1,972 acres of native habitat in Brown County, Texas. The Muse WMA is located about 15 miles Northeast of Brownwood and the headquarters is north of F.M. 1467 on CR 478. The operation of Muse WMA includes the development and management of wildlife habitats and populations of indigenous and migratory wildlife species, such as white-tailed deer, wild turkey and mourning dove.

The Muse WMA provides areas to demonstrate habitat development and wildlife management practices to landowners and other interested groups. The WMA can be used to develop new techniques for managing wildlife populations and habitat through on-the-ground research designed for local issues and conditions. In addition, the management area will be used to provide public hunting and appreciative use of wildlife in a manner compatible with the resource.

The Muse is considered to be in the southern Cross Timbers and Prairies ecoregion, although the majority of the area is encompassed by a large ridge of limestone rising above the prairie floor. Diverse topography and soil types are conducive to a variety of plants types and is generally dominated by oak-juniper woodlands, post oak-mesquite flats and small creeks with hardwood bottoms.

No camping or fires area allowed on the management area. Camping facilities are available at nearby Lake Brownwood State Park (325-784-5223). All hunters are required to sign in at the check station when entering or leaving the WMA. Hunting is by assigned blind and hunters will take their vehicles to the hunting blind assigned. For more information on the Muse WMA, contact the TPWD Brownwood office at 325-643-5977 or 325-203-6926.

The South Llano River State Park (SP) is only 524 acres, but it holds a lot of wildlife thanks to the wooded bottomland habitat that comprises almost all of this area. This makes for great white-tailed deer hunting, turkey hunting, and exotic hunting. The park is located in Kimble County on the South Llano River about 5 miles southwest of Junction, Texas. The South Llano River SP has about 2 miles of river frontage, a large pecan bottom next to the river, and typical Hill Country habitat found in the more upland areas.

Animals found within the South Llano include white-tailed deer, squirrel, jackrabbit, javelina, fox, bobcat, cottontail, and armadillo. Several exotic ungulate species such as axis deer, fallow deer, and even blackbuck antelope are also often seen using the wildlife habitat found in the park. And believe it or not, the bottomland area found within the park represents one of the oldest winter turkey roosts in the Hill Country of Texas. The roosting area is closed to park visitors from October through March.

The South Llano River SP adjoins Walter Buck Wildlife Management Area, which also provides public hunting opportunities. The park was donated to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in 1977 and was opened to the public in 1990. Activities outside of the Special Permit hunt periods include camping, picnicking, canoeing, tubing, swimming, fishing, hiking, mountain bike riding, and bird watching. For more information on public hunting at South Llano River SP call 325-446-3994.

The Big Lake Bottom Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is owned and operated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and provides public access and public hunting opportunity. The 2,870-acre management area lies adjacent to the Trinity River and is located about 15 miles southwest of Palestine, Texas, in Anderson County. It was purchased by TPWD to preserve the rapidly disappearing Post Oak Savannah’s bottomland hardwood habitat.

The Big Lake Bottom WMA is not totally contiguous, but fragmented by private tracts of land. It is accessible from county roads at two locations. The topography, soil types, and vegetation of the area are representative of the Post Oak Savannah river bottoms. Soils are of poorly drained clays and flood regularly. Since the terrain is flat and lies within the river’s flood plain, the area is often covered by shallow slow moving floodwaters.

The area is normally inaccessible several times a year for extended periods due to high water or wet soil conditions. Over 90 percent of the management area is bottomland habitat of mature hardwood timber. Portable deer stands that do not damage trees are encouraged and will increase hunter success. Portable blinds are not available at the area, but one primitive campground is available to hunters and permit holders.

Because Big Lake Bottom WMA has very limited access and long distances to hunting compartments, often 2 to 3 miles, use of ATVs and other off road vehicles is strongly encouraged. ATVs must be operated in accordance with state law regarding the use of ATVs on public land. Caution should be taken during public hunting and rainy weather as this area is prone to flooding. In fact, high water may result in cancellation of scheduled hunts on short notice.

Principal wildlife species found on Big Lake Bottom WMA include white-tailed deer, feral hog, ducks, mourning dove, fox squirrel, gray squirrel, bobcat, raccoon, skunk, armadillo, coyote, gray fox, and many species of reptiles and migratory birds. Call the WMA headquarters at 903-389-7080 for more information on access and their public hunting programs.

The 1,484 acre Garner State Park is operated by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and is located in the Texas Hill Country in Uvalde County. The park participates in TPWD’s public hunting lands program and usually offers hunting for white-tailed deer and other exotic deer species such as axis and fallow. The park is located 31 miles north of Uvalde and 7 miles north of Concan on U.S. Highway 83 to FM 1050.

Hunters from across the state know that Garner State Park hold lots of wildlife, so it is a coveted hunting area for public hunters. The area surrounding the park is also known for great whitetail hunting, turkey hunting, and dove hunting.

Because the park is located along the Frio River, this area usually serves as a haven for for animals located in this bottomland-dominated habitat, except during the Special Permit (draw) hunts held each fall.

The habitat found within the park consists of steep limestone hills and dense juniper and oak woodlands. The river is the dominant feature running through the park, but game will “sink” into this area from the surrounding uplands. Every part of this park offers great public hunting for native and non-native deer species.

It is also a great place to vacation and relax outside of hunting season. Camping within Garner State Park will be available for the hunters during hunts. For information of public hunting or Garner State Park, contact the park at 830-232-6132.