Horseshoe Bend Natural Area: hunting and access
Horseshoe Bend Natural Area is 235 acres of MDC land in Texas County, 2 miles from Houston. MDC lists deer hunting here (archery only, antlerless permits allowed). Hunters checked 4,974 deer in Texas County in 2025.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: MDC's conservation area data, read 2026-10. Harvest: MDC deer harvest summaries, 2021 to 2025.
MDC conservation areasNational forestOther state landHorseshoe Bend Natural AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 235 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Texas County |
| Deer harvest unit | Texas County |
| MDC lists for hunting | Deer, Bear, Turkey, Rabbit, Squirrel, Dove and Quail |
| MDC area number | 7305 |
| MDC region | Ozark |
| Nearest towns | Houston (2 mi), Raymondville (7 mi) and Licking (11 mi) |
What is Horseshoe Bend Natural Area like?
This area has a parking lot that provides foot travel access to the forested area. Their is a trail that leads from the parking area to the Horseshoe Bend Natural Area that showcases bottomland forest and riparian corridor along the Big Piney River. The area is adjacent to the Mineral Springs Access as well.
In MDC's words, from the Horseshoe Bend Natural Area page.
What can you hunt on Horseshoe Bend Natural Area?
MDC's page for Horseshoe Bend Natural Area lists: Deer: archery only, antlerless permits allowed; Bear: archery and firearms; Turkey: archery and firearms; Rabbit; Squirrel; Dove; Quail.
What are the rules on Horseshoe Bend Natural Area?
MDC's standard conservation area rules (Chapter 11 of the Wildlife Code) apply; the area's rules on MDC's site list any it adds.
How many deer are taken around Horseshoe Bend Natural Area?
Horseshoe Bend Natural Area lies in Texas County. Hunters checked 4,974 deer in Texas County in 2025, against 4,121 in 2024.
| County | Horseshoe Bend Natural Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas County | 235 | 4,974 | 4,121 | 6,190 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the conservation area alone: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
How do you get to Horseshoe Bend Natural Area?
MDC's directions: From the north Houston City Limits on Highway 63, take Oak Hill Drive Road west 1 mile, then Forest Drive west 1 mile, then Mineral Drive north 1 mile, and Horseshoe Drive west 1 mile.
Nearest towns: Houston (2 miles), Raymondville (7 miles), Licking (11 miles) and Plato (16 miles). Highways within 5 miles: MO 17 and US 63.
What other public land is near Horseshoe Bend Natural Area?
MDC lands within 10 miles:
- Piney River Narrows Conservation Area: 250 acres, 2.4 miles away
- P. F. Barnes Conservation Area: 118 acres, 8.7 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Horseshoe Bend Natural Area
Counting Horseshoe Bend Natural Area itself, 471 of the 24,040 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (2%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| MDC conservation areas | 465 |
| National forest | 4 |
| Other state land | 2 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Horseshoe Bend Natural Area?
In Texas County, 2 miles from Houston.
Can you deer hunt on Horseshoe Bend Natural Area?
Yes, by MDC's page: archery only, antlerless permits allowed.
How much public land is around Horseshoe Bend Natural Area?
471 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Horseshoe Bend Natural Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and MDC conservation area boundaries. The closest other MDC area is Piney River Narrows Conservation Area (2.4 miles).
Get a Missouri hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Missouri are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Missouri included.
Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: MDC, Horseshoe Bend Natural Area; MDC conservation area boundaries.
- Boundary and acres: MDC's map layer above. Surrounding public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public) and MDC conservation area boundaries.
- Deer harvest: MDC deer harvest summaries (2021 to 2025 seasons).
FilledTag is not part of the Missouri Department of Conservation. Check MDC's rules and posted signs before you go.