Anderson County, Texas: hunting seasons and public land
Anderson County has 2 public hunting areas on TPWD's Annual Public Hunting Permit (Gus Engeling WMA, 11,092 acres in the county and Big Lake Bottom WMA, 4,248 acres in the county) and 1 TPWD dove and small game lease (465 acres). White-tailed deer general season in Anderson County runs Nov. 7, 2026 - Jan. 3, 2027, after archery only Oct. 3 - Nov. 6, 2026, by TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual. Bag limit: 4 deer, no more than 2 bucks, and no more than 2 antlerless, all seasons combined. The county has TPWD's antler restrictions.
Data updated October 2026. Seasons: TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual. Public land: TPWD's Public Hunt Locator map and 2026-27 booklet.
Public hunting area in Anderson CountyOther public hunting land and dove leasesCounty lineLake or riverHighway
| County seat | Palestine |
|---|---|
| WMAs and public hunting areas | Big Lake Bottom WMA, Gus Engeling WMA |
| Dove and small game leases | 1 (465 acres) |
| White-tailed deer zone | North Zone |
| Deer general season | Nov. 7, 2026 - Jan. 3, 2027 |
| Deer bag limit | 4 deer, no more than 2 bucks, and no more than 2 antlerless, all seasons combined. |
| Antler restrictions | Yes |
| Dove zone | Central Zone |
Where can you hunt public land in Anderson County?
Anderson County holds 2 places on TPWD's Annual Public Hunting Permit. Acres are the part inside the county, measured from TPWD's boundaries:
| Area | Acres in the county | Legal game listed (TPWD) |
|---|---|---|
| Gus Engeling WMA | 11,092 | Dove and Squirrel, Rabbits & Hares |
| Big Lake Bottom WMA | 4,248 | Waterfowl, Woodcock, Gallinules and Snipe and Squirrel, Rabbits & Hares |
TPWD's dove and small game leases in Anderson County for 2026-27: Ivy (465 acres). Each lease has its own dates in TPWD's booklet; the Texas dove leases page lists them all.
Public land: TPWD Public Hunt Locator map and TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet; acres measured by FilledTag.
What is Anderson County like for a hunter?
Anderson County covers 1,063 square miles of land and 15 of water, 2.2% of it in the public hunting areas above. Its towns include Palestine, Frankston and Elkhart. Highways: US 287 (47 miles in the county), TX 155 (42 miles in the county), TX 19 (36 miles in the county), TX 294 (30 miles in the county) and US 79 (29 miles in the county). Water: Lake Palestine and Trinity River.
TPWD white-tailed deer management units: 17 (43% of the county), 19 North (40% of the county) and 14 (16% of the county). Neighboring counties: Cherokee, Freestone, Henderson, Houston and Leon.
Public hunting closest to Anderson County
Other areas on the Annual Public Hunting Permit, by straight-line distance from the middle of Anderson County to the middle of each area:
| Area | County | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Richland Creek WMA | Freestone and Navarro | 27 |
| Lake Striker Public Hunting Land | Cherokee and Rusk | 43 |
| Luminant Texas Public Hunting Land | Robertson | 55 |
| Old Sabine Bottom WMA | Smith | 59 |
| Alazan Bayou WMA | Nacogdoches | 59 |
| Alabama Creek WMA | Trinity | 62 |
Deer on Anderson County's public hunting areas
Each area sets its own deer season, often shorter than the county's. TPWD's 2026-27 booklet, area by area:
| Area | Deer in the booklet |
|---|---|
| Big Lake Bottom WMA | No deer season for walk-in hunters in TPWD's booklet |
| Gus Engeling WMA | No deer season for walk-in hunters in TPWD's booklet |
Land, water, towns and highways: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 and Gazetteer. Deer units: TPWD.
When are the big game seasons in Anderson County?
TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual for Anderson County puts the county in the white-tailed deer North Zone. The seasons and limits it lists:
| Species | Season or limit | Dates or limit |
|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Bag Limit | 4 deer, no more than 2 bucks, and no more than 2 antlerless, all seasons combined. |
| White-tailed deer | Archery Only | Oct. 3 - Nov. 6, 2026 |
| White-tailed deer | General Season | Nov. 7, 2026 - Jan. 3, 2027 |
| White-tailed deer | Antlerless Deer | Nov. 7-29, antlerless deer by hunting license tag. |
| White-tailed deer | Early Youth-Only Season | Oct. 30 - Nov. 1, 2026 |
| White-tailed deer | Late Youth-Only Season | Jan. 4 - 17, 2027 |
| White-tailed deer | Muzzleloader | Jan. 4 - 17, 2027 |
| Javelina | No open season |
When are dove, duck and goose seasons in Anderson County?
| Species | Zone | Regular season |
|---|---|---|
| Dove | Central Zone | Sept. 1 - Oct. 25, 2026 and Dec. 11, 2026 - Jan. 14, 2027 |
| Duck | North Zone | Nov. 14 - 29, 2026 and Dec. 5, 2026 - Jan. 31, 2027 |
| Goose | Eastern Zone | Dark Geese: Nov. 7, 2026 - Jan. 31, 2027; Light Geese: Nov. 7, 2026 - Feb. 19, 2027 |
Source: TPWD Outdoor Annual, Anderson County, 2026-27. Public hunting areas can set shorter seasons; each area's page has its own dates.
Questions hunters ask
When is deer season in Anderson County in 2026-27?
By TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual, white-tailed deer archery only runs Oct. 3 - Nov. 6, 2026 and the general season Nov. 7, 2026 - Jan. 3, 2027 in Anderson County. The bag limit is 4 deer, no more than 2 bucks, and no more than 2 antlerless, all seasons combined.
Is there public hunting land in Anderson County?
Yes. Gus Engeling WMA (11,092 acres in the county) and Big Lake Bottom WMA (4,248 acres in the county) are on TPWD's maps, plus 1 dove and small game lease. Together that is about 15,805 acres.
Does Anderson County have antler restrictions?
Yes, by TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual: in Anderson County a legal white-tailed buck needs an unbranched antler or a 13-inch inside spread.
What is the county seat of Anderson County?
Palestine, by TPWD's county page.
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Where these numbers come from
- Seasons and bag limits: TPWD Outdoor Annual 2026-27, seasons by county.
- Public hunting land and leases: TPWD Public Hunt Locator map; TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet.
- County boundary: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024.
FilledTag is not part of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.