Brewster County, Texas: hunting seasons and public land
Brewster County has 2 public hunting areas on TPWD's Annual Public Hunting Permit (Black Gap WMA, 105,334 acres in the county and Elephant Mountain WMA, 23,073 acres in the county). White-tailed deer general season in Brewster 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, all seasons combined.
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 Brewster CountyOther public hunting land and dove leasesCounty lineLake or riverHighway
| County seat | Alpine |
|---|---|
| WMAs and public hunting areas | Black Gap WMA, Elephant Mountain WMA |
| Dove and small game leases | None |
| 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, all seasons combined. |
| Antler restrictions | No |
| Dove zone | Central Zone |
Where can you hunt public land in Brewster County?
Brewster 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) |
|---|---|---|
| Black Gap WMA | 105,334 | Dove, Quail, Waterfowl and Rabbits and Hares |
| Elephant Mountain WMA | 23,073 | Dove, Quail and Rabbits and Hares |
Public land: TPWD Public Hunt Locator map and TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet; acres measured by FilledTag.
What is Brewster County like for a hunter?
Brewster County covers 6,184 square miles of land and 9 of water, 3.2% of it in the public hunting areas above. Its towns include Alpine. Highways: TX 118 (90 miles in the county), US 90 (75 miles in the county), US 385 (58 miles in the county) and US 67 (41 miles in the county). Water: Rio Grande.
TPWD white-tailed deer management unit: 01 (100% of the county). Neighboring counties: Jeff Davis, Pecos, Presidio and Terrell.
Public hunting closest to Brewster County
Other areas on the Annual Public Hunting Permit, by straight-line distance from the middle of Brewster County to the middle of each area:
| Area | County | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Twin Buttes Public Hunting Land | Tom Green | 181 |
| San Angelo State Park | Tom Green | 189 |
| Lake Colorado City State Park | Mitchell | 213 |
| Mason Mountain WMA | Mason | 241 |
| Chaparral WMA | Dimmit and La Salle | 244 |
| Abilene State Park | Taylor | 250 |
Deer on Brewster 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 |
|---|---|
| Black Gap WMA | No deer season for walk-in hunters in TPWD's booklet |
| Elephant Mountain 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 Brewster County?
TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual for Brewster 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, 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 | 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 |
| Mule deer | Bag Limit | 2 (no more than 1 buck, all seasons combined). |
| Mule deer | Archery Only | Oct. 3 - Nov. 26, 2026 |
| Mule deer | General Season | Nov. 27 - Dec. 13, 2026 |
| Turkey (one-turkey county) | Bag Limit | 1 turkey. Gobblers only. |
| Turkey (one-turkey county) | Spring Season | Apr. 1 - 30, 2027 |
| Javelina | Regular Season | Sept. 1, 2026 - Aug. 31, 2027 |
| Javelina | Bag Limit | 2 per license year. |
| Pronghorn | Bag Limit | 1 - by permit only |
| Pronghorn | Regular Season | Oct. 3 - 18, 2026 |
When are dove, duck and goose seasons in Brewster County?
| Species | Zone | Regular season |
|---|---|---|
| Dove | Central Zone | Sept. 1 - Oct. 25, 2026 and Dec. 11, 2026 - Jan. 14, 2027 |
| Duck | High Plains Mallard Management Unit | Oct. 24 - 25, 2026 and Oct. 30, 2026 - Jan. 31, 2027 |
| Goose | Western Zone | Dark Geese: Nov. 7, 2026 - Feb. 7, 2027; Light Geese: Nov. 7, 2026 - Feb. 7, 2027 |
Source: TPWD Outdoor Annual, Brewster 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 Brewster 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 Brewster County. The bag limit is 4 deer, no more than 2 bucks, all seasons combined.
Is there public hunting land in Brewster County?
Yes. Black Gap WMA (105,334 acres in the county) and Elephant Mountain WMA (23,073 acres in the county) are on TPWD's maps. Together that is about 128,407 acres.
Does Brewster County have antler restrictions?
TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual does not list antler restrictions for white-tailed deer in Brewster County.
What is the county seat of Brewster County?
Alpine, 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.