Cameron County, Texas: hunting seasons and public land
Cameron County has 2 public hunting areas on TPWD's Annual Public Hunting Permit (Las Palomas WMA, 1,747 acres in the county and Resaca de la Palma State Park, 1,364 acres in the county). White-tailed deer general season in Cameron County runs Nov. 7, 2026 - Jan. 17, 2027, after archery only Oct. 3 - Nov. 6, 2026, by TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual. Bag limit: 5 deer, no more than 3 bucks.
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 Cameron CountyOther public hunting land and dove leasesCounty lineLake or riverHighway
| County seat | Brownsville |
|---|---|
| WMAs and public hunting areas | Las Palomas WMA, Resaca de la Palma State Park |
| Dove and small game leases | None |
| White-tailed deer zone | South Zone |
| Deer general season | Nov. 7, 2026 - Jan. 17, 2027 |
| Deer bag limit | 5 deer, no more than 3 bucks. |
| Antler restrictions | No |
| Dove zone | South Zone |
Where can you hunt public land in Cameron County?
Cameron 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) |
|---|---|---|
| Las Palomas WMA | 1,747 | Dove, Quail, Chachalaca and Rabbits & Hares |
| Resaca de la Palma State Park | 1,364 | Dove |
Public land: TPWD Public Hunt Locator map and TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet; acres measured by FilledTag.
What is Cameron County like for a hunter?
Cameron County covers 892 square miles of land and 388 of water, 0.4% of it in the public hunting areas above. Its towns include Brownsville, Harlingen, San Benito, Port Isabel, Laguna Vista and La Feria. Highways: US 77 (78 miles in the county), US 83 (74 miles in the county), TX 100 (55 miles in the county), TX 48 (34 miles in the county) and TX 4 (31 miles in the county). Water: Main Reservoir and Loma Alta Lake.
TPWD white-tailed deer management units: U Valley (60% of the county) and 09 (31% of the county). Neighboring counties: Hidalgo and Willacy.
Public hunting closest to Cameron County
Other areas on the Annual Public Hunting Permit, by straight-line distance from the middle of Cameron County to the middle of each area:
| Area | County | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Rio Grande Valley NWR La Casita East | Starr | 77 |
| Matagorda Island WMA | Calhoun | 155 |
| Guadalupe Delta WMA | Calhoun and Refugio | 169 |
| James E. Daughtrey WMA | McMullen and Live Oak | 172 |
| Chaparral WMA | Dimmit and La Salle | 192 |
| Mad Island WMA | Matagorda | 197 |
Deer on Cameron 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 |
|---|---|
| Las Palomas WMA | No deer season for walk-in hunters in TPWD's booklet |
| Resaca de la Palma State Park | 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 Cameron County?
TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual for Cameron County puts the county in the white-tailed deer South Zone. The seasons and limits it lists:
| Species | Season or limit | Dates or limit |
|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Bag Limit | 5 deer, no more than 3 bucks. |
| White-tailed deer | Archery Only | Oct. 3 - Nov. 6, 2026 |
| White-tailed deer | General Season | Nov. 7, 2026 - Jan. 17, 2027 |
| White-tailed deer | Early Youth-Only Season | Oct. 30 - Nov. 1, 2026 |
| White-tailed deer | Special Late | Jan. 18 - 31, 2027 |
| Javelina | Regular Season | Sept. 1, 2026 - Aug. 31, 2027 |
| Javelina | Bag Limit | 2 per license year. |
When are dove, duck and goose seasons in Cameron County?
| Species | Zone | Regular season |
|---|---|---|
| Dove | South Zone | Sept. 1 - Oct. 25, 2026 and Dec. 18, 2026 - Jan. 21, 2027 |
| Duck | South Zone | Nov. 7 - 29, 2026 and Dec. 12, 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, Cameron 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 Cameron 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. 17, 2027 in Cameron County. The bag limit is 5 deer, no more than 3 bucks.
Is there public hunting land in Cameron County?
Yes. Las Palomas WMA (1,747 acres in the county) and Resaca de la Palma State Park (1,364 acres in the county) are on TPWD's maps. Together that is about 3,111 acres.
Does Cameron County have antler restrictions?
TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual does not list antler restrictions for white-tailed deer in Cameron County.
What is the county seat of Cameron County?
Brownsville, 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.
Texas public hunting Las Palomas WMA Resaca de la Palma State Park