Cherokee County, Texas: hunting seasons and public land
Cherokee County has 1 public hunting area on TPWD's Annual Public Hunting Permit (Lake Striker Public Hunting Land, 1,280 acres in the county). White-tailed deer general season in Cherokee 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 Cherokee CountyOther public hunting land and dove leasesCounty lineLake or riverHighway
| County seat | Rusk |
|---|---|
| WMAs and public hunting areas | Lake Striker Public Hunting Land |
| 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, and no more than 2 antlerless, all seasons combined. |
| Antler restrictions | Yes |
| Dove zone | Central Zone |
Where can you hunt public land in Cherokee County?
Cherokee County holds 1 place 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) |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Striker Public Hunting Land | 1,280 | Feral Hog and Exotic Mammals, Waterfowl, Rail, Gallinule, and Moorhen, Snipe and Woodcock |
Public land: TPWD Public Hunt Locator map and TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet; acres measured by FilledTag.
What is Cherokee County like for a hunter?
Cherokee County covers 1,053 square miles of land and 9 of water, 0.2% of it in the public hunting areas above. Its towns include Jacksonville, Rusk, New Summerfield, Gallatin, Wells and Alto. Highways: US 69 (86 miles in the county), US 79 (28 miles in the county), US 84 (27 miles in the county), TX 110 (24 miles in the county) and TX 204 (18 miles in the county). Water: Lake Palestine, Duren Lake and Lake Jacksonville.
TPWD white-tailed deer management units: 14 (55% of the county) and 17 (44% of the county). Neighboring counties: Anderson, Angelina, Henderson, Houston, Nacogdoches, Rusk and Smith.
Public hunting closest to Cherokee County
Other areas on the Annual Public Hunting Permit, by straight-line distance from the middle of Cherokee County to the middle of each area:
| Area | County | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Alazan Bayou WMA | Nacogdoches | 33 |
| Big Lake Bottom WMA | Anderson | 38 |
| Gus Engeling WMA | Anderson | 43 |
| Alabama Creek WMA | Trinity | 45 |
| Richland Creek WMA | Freestone and Navarro | 54 |
| Old Sabine Bottom WMA | Smith | 56 |
Deer on Cherokee 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 |
|---|---|
| Lake Striker Public Hunting Land | 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 Cherokee County?
TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual for Cherokee 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 Cherokee 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, Cherokee 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 Cherokee 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 Cherokee 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 Cherokee County?
Yes. Lake Striker Public Hunting Land (1,280 acres in the county) is on TPWD's maps. Together that is about 1,280 acres.
Does Cherokee County have antler restrictions?
Yes, by TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual: in Cherokee County a legal white-tailed buck needs an unbranched antler or a 13-inch inside spread.
What is the county seat of Cherokee County?
Rusk, 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.
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