Delta County, Texas: hunting seasons and public land
Delta County has 1 public hunting area on TPWD's Annual Public Hunting Permit (Cooper WMA, 13,407 acres in the county) and 3 TPWD dove and small game leases (2,271 acres). White-tailed deer general season in Delta 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 Delta CountyOther public hunting land and dove leasesCounty lineLake or riverHighway
| County seat | Cooper |
|---|---|
| WMAs and public hunting areas | Cooper WMA |
| Dove and small game leases | 3 (2,271 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 | North Zone |
Where can you hunt public land in Delta County?
Delta 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) |
|---|---|---|
| Cooper WMA | 13,407 | White-tailed Deer, Feral Hogs, Dove, Waterfowl and Woodcock and Snipe |
TPWD's dove and small game leases in Delta County for 2026-27: Rattan Community (1,753 acres), Weets Farm North (415 acres) and FM 1530 (103 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 Delta County like for a hunter?
Delta County covers 257 square miles of land and 21 of water, 7.5% of it in the public hunting areas above. Its towns include Cooper and Pecan Gap. Highways: TX 24 (25 miles in the county), TX 19 (11 miles in the county) and TX 154 (9 miles in the county).
TPWD white-tailed deer management units: 18 (56% of the county) and 21 North (44% of the county). Neighboring counties: Fannin, Franklin, Hopkins, Hunt, Lamar and Red River.
Public hunting closest to Delta County
Other areas on the Annual Public Hunting Permit, by straight-line distance from the middle of Delta County to the middle of each area:
| Area | County | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Cooper Lake State Park South Sulphur Unit | Hopkins | 7 |
| Bois d'Arc Lake Public Hunting Land | Fannin | 29 |
| Tawakoni WMA | Hunt and Van Zandt | 29 |
| Caddo National Grasslands WMA | Fannin | 31 |
| Pat Mayse WMA | Lamar | 31 |
| White Oak Creek WMA | Morris and Bowie | 58 |
Deer on Delta 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 |
|---|---|
| Cooper WMA | Archery Only White-tailed Deer Season: Oct. 3-Nov. 6, Nov. 9-27 and Dec. 1-Jan. 3 (either sex). Bag limit - 1 buck and 2 antlerless. Legal buck must have at least one unbranched antler or an inside spread of at least 13 inches. All deer taken on the WMA must be registered at the Hunter Check Station within 24 hours of the time of harvest. |
Land, water, towns and highways: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 and Gazetteer. Deer units: TPWD.
When are the big game seasons in Delta County?
TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual for Delta 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 Delta County?
| Species | Zone | Regular season |
|---|---|---|
| Dove | North Zone | Sept. 1 - Nov. 8, 2026 and Dec. 18, 2026 - Jan. 7, 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, Delta 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 Delta 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 Delta 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 Delta County?
Yes. Cooper WMA (13,407 acres in the county) is on TPWD's maps, plus 3 dove and small game leases. Together that is about 15,678 acres.
Does Delta County have antler restrictions?
Yes, by TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual: in Delta County a legal white-tailed buck needs an unbranched antler or a 13-inch inside spread.
What is the county seat of Delta County?
Cooper, 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.