Donley County, Texas: hunting seasons and public land
Donley County has 1 public hunting area on TPWD's Annual Public Hunting Permit (Playa Lakes WMA Taylor Lakes Unit, 531 acres in the county). White-tailed deer general season in Donley 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: 5 deer, no more than 1 buck, 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 Donley CountyOther public hunting land and dove leasesCounty lineLake or riverHighway
| County seat | Clarendon |
|---|---|
| WMAs and public hunting areas | Playa Lakes WMA Taylor Lakes Unit |
| Dove and small game leases | None |
| White-tailed deer zone | North Zone |
| Deer general season | Nov. 7, 2026 - Jan. 3, 2027 |
| Deer bag limit | 5 deer, no more than 1 buck, all seasons combined. |
| Antler restrictions | No |
| Dove zone | North Zone |
Where can you hunt public land in Donley County?
Donley 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) |
|---|---|---|
| Playa Lakes WMA Taylor Lakes Unit | 531 | Dove, Teal, Feral Hog and Rabbits and Hares |
Public land: TPWD Public Hunt Locator map and TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet; acres measured by FilledTag.
What is Donley County like for a hunter?
Donley County covers 927 square miles of land and 6 of water, 0.1% of it in the public hunting areas above. Its towns include Clarendon, Howardwick and Hedley. Highways: US 287 (73 miles in the county), TX 70 (38 miles in the county), TX 273 (23 miles in the county), I-40 (20 miles in the county) and TX 203 (8 miles in the county). Water: Greenbelt Reservoir.
TPWD white-tailed deer management units: 31 (51% of the county), 30 (41% of the county) and 31 East (8% of the county). Neighboring counties: Armstrong, Briscoe, Carson, Collingsworth, Gray, Hall and Wheeler.
Public hunting closest to Donley County
Other areas on the Annual Public Hunting Permit, by straight-line distance from the middle of Donley County to the middle of each area:
| Area | County | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Matador WMA | Cottle | 61 |
| Gene Howe WMA | Hemphill and Lipscomb | 72 |
| Teacup Mountain WMA | Foard and Hardeman | 83 |
| Lake Colorado City State Park | Mitchell | 182 |
| Hagerman NWR Nocona Unit | Montague | 188 |
| Abilene State Park | Taylor | 196 |
Deer on Donley 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 |
|---|---|
| Playa Lakes WMA Taylor Lakes Unit | 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 Donley County?
TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual for Donley 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 | 5 deer, no more than 1 buck, 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 | Special Late | Jan. 4 - 17, 2027 |
| Mule deer | Archery Only | Oct. 3 - Nov. 20, 2026 |
| Mule deer | Bag Limit | 1 buck all seasons combined. |
| Mule deer | General Season | Nov. 21 - Dec. 6, 2026 |
| Javelina | No open season |
When are dove, duck and goose seasons in Donley County?
| Species | Zone | Regular season |
|---|---|---|
| Dove | North Zone | Sept. 1 - Nov. 8, 2026 and Dec. 18, 2026 - Jan. 7, 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, Donley 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 Donley 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 Donley County. The bag limit is 5 deer, no more than 1 buck, all seasons combined.
Is there public hunting land in Donley County?
Yes. Playa Lakes WMA Taylor Lakes Unit (531 acres in the county) is on TPWD's maps. Together that is about 531 acres.
Does Donley County have antler restrictions?
TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual does not list antler restrictions for white-tailed deer in Donley County.
What is the county seat of Donley County?
Clarendon, 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.