Falls County, Texas: hunting seasons and public land
Falls County has 1 public hunting area on TPWD's Annual Public Hunting Permit (Marlin Lake Park, 898 acres in the county) and 5 TPWD dove and small game leases (1,215 acres). White-tailed deer general season in Falls 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 Falls CountyOther public hunting land and dove leasesCounty lineLake or riverHighway
| County seat | Marlin |
|---|---|
| WMAs and public hunting areas | Marlin Lake Park |
| Dove and small game leases | 5 (1,215 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 | Central Zone |
Where can you hunt public land in Falls County?
Falls 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) |
|---|---|---|
| Marlin Lake Park | 898 | White-tailed Deer, Feral Hog, Squirrel, Rabbits, Hares Furbearers and Predators, Dove and Waterfowl |
TPWD's dove and small game leases in Falls County for 2026-27: FM 413 (310 acres), FM 1771 (307 acres), Bruceville-Eddy (262 acres), Blue Ridge Cemetery (182 acres) and CR 229 (154 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 Falls County like for a hunter?
Falls County covers 765 square miles of land and 8 of water, 0.2% of it in the public hunting areas above. Its towns include Marlin, Golinda, Lott and Rosebud. Highways: TX 6 (52 miles in the county), TX 7 (37 miles in the county), US 77 (26 miles in the county), TX 320 (18 miles in the county) and TX 53 (9 miles in the county). Water: New City Lake.
TPWD white-tailed deer management unit: 20 (99% of the county). Neighboring counties: Bell, Limestone, McLennan, Milam and Robertson.
Public hunting closest to Falls County
Other areas on the Annual Public Hunting Permit, by straight-line distance from the middle of Falls County to the middle of each area:
| Area | County | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Luminant Texas Public Hunting Land | Robertson | 32 |
| Granger Public Hunting Land | Williamson | 46 |
| Somerville Public Hunting Land and Lake Somerville Trailway | Lee and Burleson | 69 |
| Richland Creek WMA | Freestone and Navarro | 72 |
| Big Lake Bottom WMA | Anderson | 73 |
| Gus Engeling WMA | Anderson | 78 |
Deer on Falls 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 |
|---|---|
| Marlin Lake Park | White-tailed Deer: Archery Only; each day of the Archery and General seasons as established for Falls County in the TPWD Outdoor Annual. |
Land, water, towns and highways: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 and Gazetteer. Deer units: TPWD.
When are the big game seasons in Falls County?
TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual for Falls 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 Falls 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, Falls 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 Falls 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 Falls 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 Falls County?
Yes. Marlin Lake Park (898 acres in the county) is on TPWD's maps, plus 5 dove and small game leases. Together that is about 2,113 acres.
Does Falls County have antler restrictions?
Yes, by TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual: in Falls County a legal white-tailed buck needs an unbranched antler or a 13-inch inside spread.
What is the county seat of Falls County?
Marlin, 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.