Freestone County, Texas: hunting seasons and public land
Freestone County has 1 public hunting area on TPWD's Annual Public Hunting Permit (Richland Creek WMA, 12,818 acres in the county). White-tailed deer general season in Freestone 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 Freestone CountyOther public hunting land and dove leasesCounty lineLake or riverHighway
| County seat | Fairfield |
|---|---|
| WMAs and public hunting areas | Richland Creek WMA |
| 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 Freestone County?
Freestone 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) |
|---|---|---|
| Richland Creek WMA | 12,818 | Waterfowl, Snipe, Squirrels, Rabbits, and Hares and Squirrel, Rabbits & Hares |
Public land: TPWD Public Hunt Locator map and TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet; acres measured by FilledTag.
What is Freestone County like for a hunter?
Freestone County covers 878 square miles of land and 14 of water, 2.2% of it in the public hunting areas above. Its towns include Fairfield, Teague, Wortham and Kirvin. Highways: US 84 (85 miles in the county), I-45 (64 miles in the county), TX 75 (33 miles in the county), TX 164 (11 miles in the county) and TX 179 (8 miles in the county). Water: Red Lake, Blue Lake, Indian Creek Lake and Trinity River.
TPWD white-tailed deer management units: 19 North (60% of the county) and 19 South (40% of the county). Neighboring counties: Anderson, Henderson, Leon, Limestone and Navarro.
Public hunting closest to Freestone County
Other areas on the Annual Public Hunting Permit, by straight-line distance from the middle of Freestone County to the middle of each area:
| Area | County | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Big Lake Bottom WMA | Anderson | 20 |
| Gus Engeling WMA | Anderson | 22 |
| Luminant Texas Public Hunting Land | Robertson | 33 |
| Marlin Lake Park | Falls | 49 |
| Lake Striker Public Hunting Land | Cherokee and Rusk | 71 |
| Old Sabine Bottom WMA | Smith | 77 |
Deer on Freestone 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 |
|---|---|
| Richland Creek WMA | 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 Freestone County?
TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual for Freestone 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 Freestone 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, Freestone 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 Freestone 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 Freestone 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 Freestone County?
Yes. Richland Creek WMA (12,818 acres in the county) is on TPWD's maps. Together that is about 12,818 acres.
Does Freestone County have antler restrictions?
Yes, by TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual: in Freestone County a legal white-tailed buck needs an unbranched antler or a 13-inch inside spread.
What is the county seat of Freestone County?
Fairfield, 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.