Hemphill County, Texas: hunting seasons and public land
Hemphill County has 1 public hunting area on TPWD's Annual Public Hunting Permit (Gene Howe WMA, 5,458 acres in the county) and 2 TPWD dove and small game leases (1,223 acres). White-tailed deer general season in Hemphill 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 Hemphill CountyOther public hunting land and dove leasesCounty lineLake or riverHighway
| County seat | Canadian |
|---|---|
| WMAs and public hunting areas | Gene Howe WMA |
| Dove and small game leases | 2 (1,223 acres) |
| 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 Hemphill County?
Hemphill 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) |
|---|---|---|
| Gene Howe WMA | 5,458 | Dove, Quail, Feral Hogs and Coyotes, Rabbits & Hares and Waterfowl |
TPWD's dove and small game leases in Hemphill County for 2026-27: Big Timber (821 acres) and Horse Creek (402 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 Hemphill County like for a hunter?
Hemphill County covers 906 square miles of land and 6 of water, 0.9% of it in the public hunting areas above. Its towns include Canadian. Highways: US 83 (43 miles in the county), US 60 (40 miles in the county), TX 33 (23 miles in the county) and TX 305 (3 miles in the county). Water: Huston-Stickley Lake and Canadian River.
TPWD white-tailed deer management units: 31 East (67% of the county) and 31 (33% of the county). Neighboring counties: Gray, Lipscomb, Roberts and Wheeler.
Public hunting closest to Hemphill County
Other areas on the Annual Public Hunting Permit, by straight-line distance from the middle of Hemphill County to the middle of each area:
| Area | County | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Playa Lakes WMA Taylor Lakes Unit | Donley | 71 |
| Matador WMA | Cottle | 117 |
| Teacup Mountain WMA | Foard and Hardeman | 124 |
| Hagerman NWR Nocona Unit | Montague | 199 |
| Lake Colorado City State Park | Mitchell | 246 |
| Abilene State Park | Taylor | 250 |
Deer on Hemphill 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 |
|---|---|
| Gene Howe 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 Hemphill County?
TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual for Hemphill 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 | |
| Pronghorn | Bag Limit | 1 - by permit only |
| Pronghorn | Regular Season | Oct. 3 - 18, 2026 |
When are dove, duck and goose seasons in Hemphill 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, Hemphill 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 Hemphill 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 Hemphill County. The bag limit is 5 deer, no more than 1 buck, all seasons combined.
Is there public hunting land in Hemphill County?
Yes. Gene Howe WMA (5,458 acres in the county) is on TPWD's maps, plus 2 dove and small game leases. Together that is about 6,681 acres.
Does Hemphill County have antler restrictions?
TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual does not list antler restrictions for white-tailed deer in Hemphill County.
What is the county seat of Hemphill County?
Canadian, 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.