Hopkins County, Texas: hunting seasons and public land
Hopkins County has 2 public hunting areas on TPWD's Annual Public Hunting Permit (Cooper WMA, 4,334 acres in the county and Cooper Lake State Park South Sulphur Unit, 2,659 acres in the county). White-tailed deer general season in Hopkins 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 Hopkins CountyOther public hunting land and dove leasesCounty lineLake or riverHighway
| County seat | Sulphur Springs |
|---|---|
| WMAs and public hunting areas | Cooper Lake State Park South Sulphur Unit, Cooper 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 | North Zone |
Where can you hunt public land in Hopkins County?
Hopkins County holds 2 places 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 | 4,334 | White-tailed Deer, Feral Hogs, Dove, Waterfowl and Woodcock and Snipe |
| Cooper Lake State Park South Sulphur Unit | 2,659 | White-tailed Deer and Feral Hog |
Public land: TPWD Public Hunt Locator map and TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet; acres measured by FilledTag.
What is Hopkins County like for a hunter?
Hopkins County covers 767 square miles of land and 25 of water, 1.4% of it in the public hunting areas above. Its towns include Sulphur Springs, Tira, Como and Cumby. Highways: I-30 (67 miles in the county), US 67 (62 miles in the county), TX 11 (42 miles in the county), TX 19 (29 miles in the county) and TX 154 (28 miles in the county). Water: Case Lake and Century Lake.
TPWD white-tailed deer management unit: 18 (100% of the county). Neighboring counties: Delta, Franklin, Hunt, Lamar, Rains and Wood.
Public hunting closest to Hopkins County
Other areas on the Annual Public Hunting Permit, by straight-line distance from the middle of Hopkins County to the middle of each area:
| Area | County | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Tawakoni WMA | Hunt and Van Zandt | 27 |
| Old Sabine Bottom WMA | Smith | 43 |
| Bois d'Arc Lake Public Hunting Land | Fannin | 44 |
| Pat Mayse WMA | Lamar | 44 |
| Caddo National Grasslands WMA | Fannin | 46 |
| White Oak Creek WMA | Morris and Bowie | 51 |
Deer on Hopkins 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 Lake State Park South Sulphur Unit | Archery Only White-tailed Deer Season: Dec.5-20. Bag limit 2 deer (either sex). No more than 1 buck. Legal buck must have at least one unbranched antler or an inside spread of at least 13 inches. All deer taken on the unit must be taken to the Cooper WMA Deer Check Station within 24 hours of harvest. |
| 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 Hopkins County?
TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual for Hopkins 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 Hopkins County?
| Species | Zone | Regular season |
|---|---|---|
| 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, Hopkins 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 Hopkins 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 Hopkins 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 Hopkins County?
Yes. Cooper WMA (4,334 acres in the county) and Cooper Lake State Park South Sulphur Unit (2,659 acres in the county) are on TPWD's maps. Together that is about 6,993 acres.
Does Hopkins County have antler restrictions?
Yes, by TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual: in Hopkins County a legal white-tailed buck needs an unbranched antler or a 13-inch inside spread.
What is the county seat of Hopkins County?
Sulphur Springs, 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.
Texas public hunting Cooper Lake State Park South Sulphur Unit Cooper WMA