Jefferson County, Texas: hunting seasons and public land
Jefferson County has 2 public hunting areas on TPWD's Annual Public Hunting Permit (J.D. Murphree WMA, 25,659 acres in the county and Sea Rim State Park, 4,402 acres in the county) and 3 TPWD dove and small game leases (3,949 acres). White-tailed deer general season in Jefferson 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 Jefferson CountyOther public hunting land and dove leasesCounty lineLake or riverHighway
| County seat | Beaumont |
|---|---|
| WMAs and public hunting areas | J.D. Murphree WMA, Sea Rim State Park |
| Dove and small game leases | 3 (3,949 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 Jefferson County?
Jefferson 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) |
|---|---|---|
| J.D. Murphree WMA | 25,659 | Waterfowl, Early Teal, South Zone Duck, Geese, Rails, Gallinule, and Snipe and Feral Hog |
| Sea Rim State Park | 4,402 | Waterfowl, Early Teal, South Zone Duck and Rail, Gallinules, and Snipe |
TPWD's dove and small game leases in Jefferson County for 2026-27: Latta Road (1,641 acres), Bordages Road (1,272 acres) and South China Road (1,036 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 Jefferson County like for a hunter?
Jefferson County covers 877 square miles of land and 236 of water, 4.2% of it in the public hunting areas above. Its towns include Beaumont, Port Arthur, Port Neches, Nederland, Groves and Bevil Oaks. Highways: TX 73 (67 miles in the county), US 287 (54 miles in the county), US 96 (54 miles in the county), US 69 (54 miles in the county) and I-10 (49 miles in the county). Water: Star Lake and Clam Lake.
TPWD white-tailed deer management unit: 13 (89% of the county). Neighboring counties: Chambers, Hardin, Liberty and Orange.
Public hunting closest to Jefferson County
Other areas on the Annual Public Hunting Permit, by straight-line distance from the middle of Jefferson County to the middle of each area:
| Area | County | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Neches WMA | Orange | 20 |
| Tony Houseman WMA | Orange | 31 |
| Angelina-Neches/Dam B WMA | Jasper and Tyler | 73 |
| Moore Plantation WMA | Sabine | 96 |
| Huntsville State Park | Walker | 100 |
| Sam Houston National Forest WMA | San Jacinto and Walker | 100 |
Deer on Jefferson 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 |
|---|---|
| J.D. Murphree WMA | No deer season for walk-in hunters in TPWD's booklet |
| Sea Rim State Park | 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 Jefferson County?
TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual for Jefferson 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 Jefferson County?
| Species | Zone | Regular season |
|---|---|---|
| Goose | Eastern Zone | Dark Geese: Nov. 7, 2026 - Jan. 31, 2027; Light Geese: Nov. 7, 2026 - Feb. 19, 2027 |
Source: TPWD Outdoor Annual, Jefferson 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 Jefferson 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 Jefferson 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 Jefferson County?
Yes. J.D. Murphree WMA (25,659 acres in the county) and Sea Rim State Park (4,402 acres in the county) are on TPWD's maps, plus 3 dove and small game leases. Together that is about 34,010 acres.
Does Jefferson County have antler restrictions?
Yes, by TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual: in Jefferson County a legal white-tailed buck needs an unbranched antler or a 13-inch inside spread.
What is the county seat of Jefferson County?
Beaumont, 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.