Mason County, Texas: hunting seasons and public land
Mason County has 1 public hunting area on TPWD's Annual Public Hunting Permit (Mason Mountain WMA, 727 acres in the county). White-tailed deer general season in Mason 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 2 bucks, 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 Mason CountyOther public hunting land and dove leasesCounty lineLake or riverHighway
| County seat | Mason |
|---|---|
| WMAs and public hunting areas | Mason Mountain 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 | 5 deer, no more than 2 bucks, all seasons combined. |
| Antler restrictions | No |
| Dove zone | Central Zone |
Where can you hunt public land in Mason County?
Mason 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) |
|---|---|---|
| Mason Mountain WMA | 727 | Dove |
Public land: TPWD Public Hunt Locator map and TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet; acres measured by FilledTag.
What is Mason County like for a hunter?
Mason County covers 929 square miles of land, 0.1% of it in the public hunting areas above. Its towns include Mason. Highways: US 87 (42 miles in the county), TX 29 (34 miles in the county), US 377 (28 miles in the county) and TX 71 (7 miles in the county).
TPWD white-tailed deer management units: 06 (84% of the county) and 05 (16% of the county). Neighboring counties: Gillespie, Kimble, Llano, McCulloch, Menard and San Saba.
Public hunting closest to Mason County
Other areas on the Annual Public Hunting Permit, by straight-line distance from the middle of Mason County to the middle of each area:
| Area | County | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Muse WMA | Brown | 84 |
| Twin Buttes Public Hunting Land | Tom Green | 90 |
| San Angelo State Park | Tom Green | 95 |
| Granger Public Hunting Land | Williamson | 111 |
| Abilene State Park | Taylor | 112 |
| Roger R. Fawcett WMA | Palo Pinto | 139 |
Deer on Mason 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 |
|---|---|
| Mason Mountain 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 Mason County?
TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual for Mason 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 2 bucks, 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 |
| Javelina | Regular Season | Oct. 1, 2026 - Feb. 28, 2027 |
| Javelina | Bag Limit | 2 per license year. |
When are dove, duck and goose seasons in Mason 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 | Western Zone | Dark Geese: Nov. 7, 2026 - Feb. 7, 2027; Light Geese: Nov. 7, 2026 - Feb. 7, 2027 |
Source: TPWD Outdoor Annual, Mason 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 Mason 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 Mason County. The bag limit is 5 deer, no more than 2 bucks, all seasons combined.
Is there public hunting land in Mason County?
Yes. Mason Mountain WMA (727 acres in the county) is on TPWD's maps. Together that is about 727 acres.
Does Mason County have antler restrictions?
TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual does not list antler restrictions for white-tailed deer in Mason County.
What is the county seat of Mason County?
Mason, 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.