Matagorda County, Texas: hunting seasons and public land
Matagorda County has 1 public hunting area on TPWD's Annual Public Hunting Permit (Mad Island WMA, 7,258 acres in the county). White-tailed deer general season in Matagorda 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 Matagorda CountyOther public hunting land and dove leasesCounty lineLake or riverHighway
| County seat | Bay City |
|---|---|
| WMAs and public hunting areas | Mad Island 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 | South Zone |
Where can you hunt public land in Matagorda County?
Matagorda 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) |
|---|---|---|
| Mad Island WMA | 7,258 | Waterfowl and Sandhill Cranes, Coots, Dove, Geese, Rail, Gallinule, and Snipe |
Public land: TPWD Public Hunt Locator map and TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet; acres measured by FilledTag.
What is Matagorda County like for a hunter?
Matagorda County covers 1,093 square miles of land and 519 of water, 0.7% of it in the public hunting areas above. Its towns include Bay City and Palacios. Highways: TX 35 (62 miles in the county), TX 60 (32 miles in the county), TX 71 (10 miles in the county) and TX 111 (6 miles in the county). Water: Oyster Lake and Mad Island Lake.
TPWD white-tailed deer management unit: 10 (86% of the county). Neighboring counties: Brazoria, Calhoun, Jackson and Wharton.
Public hunting closest to Matagorda County
Other areas on the Annual Public Hunting Permit, by straight-line distance from the middle of Matagorda County to the middle of each area:
| Area | County | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Nannie M. Stringfellow WMA | Brazoria | 24 |
| Justin Hurst WMA | Brazoria | 32 |
| Matagorda Island WMA | Calhoun | 57 |
| Guadalupe Delta WMA | Calhoun and Refugio | 58 |
| Somerville Public Hunting Land and Lake Somerville Trailway | Lee and Burleson | 115 |
| Sam Houston National Forest WMA | San Jacinto and Walker | 124 |
Deer on Matagorda 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 |
|---|---|
| Mad Island 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 Matagorda County?
TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual for Matagorda 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 Matagorda County?
| Species | Zone | Regular season |
|---|---|---|
| Dove | South Zone | Sept. 1 - Oct. 25, 2026 and Dec. 18, 2026 - Jan. 21, 2027 |
| Duck | South Zone | Nov. 7 - 29, 2026 and Dec. 12, 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, Matagorda 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 Matagorda 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 Matagorda 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 Matagorda County?
Yes. Mad Island WMA (7,258 acres in the county) is on TPWD's maps. Together that is about 7,258 acres.
Does Matagorda County have antler restrictions?
Yes, by TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual: in Matagorda County a legal white-tailed buck needs an unbranched antler or a 13-inch inside spread.
What is the county seat of Matagorda County?
Bay City, 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.