McMullen County, Texas: hunting seasons and public land
McMullen County has 1 public hunting area on TPWD's Annual Public Hunting Permit (James E. Daughtrey WMA, 18,213 acres in the county). White-tailed deer general season in McMullen County runs Nov. 7, 2026 - Jan. 17, 2027, after archery only Oct. 3 - Nov. 6, 2026, by TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual. Bag limit: 5 deer, no more than 3 bucks.
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 McMullen CountyOther public hunting land and dove leasesCounty lineLake or riverHighway
| County seat | Tilden |
|---|---|
| WMAs and public hunting areas | James E. Daughtrey WMA |
| Dove and small game leases | None |
| White-tailed deer zone | South Zone |
| Deer general season | Nov. 7, 2026 - Jan. 17, 2027 |
| Deer bag limit | 5 deer, no more than 3 bucks. |
| Antler restrictions | No |
| Dove zone | South Zone |
Where can you hunt public land in McMullen County?
McMullen 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) |
|---|---|---|
| James E. Daughtrey WMA | 18,213 | Dove, Quail, Waterfowl, Sandhill Cranes: Zone C and Rails, Gallinules, Snipe, Moorhen and Woodcock |
Public land: TPWD Public Hunt Locator map and TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet; acres measured by FilledTag.
What is McMullen County like for a hunter?
McMullen County covers 1,140 square miles of land and 17 of water, 2.5% of it in the public hunting areas above. Highways: TX 16 (41 miles in the county), TX 72 (30 miles in the county), TX 97 (10 miles in the county) and US 59 (4 miles in the county). Water: Big Tank, Horseshoe Tank, Nueces River and Old Nueces River Channel.
TPWD white-tailed deer management unit: 08 East (100% of the county). Neighboring counties: Atascosa, Duval, Frio, La Salle, Live Oak and Webb.
Public hunting closest to McMullen County
Other areas on the Annual Public Hunting Permit, by straight-line distance from the middle of McMullen County to the middle of each area:
| Area | County | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Chaparral WMA | Dimmit and La Salle | 51 |
| Guadalupe Delta WMA | Calhoun and Refugio | 107 |
| Matagorda Island WMA | Calhoun | 118 |
| Lower Rio Grande Valley NWR La Casita East | Starr | 142 |
| Mad Island WMA | Matagorda | 155 |
| Las Palomas WMA | Cameron and Hidalgo | 158 |
Deer on McMullen 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 |
|---|---|
| James E. Daughtrey 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 McMullen County?
TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual for McMullen County puts the county in the white-tailed deer South Zone. The seasons and limits it lists:
| Species | Season or limit | Dates or limit |
|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Bag Limit | 5 deer, no more than 3 bucks. |
| White-tailed deer | Archery Only | Oct. 3 - Nov. 6, 2026 |
| White-tailed deer | General Season | Nov. 7, 2026 - Jan. 17, 2027 |
| White-tailed deer | Early Youth-Only Season | Oct. 30 - Nov. 1, 2026 |
| White-tailed deer | Special Late | Jan. 18 - 31, 2027 |
| Javelina | Regular Season | Sept. 1, 2026 - Aug. 31, 2027 |
| Javelina | Bag Limit | 2 per license year. |
When are dove, duck and goose seasons in McMullen 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, McMullen 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 McMullen 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. 17, 2027 in McMullen County. The bag limit is 5 deer, no more than 3 bucks.
Is there public hunting land in McMullen County?
Yes. James E. Daughtrey WMA (18,213 acres in the county) is on TPWD's maps. Together that is about 18,213 acres.
Does McMullen County have antler restrictions?
TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual does not list antler restrictions for white-tailed deer in McMullen County.
What is the county seat of McMullen County?
Tilden, 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.