Orange County, Texas: hunting seasons and public land
Orange County has 2 public hunting areas on TPWD's Annual Public Hunting Permit (Lower Neches WMA, 7,816 acres in the county and Tony Houseman WMA, 4,328 acres in the county). White-tailed deer general season in Orange 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 Orange CountyOther public hunting land and dove leasesCounty lineLake or riverHighway
| County seat | Orange |
|---|---|
| WMAs and public hunting areas | Lower Neches WMA, Tony Houseman 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 | Central Zone |
Where can you hunt public land in Orange County?
Orange 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) |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Neches WMA | 7,816 | Waterfowl, Geese, Woodcock, Rails, Gallinules, and Snipe, Rabbits and Hares, Early Teal and South Zone Duck |
| Tony Houseman WMA | 4,328 | Feral Hogs and Exotic Mammals, Waterfowl, Woodcock, Rail and Gallinule, Snipe and Dove |
Public land: TPWD Public Hunt Locator map and TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet; acres measured by FilledTag.
What is Orange County like for a hunter?
Orange County covers 334 square miles of land and 46 of water, 5% of it in the public hunting areas above. Its towns include Orange, Vidor, Bridge City, West Orange, Pine Forest and Pinehurst. Highways: I-10 (50 miles in the county), US 90 (50 miles in the county), TX 87 (27 miles in the county), TX 73 (14 miles in the county) and TX 12 (10 miles in the county). Water: Sabine Lake, Plant Reservoir and Sabine River.
TPWD white-tailed deer management unit: 13 (99% of the county). Neighboring counties: Hardin, Jasper, Jefferson and Newton.
Public hunting closest to Orange County
Other areas on the Annual Public Hunting Permit, by straight-line distance from the middle of Orange County to the middle of each area:
| Area | County | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| J.D. Murphree WMA | Jefferson | 18 |
| Sea Rim State Park | Jefferson | 26 |
| Angelina-Neches/Dam B WMA | Jasper and Tyler | 61 |
| Moore Plantation WMA | Sabine | 81 |
| Bannister WMA | San Augustine | 92 |
| Alabama Creek WMA | Trinity | 99 |
Deer on Orange 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 |
|---|---|
| Lower Neches WMA | No deer season for walk-in hunters in TPWD's booklet |
| Tony Houseman 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 Orange County?
TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual for Orange 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 Orange 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, Orange 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 Orange 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 Orange 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 Orange County?
Yes. Lower Neches WMA (7,816 acres in the county) and Tony Houseman WMA (4,328 acres in the county) are on TPWD's maps. Together that is about 12,144 acres.
Does Orange County have antler restrictions?
Yes, by TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual: in Orange County a legal white-tailed buck needs an unbranched antler or a 13-inch inside spread.
What is the county seat of Orange County?
Orange, 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.