Palo Pinto County, Texas: hunting seasons and public land
Palo Pinto County has 1 public hunting area on TPWD's Annual Public Hunting Permit (Roger R. Fawcett WMA, 121 acres in the county). White-tailed deer general season in Palo Pinto 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. 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 Palo Pinto CountyOther public hunting land and dove leasesCounty lineLake or riverHighway
| County seat | Palo Pinto |
|---|---|
| WMAs and public hunting areas | Roger R. Fawcett 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 | Yes |
| Dove zone | North Zone |
Where can you hunt public land in Palo Pinto County?
Palo Pinto 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) |
|---|---|---|
| Roger R. Fawcett WMA | 121 | Dove |
Public land: TPWD Public Hunt Locator map and TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet; acres measured by FilledTag.
What is Palo Pinto County like for a hunter?
Palo Pinto County covers 953 square miles of land and 33 of water, with very little of it public. Its towns include Mineral Wells, Mingus, Gordon, Strawn and Graford. Highways: TX 16 (44 miles in the county), US 80 (41 miles in the county), I-20 (38 miles in the county), US 180 (38 miles in the county) and US 281 (34 miles in the county). Water: Palo Pinto Creek Reservoir, Possum Kingdom Lake and Brazos River.
TPWD white-tailed deer management units: 25 (88% of the county) and 24 (12% of the county). Neighboring counties: Eastland, Erath, Hood, Jack, Parker, Stephens and Young.
Public hunting closest to Palo Pinto County
Other areas on the Annual Public Hunting Permit, by straight-line distance from the middle of Palo Pinto County to the middle of each area:
| Area | County | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Muse WMA | Brown | 68 |
| Hagerman NWR Nocona Unit | Montague | 73 |
| Abilene State Park | Taylor | 99 |
| Teacup Mountain WMA | Foard and Hardeman | 126 |
| Marlin Lake Park | Falls | 130 |
| Tawakoni WMA | Hunt and Van Zandt | 136 |
Deer on Palo Pinto 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 |
|---|---|
| Roger R. Fawcett 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 Palo Pinto County?
TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual for Palo Pinto 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 | No open season |
When are dove, duck and goose seasons in Palo Pinto County?
| Species | Zone | Regular season |
|---|---|---|
| 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, Palo Pinto 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 Palo Pinto 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 Palo Pinto County. The bag limit is 5 deer, no more than 2 bucks, all seasons combined.
Is there public hunting land in Palo Pinto County?
Yes. Roger R. Fawcett WMA (121 acres in the county) is on TPWD's maps. Together that is about 121 acres.
Does Palo Pinto County have antler restrictions?
Yes, by TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual: in Palo Pinto County a legal white-tailed buck needs an unbranched antler or a 13-inch inside spread.
What is the county seat of Palo Pinto County?
Palo Pinto, 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.