Abilene State Park: public hunting, 2026-27 seasons and access
Abilene State Park is 520 acres of public hunting land in Taylor County, Texas, TPWD unit #1001. Adults hunt it on the $48 Annual Public Hunting Permit. TPWD's 2026-27 map booklet lists waterfowl and squirrel as legal game here.
Data updated October 2026. Seasons and rules: TPWD's 2026-27 Map Booklet for Public Hunting Lands. Boundaries: TPWD's Public Hunt Locator map.
This areaOther public hunting landNo hunting zoneCounty lineLake or riverHighway
| TPWD unit | #1001 |
|---|---|
| Size | 520 acres (TPWD booklet); 1,827 acres mapped |
| County | Taylor County |
| Permit | Annual Public Hunting Permit ($48) |
| Legal game listed | Waterfowl and Squirrel |
| Deer | No deer season for walk-in hunters in the booklet |
| White-tailed deer unit | TPWD unit 29 South |
| Towns | Buffalo Gap (4 mi), Tuscola (5 mi) and Lawn (10 mi) |
| Highways | US 277 (2.5 mi) and US 83 (4.8 mi) |
What can you hunt on Abilene State Park in 2026-27?
TPWD's 2026-27 booklet lists 2 legal game entries for Abilene State Park, none of them deer. Every line below is TPWD's own wording.
| Species or season | What TPWD's 2026-27 booklet says |
|---|---|
| Waterfowl | Jan. 16-31. |
| Squirrel | Jan. 16-31 |
Drawn hunts
Postcard selection hunts: Feral Hog. See front section of booklet for Postcard Selection Hunt information. Apply through TPWD's Public Hunt Drawing System.
What are the rules on Abilene State Park?
- Permit and registration: OSR Required Each Day. One time site registration at the State Park HQ (open 8:45am-4:45pm) is required prior to hunting. Daily OSR required upon entering hunting area.
- Special regulations: One time site registration at the State Park HQ (open 8:45am-4:45pm) is required prior to hunting. Daily OSR required upon entering hunting area.
Source: TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet for Public Hunting Lands, unit #1001 (PDF).
Which parts of Abilene State Park are closed or limited?
TPWD's map of Abilene State Park marks no hunting zones and hunting compartments (open to hunting). No hunting zones are closed to all hunting. Hunting compartments are the numbered blocks hunters register for and hunt. Measured inside the boundary from TPWD's own polygons:
| Zone | Acres | Share of Abilene State Park |
|---|---|---|
| No hunting zones | 570 | 31.2% |
| Hunting compartments (open to hunting) | 1,257 | 68.8% |
Measured by FilledTag from TPWD's Public Hunt Locator map. Posted signs and the booklet's map are the final word on the ground.
How do you get to Abilene State Park?
Abilene State Park lies in Taylor County. Nearest towns: Buffalo Gap (4 miles), Tuscola (5 miles), Lawn (10 miles) and Tye (14 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 277 (2.5 miles) and US 83 (4.8 miles). Water nearby: Lake Abilene.
TPWD's map points for Abilene State Park: 1 headquarters and 1 info station.
Which deer management unit is Abilene State Park in?
Abilene State Park lies in TPWD white-tailed deer management unit 29 South. TPWD publishes its harvest survey statewide; across Texas in 2025-26 it estimates 714,424 white-tailed deer hunters took 782,405 deer. The page on Texas public hunting has the statewide table.
Units: TPWD white-tailed deer management units. Harvest: TPWD Big Game Harvest Survey, 2025-26.
What other public hunting is near Abilene State Park?
The closest other places on the Annual Public Hunting Permit with a page of their own, measured edge to edge:
| Area | County | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Colorado City State Park | Mitchell | 59 mi |
| San Angelo State Park | Tom Green | 59.8 mi |
Questions hunters ask
Do you need a permit to hunt Abilene State Park?
Yes. Hunters 17 and older need the $48 Annual Public Hunting Permit along with a Texas hunting license; hunters under 17 may hunt free with a permitted adult. TPWD's booklet adds: OSR Required Each Day. One time site registration at the State Park HQ (open 8:45am-4:45pm) is required prior to hunting. Daily OSR required upon entering hunting area.
Can you hunt deer on Abilene State Park?
Not on the Annual Public Hunting Permit: TPWD's 2026-27 booklet lists no deer season here. Some places offer drawn hunts; see the drawn hunts section above.
Can you camp on Abilene State Park?
TPWD's 2026-27 booklet prints no camping rules for Abilene State Park. Ask the area office before planning to stay overnight.
Where is Abilene State Park?
Abilene State Park is in Taylor County. The nearest towns: Buffalo Gap (4 miles), Tuscola (5 miles) and Lawn (10 miles). Highways nearby: US 277 and US 83.
Get a Texas hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Texas are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Texas included.
Where these facts come from
- Legal game, dates, rules, permits and closures: TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet for Public Hunting Lands, unit #1001.
- Boundaries, zones and map points: TPWD Public Hunt Locator map. Acres and distances measured by FilledTag.
- Counties, highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 and Gazetteer. Lakes and rivers: USGS National Hydrography Dataset.
FilledTag is not part of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. TPWD's booklet and posted signs are the final word on every rule; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
Texas public hunting Taylor County Lake Colorado City State Park San Angelo State Park