Sabine River Authority Public Hunting Land: public hunting, 2026-27 seasons and access
Sabine River Authority Public Hunting Land is 7,484 acres of public hunting land in Panola County, Texas, TPWD unit #630. Adults hunt it on the $48 Annual Public Hunting Permit and register on site each day, in the Texas Hunt & Fish app (eOSR). TPWD's 2026-27 map booklet lists white-tailed deer and feral hog and exotic mammals among the legal game, along with waterfowl, woodcock, rail, and gallinule, snipe and dove.
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 | #630 |
|---|---|
| Size | 7,484 acres (TPWD booklet); 7,488 acres mapped |
| County | Panola County |
| Permit | Annual Public Hunting Permit ($48), eOSR registration each day |
| Legal game listed | White-tailed Deer, Feral Hog and Exotic Mammals, Waterfowl, Woodcock, Rail, and Gallinule, Snipe, Dove, Squirrel and Furbearers |
| Deer | White-tailed Deer: Bag limit - 2 buck and 2 antlerless (all seasons combined). Legal buck must have at least one unbranched antler or an ins... |
| White-tailed deer unit | TPWD unit 15 |
| Towns | Joaquin (next to it), Tenaha (8 mi) and Gary City (13 mi) |
| Highways | US 84 (0.6 mi) and TX 7 (1 mi) |
What can you hunt on Sabine River Authority Public Hunting Land in 2026-27?
TPWD's 2026-27 booklet lists 13 legal game entries for Sabine River Authority Public Hunting Land, deer among them. Every line below is TPWD's own wording.
| Species or season | What TPWD's 2026-27 booklet says |
|---|---|
| White-tailed Deer | Bag limit - 2 buck and 2 antlerless (all seasons combined). Legal buck must have at least one unbranched antler or an inside spread of at least 13 inches. Archery Only Season: As established for Panola County (either sex). General Season: As established for Panola County (buck only). Muzzleloader Season: As established for Panola County (either sex, buck must have at least one unbranched antler). |
| Feral Hog and Exotic Mammals | Open year-round (no bag limit). All legal firearms, including shotguns with buckshot, air guns, arrow guns and archery equipment may be used. No dogs allowed. |
| Waterfowl | Shooting hours - one half hour before sunrise to noon. Hunting is allowed each day of the Early Teal, North Zone Duck, Falconry, and Eastern Zone Goose seasons (including any special conservation season). |
| Woodcock, Rail, and Gallinule | Each day of Statewide and Falconry Seasons. |
| Snipe | Each day of Statewide Season. |
| Dove | Each day of the Central Zone and Falconry Season |
| Bullfrogs | daily limit of 25. |
Also listed as legal game, with no dates of their own: Fishing, Crayfish, Squirrel, Furbearers, Predators and Rabbits & Hares.
Youth and special seasons
- Youth/Adult Only Squirrel: Sept. 25-27, Shotgun and rimfire only.
- Youth Only Deer: Oct. 30-Nov. 1 (either sex) and Jan. 4-17 (either sex, buck must have at least one unbranched antler). See Legal Game Box for White-tailed Deer bag limit and legal buck requirements. See TPWD Outdoor Annual for Special Youth Season information and regulations
- Youth and Veteran/Active-Duty Military Only Waterfowl: See TPWD Outdoor Annual for Special Season information and regulations. Shooting hours end at noon.
What are the rules on Sabine River Authority Public Hunting Land?
- Permit and registration: OSR Required Each Day
- Rule: Use of horses allowed only Sept. 1-Sept. 30 and Apr. 1-Aug. 31.
- Means restriction: Non-toxic shot required for all migratory game bird hunting.
- Note: Temporary road closures may be made by the department if current conditions warrant and will be identified by signs or barricades.
Source: TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet for Public Hunting Lands, unit #630 (PDF).
Which parts of Sabine River Authority Public Hunting Land are closed or limited?
TPWD's map of Sabine River Authority Public Hunting Land marks no hunting zones. No hunting zones are closed to all hunting. Measured inside the boundary from TPWD's own polygons:
| Zone | Acres | Share of Sabine River Authority Public Hunting Land |
|---|---|---|
| No hunting zones | 21 | 0.3% |
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 Sabine River Authority Public Hunting Land?
Sabine River Authority Public Hunting Land lies in Panola County. Nearest towns: Joaquin (next to it), Tenaha (8 miles), Gary City (13 miles) and Carthage (13 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 84 (0.6 miles) and TX 7 (1 mile). Rivers nearby: Sabine River.
TPWD's map points for Sabine River Authority Public Hunting Land: 1 camp site and 1 canoe/small craft launch.
Which deer management unit is Sabine River Authority Public Hunting Land in?
Sabine River Authority Public Hunting Land lies in TPWD white-tailed deer management unit 15. 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 Sabine River Authority Public Hunting Land?
The closest other places on the Annual Public Hunting Permit with a page of their own, measured edge to edge:
| Area | County | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| North Toledo Bend WMA | Shelby | 5 mi |
| Bannister WMA | San Augustine | 41.6 mi |
| Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge | Harrison | 41.7 mi |
| Caddo Lake WMA | Marion and Harrison | 45.9 mi |
| Moore Plantation WMA | Sabine | 47.6 mi |
| Lake Striker Public Hunting Land | Cherokee and Rusk | 48.3 mi |
Questions hunters ask
Do you need a permit to hunt Sabine River Authority Public Hunting Land?
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.
When is deer season on Sabine River Authority Public Hunting Land?
TPWD's 2026-27 booklet: White-tailed Deer: Bag limit - 2 buck and 2 antlerless (all seasons combined). Legal buck must have at least one unbranched antler or an inside spread of at least 13 inches. Archery Only Season: As established for Panola County (either sex). General Season: As established for Panola County (buck only). Muzzleloader Season: As established for Panola County (either sex, buck must have at least one unbranched antler).
Can you camp on Sabine River Authority Public Hunting Land?
TPWD's 2026-27 booklet prints no camping rules for Sabine River Authority Public Hunting Land. Ask the area office before planning to stay overnight.
Where is Sabine River Authority Public Hunting Land?
Sabine River Authority Public Hunting Land is in Panola County. The nearest towns: Joaquin (next to it), Tenaha (8 miles) and Gary City (13 miles). Highways nearby: US 84 and TX 7.
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 #630.
- 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 Panola County North Toledo Bend WMA Bannister WMA Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge