Starr County, Texas: hunting seasons and public land
Starr County has 1 public hunting area on TPWD's Annual Public Hunting Permit (Lower Rio Grande Valley NWR La Casita East, 1,395 acres in the county). White-tailed deer general season in Starr 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 Starr CountyOther public hunting land and dove leasesCounty lineLake or riverHighway
| County seat | Rio Grande City |
|---|---|
| WMAs and public hunting areas | Lower Rio Grande Valley NWR La Casita East |
| 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 Starr County?
Starr 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) |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Rio Grande Valley NWR La Casita East | 1,395 | Dove |
Public land: TPWD Public Hunt Locator map and TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet; acres measured by FilledTag.
What is Starr County like for a hunter?
Starr County covers 1,223 square miles of land and 6 of water, 0.2% of it in the public hunting areas above. Its towns include Rio Grande City, Roma, Escobares and La Grulla. Highways: US 83 (76 miles in the county). Water: Paz Ramirez Lake.
TPWD white-tailed deer management units: 08 East (86% of the county) and 09 (14% of the county). Neighboring counties: Brooks, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg and Zapata.
Public hunting closest to Starr County
Other areas on the Annual Public Hunting Permit, by straight-line distance from the middle of Starr County to the middle of each area:
| Area | County | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Las Palomas WMA | Cameron and Hidalgo | 54 |
| Resaca de la Palma State Park | Cameron | 84 |
| Chaparral WMA | Dimmit and La Salle | 131 |
| James E. Daughtrey WMA | McMullen and Live Oak | 140 |
| Matagorda Island WMA | Calhoun | 177 |
| Guadalupe Delta WMA | Calhoun and Refugio | 182 |
Deer on Starr 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 Rio Grande Valley NWR La Casita East | 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 Starr County?
TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual for Starr 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 Starr 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, Starr 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 Starr 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 Starr County. The bag limit is 5 deer, no more than 3 bucks.
Is there public hunting land in Starr County?
Yes. Lower Rio Grande Valley NWR La Casita East (1,395 acres in the county) is on TPWD's maps. Together that is about 1,395 acres.
Does Starr County have antler restrictions?
TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual does not list antler restrictions for white-tailed deer in Starr County.
What is the county seat of Starr County?
Rio Grande City, 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.
Texas public hunting Lower Rio Grande Valley NWR La Casita East