Van Zandt County, Texas: hunting seasons and public land
Van Zandt County has 1 public hunting area on TPWD's Annual Public Hunting Permit (Tawakoni WMA, 403 acres in the county). White-tailed deer general season in Van Zandt 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 Van Zandt CountyOther public hunting land and dove leasesCounty lineLake or riverHighway
| County seat | Canton |
|---|---|
| WMAs and public hunting areas | Tawakoni 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 Van Zandt County?
Van Zandt 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) |
|---|---|---|
| Tawakoni WMA | 403 | White-tailed Deer, Feral Hogs, Dove, Waterfowl and Snipe and Woodcock |
Public land: TPWD Public Hunt Locator map and TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet; acres measured by FilledTag.
What is Van Zandt County like for a hunter?
Van Zandt County covers 843 square miles of land and 17 of water, 0.1% of it in the public hunting areas above. Its towns include Canton, Wills Point, Van, Edom, Grand Saline and Fruitvale. Highways: I-20 (70 miles in the county), US 80 (40 miles in the county), TX 64 (39 miles in the county), TX 19 (30 miles in the county) and TX 198 (18 miles in the county). Water: Callender Lake, Rhine Lake and Soil Conservation Service Site Number 1 Reservoir.
TPWD white-tailed deer management units: 18 (46% of the county), 19 North (41% of the county) and 17 (12% of the county). Neighboring counties: Henderson, Hunt, Kaufman, Rains, Smith and Wood.
Public hunting closest to Van Zandt County
Other areas on the Annual Public Hunting Permit, by straight-line distance from the middle of Van Zandt County to the middle of each area:
| Area | County | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Old Sabine Bottom WMA | Smith | 30 |
| Richland Creek WMA | Freestone and Navarro | 44 |
| Gus Engeling WMA | Anderson | 45 |
| Cooper WMA | Delta and Hopkins | 49 |
| Cooper Lake State Park South Sulphur Unit | Hopkins | 50 |
| Big Lake Bottom WMA | Anderson | 62 |
Deer on Van Zandt 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 |
|---|---|
| Tawakoni WMA | Archery Only White-tailed Deer Season: Oct. 3-Jan. 3. Bag limit - 3 deer (either sex, no more than 1 buck). Legal buck must have at least one unbranched antler or an inside spread of at least 13 inches. |
Land, water, towns and highways: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 and Gazetteer. Deer units: TPWD.
When are the big game seasons in Van Zandt County?
TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual for Van Zandt 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 Van Zandt County?
| Species | Zone | Regular season |
|---|---|---|
| Dove | Central Zone | Sept. 1 - Oct. 25, 2026 and Dec. 11, 2026 - Jan. 14, 2027 |
| Duck | North Zone | Nov. 14 - 29, 2026 and Dec. 5, 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, Van Zandt 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 Van Zandt 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 Van Zandt 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 Van Zandt County?
Yes. Tawakoni WMA (403 acres in the county) is on TPWD's maps. Together that is about 403 acres.
Does Van Zandt County have antler restrictions?
Yes, by TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual: in Van Zandt County a legal white-tailed buck needs an unbranched antler or a 13-inch inside spread.
What is the county seat of Van Zandt County?
Canton, 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.