Walker County, Texas: hunting seasons and public land
Walker County has 2 public hunting areas on TPWD's Annual Public Hunting Permit (Sam Houston National Forest WMA, 54,567 acres in the county and Huntsville State Park, 2,038 acres in the county). White-tailed deer general season in Walker 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 Walker CountyOther public hunting land and dove leasesCounty lineLake or riverHighway
| County seat | Huntsville |
|---|---|
| WMAs and public hunting areas | Huntsville State Park, Sam Houston National Forest 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 Walker County?
Walker County holds 2 places 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) |
|---|---|---|
| Sam Houston National Forest WMA | 54,567 | White-tailed Deer, Feral Hog and Exotic Mammals, Waterfowl, Woodcock, Rail, and Gallinule and Snipe |
| Huntsville State Park | 2,038 | Squirrels |
Public land: TPWD Public Hunt Locator map and TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet; acres measured by FilledTag.
What is Walker County like for a hunter?
Walker County covers 784 square miles of land and 17 of water, 11% of it in the public hunting areas above. Its towns include Huntsville, New Waverly and Riverside. Highways: I-45 (66 miles in the county), US 190 (49 miles in the county), TX 19 (30 miles in the county), TX 75 (25 miles in the county) and TX 30 (24 miles in the county). Water: Lake Conroe, Huntsville State Park Lake and Woodlands Golf Course Lake.
TPWD white-tailed deer management units: 14 (54% of the county), 19 North (27% of the county) and 19 South (19% of the county). Neighboring counties: Grimes, Houston, Madison, Montgomery, San Jacinto and Trinity.
Public hunting closest to Walker County
Other areas on the Annual Public Hunting Permit, by straight-line distance from the middle of Walker County to the middle of each area:
| Area | County | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama Creek WMA | Trinity | 49 |
| Luminant Texas Public Hunting Land | Robertson | 58 |
| Big Lake Bottom WMA | Anderson | 65 |
| Alazan Bayou WMA | Nacogdoches | 70 |
| Somerville Public Hunting Land and Lake Somerville Trailway | Lee and Burleson | 76 |
| Angelina-Neches/Dam B WMA | Jasper and Tyler | 82 |
Deer on Walker 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 |
|---|---|
| Huntsville State Park | No deer season for walk-in hunters in TPWD's booklet |
| Sam Houston National Forest WMA | 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. Limit 1 buck with an inside spread of at least 13 inches. Archery Only Season: Oct. 3- Nov. 6 (either sex). No USFS Antlerless Deer Permit required. General Season: Nov. 7-Jan. 3 (buck only unless in possession of a USFS Antlerless Deer Permit obtained from the USFS. See USFS Additional Restriction section for more information on antlerless deer permits). Muzzleloader: Jan. 4-17 (either sex, buck must have at least one unbranched antler). No USFS Antlerless Deer Permit required. |
Land, water, towns and highways: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 and Gazetteer. Deer units: TPWD.
When are the big game seasons in Walker County?
TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual for Walker 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; no antlerless harvest on National Forest Service property. |
| 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 Walker 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, Walker 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 Walker 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 Walker 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 Walker County?
Yes. Sam Houston National Forest WMA (54,567 acres in the county) and Huntsville State Park (2,038 acres in the county) are on TPWD's maps. Together that is about 56,605 acres.
Does Walker County have antler restrictions?
Yes, by TPWD's 2026-27 Outdoor Annual: in Walker County a legal white-tailed buck needs an unbranched antler or a 13-inch inside spread.
What is the county seat of Walker County?
Huntsville, 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 Huntsville State Park Sam Houston National Forest WMA