Bannister WMA: public hunting, 2026-27 seasons and access
Bannister WMA is 21,131 acres of public hunting land in San Augustine County, Texas, TPWD unit #903. 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 hogs 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 landPrivate land insideCounty lineLake or riverHighway
| TPWD unit | #903 |
|---|---|
| Size | 21,131 acres (TPWD booklet); 21,229 acres mapped |
| County | San Augustine County |
| Permit | Annual Public Hunting Permit ($48), eOSR registration each day |
| Owned by | United States Forest Service |
| Legal game listed | White-tailed Deer, Feral Hogs and Exotic Mammals, Waterfowl, Woodcock, Rail, and Gallinule, Snipe, Dove, Squirrel and Furbearers |
| Deer | White-tailed Deer: bag limit - 1 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 14 |
| Towns | Broaddus (next to it), Chireno (9 mi) and San Augustine (11 mi) |
| Highways | TX 147 and TX 103 |
What can you hunt on Bannister WMA in 2026-27?
TPWD's 2026-27 booklet lists 13 legal game entries for Bannister WMA, 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 - 1 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: 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 Restrictions section for more information on antlerless deer permits). Muzzleloader Season: Jan. 4-17 (either sex, buck must have at least one unbranched antler). No USFS Antlerless Deer Permit required. |
| Feral Hogs and Exotic Mammals | Open year-round (no bag limit). All legal firearms, air guns, arrow guns and archery equipment may be used. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Squirrel | Each day of East Texas Season. |
| Bullfrogs | daily limit of 25. |
| Fishing | No permit required. |
| Trapping | Sept. 1-Aug. 31, furbearers and predators only. |
Also listed as legal game, with no dates of their own: Furbearers, Rabbits & Hares and Predators.
Youth and special seasons
- Youth Squirrel: Sept. 25-27. Shotgun, air guns, 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. No USFS Antlerless Deer Permit required.
- 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 Bannister WMA?
- Permit and registration: OSR Required Each Day. MANDATORY eOSR and Deer Harvest Reporting: All hunters must complete Electronic On-Site Registration (eOSR) to access this unit using the Texas Hunt & Fish (THF) mobile app or website. Only hunters are required to possess the APH Permit.
- Rule: MANDATORY eOSR and Deer Harvest Reporting: All hunters must complete Electronic On-Site Registration (eOSR) to access this unit using the Texas Hunt & Fish (THF) mobile app or website. Report harvest in eOSR.
- Rule: Use of horses allowed year-round.
- Special regulations: Only hunters are required to possess the APH Permit.
- Note: Roads may be closed on a seasonal basis. For more information on the National Forest, please call (936/897-1068).
Source: TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet for Public Hunting Lands, unit #903 (PDF).
Which parts of Bannister WMA are closed or limited?
TPWD's map of Bannister WMA marks private land inside the boundary. Measured inside the boundary from TPWD's own polygons:
| Zone | Acres | Share of Bannister WMA |
|---|---|---|
| Private land inside the boundary | 69 | 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 Bannister WMA?
Bannister WMA lies in San Augustine County. Nearest towns: Broaddus (next to it), Chireno (9 miles), San Augustine (11 miles) and Pineland (11 miles). Highways within 5 miles: TX 147 (it crosses or touches the area) and TX 103 (it crosses or touches the area). Water nearby: Ester Lake (historical).
TPWD's map points for Bannister WMA: 1 deer check station, 7 info stations and 3 camp sites.
TPWD's page says: Open year round. TPWD's page gives the area as 25,695 acres. Area office: (936) 639-8620, 8096 FM 2782, Nacogdoches, TX 75964.
From TPWD's Bannister WMA page.
Which deer management unit is Bannister WMA in?
Bannister WMA lies in TPWD white-tailed deer management unit 14. 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 Bannister WMA?
The closest other places on the Annual Public Hunting Permit with a page of their own, measured edge to edge:
| Area | County | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Moore Plantation WMA | Sabine | 12.2 mi |
| Alazan Bayou WMA | Nacogdoches | 25.8 mi |
| Angelina-Neches/Dam B WMA | Jasper and Tyler | 25.8 mi |
| Alabama Creek WMA | Trinity | 33.3 mi |
| North Toledo Bend WMA | Shelby | 37.3 mi |
| Sabine River Authority Public Hunting Land | Panola | 41.6 mi |
Questions hunters ask
Do you need a permit to hunt Bannister WMA?
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. MANDATORY eOSR and Deer Harvest Reporting: All hunters must complete Electronic On-Site Registration (eOSR) to access this unit using the Texas Hunt & Fish (THF) mobile app or website. Only hunters are required to possess the APH Permit.
When is deer season on Bannister WMA?
TPWD's 2026-27 booklet: White-tailed Deer: bag limit - 1 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: 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 Restrictions section for more information on antlerless deer permits). Muzzleloader Season: Jan. 4-17 (either sex, buck must have at least one unbranched antler). No USFS Antlerless Deer Permit required.
Can you camp on Bannister WMA?
TPWD's 2026-27 booklet prints no camping rules for Bannister WMA. Ask the area office before planning to stay overnight.
Where is Bannister WMA?
Bannister WMA is in San Augustine County. The nearest towns: Broaddus (next to it), Chireno (9 miles) and San Augustine (11 miles). Highways nearby: TX 147 and TX 103.
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 #903.
- 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 San Augustine County Moore Plantation WMA Alazan Bayou WMA Angelina-Neches/Dam B WMA