Chaparral WMA: public hunting, 2026-27 seasons and access
Chaparral WMA is 15,200 acres of public hunting land in Dimmit County and La Salle County, Texas, TPWD unit #700. Adults hunt it on the $48 Annual Public Hunting Permit. TPWD's 2026-27 map booklet lists dove, quail and rabbits & hares as legal game here. The entire area is closed to general public use: Sep. 1-Mar. 31.
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 | #700 |
|---|---|
| Size | 15,200 acres (TPWD booklet); 15,193 acres mapped |
| County | Dimmit County, La Salle County |
| Permit | Annual Public Hunting Permit ($48) |
| Legal game listed | Dove, Quail and Rabbits & Hares |
| Deer | No deer season for walk-in hunters in the booklet |
| Closed | to general public use: Sep. 1-Mar. 31. |
| White-tailed deer unit | TPWD unit 08 West |
| Towns | Cotulla (10 mi), Big Wells (16 mi) and Encinal (17 mi) |
| Highways | I-35 (3.8 mi) |
What can you hunt on Chaparral WMA in 2026-27?
TPWD's 2026-27 booklet lists 3 legal game entries for Chaparral WMA, none of them deer. Every line below is TPWD's own wording.
| Species or season | What TPWD's 2026-27 booklet says |
|---|---|
| Dove | Regular Season: Sept.3-6, Sept. 10-13, Sept. 24-27, and Oct. 1-4. Falconry Season: Concurrent with dates for regular dove and quail season. |
| Quail | Nov. 7-8, Jan. 2-3, Jan. 19-20, and Jan. 26-27. Shooting hours are ½ hour before sunrise to sunset. |
| Rabbits & Hares | Concurrent with hunt dates and times for dove and quail, including youth hunts (no bag limit). |
Youth and special seasons
- Youth/Adult Quail: Oct. 31-Nov. 1. Each party of 4 persons must have at least 1 hunting youth under 17 years of age to participate. Hunters are limited to the first 150 persons registered per day.
Drawn hunts
E-Postcard selection hunts: Multi-Species. See front section of booklet for E-Postcard Selection Hunt information. Apply through TPWD's Public Hunt Drawing System.
What are the rules on Chaparral WMA?
- Permit and registration: All public users must register at the area headquarters. On-site Registration is required at the Area Headquarters or Camping Area Kiosk for all visitors year-round. No permit required for the Driving or Walking trails.
- Closed: Entire area closed: to general public use: Sep. 1-Mar. 31.
- Note: Only the following species are legal to hunt and only on the dates designated below. Hunters are limited to the first 150 persons registered per day.
- Notice: No general seasons for big game. All deer, javelina, and feral hog hunts are by drawn special permit only. See the Public Hunt Draw System on the TPWD website for more information.
- Special regulations: Falconers must visibly wear a minimum of 400 square inches of daylight fluorescent orange material, with at least 144 square inches appearing on both the chest and the back and orange headwear. All shotgun hulls, shell boxes and other trash must be retrieved from the field by hunters and disposed of off the WMA. Portions of the Chaparral WMA will be closed due to ongoing Mineral Activities or Research on the Area. Such closures are necessary for safety reasons but will be limited by staff to provide as quality an experience as possible. Removing plants, shed antlers, artifacts, skulls, and/or live animals is prohibited. Killing of rattlesnakes or any other wildlife species other than legal game animals is prohibited. The use of ATV/ORVs is prohibited. The use of horses is prohibited. Overnight access is limited to the designated campsites ONLY. Open period for general public use on the WMA is Apr. 1 - Aug. 31 and is limited to the area designated on the area map (Hogue & Rosindo Pastures Only). On-site Registration is required at the Area Headquarters or Camping Area Kiosk for all visitors year-round. No permit required for the Driving or Walking trails. Other visitation by appointment is available for educational groups, field days, or special interest. Visit the Chaparral WMA Facebook page for further information or call the Area office at 830/676-3413 or e-mail at cwma@tpwd.texas.gov.
Source: TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet for Public Hunting Lands, unit #700 (PDF).
Which parts of Chaparral WMA are closed or limited?
TPWD's map of Chaparral WMA 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 Chaparral WMA |
|---|---|---|
| No hunting zones | 451 | 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 Chaparral WMA?
Chaparral WMA lies in Dimmit County and La Salle County. Nearest towns: Cotulla (10 miles), Big Wells (16 miles), Encinal (17 miles) and Asherton (18 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-35 (3.8 miles).
TPWD's map points for Chaparral WMA: 1 headquarters, 2 info stations and 1 camp site.
TPWD's page says: General Public Use is allowed uninterrupted from April 1 through August 31 each spring and summer. Contact area manager for additional dates or special events. Public Hunts are available annually by special permit and annual permit. TPWD's page gives the area as 15,200 acres. Area office: (830) 676-3413, South Texas Ecosystem Project Office, 64 Chaparral WMA Dr..
From TPWD's Chaparral WMA page.
Which deer management unit is Chaparral WMA in?
Chaparral WMA lies in TPWD white-tailed deer management unit 08 West. 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 Chaparral WMA?
The closest other places on the Annual Public Hunting Permit with a page of their own, measured edge to edge:
| Area | County | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| James E. Daughtrey WMA | McMullen and Live Oak | 51.8 mi |
TPWD also leases 1 dove and small game area within 40 miles, the nearest State Highway 85 (174 acres, 22.4 mi). All of them are on the Texas dove leases page.
Questions hunters ask
Do you need a permit to hunt Chaparral 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: All public users must register at the area headquarters. On-site Registration is required at the Area Headquarters or Camping Area Kiosk for all visitors year-round. No permit required for the Driving or Walking trails.
Can you hunt deer on Chaparral WMA?
Not on the Annual Public Hunting Permit: TPWD's 2026-27 booklet lists no deer season here. Some places offer drawn hunts; see the drawn hunts section above.
Can you camp on Chaparral WMA?
TPWD's booklet: Overnight access is limited to the designated campsites ONLY.
Where is Chaparral WMA?
Chaparral WMA is in Dimmit County and La Salle County. The nearest towns: Cotulla (10 miles), Big Wells (16 miles) and Encinal (17 miles). Highways nearby: I-35.
When is Chaparral WMA closed?
TPWD's 2026-27 booklet: the entire area is closed to general public use: Sep. 1-Mar. 31.
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 #700.
- 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 Dimmit County La Salle County James E. Daughtrey WMA