Cooper WMA: public hunting, 2026-27 seasons and access
Cooper WMA is 14,160 acres of public hunting land in Delta County and Hopkins County, Texas, TPWD unit #731. 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 among the legal game, along with dove, waterfowl, woodcock and snipe and squirrel, rabbits & hares. The entire area is closed Nov. 7-8, Nov. 28-Nov. 30, and Jan. 9-11.
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 landWaterfowl sanctuaryCounty lineLake or riverHighway
| TPWD unit | #731 |
|---|---|
| Size | 14,160 acres (TPWD booklet); 17,740 acres mapped |
| County | Delta County, Hopkins County |
| Permit | Annual Public Hunting Permit ($48), eOSR registration each day |
| Owned by | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
| Legal game listed | White-tailed Deer, Feral Hogs, Dove, Waterfowl, Woodcock and Snipe and Squirrel, Rabbits & Hares |
| Deer | Archery Only White-tailed Deer Season: Oct. 3-Nov. 6, Nov. 9-27 and Dec. 1-Jan. 3 (either sex). Bag limit - 1 buck and 2 antlerless. Legal b... |
| Closed | Nov. 7-8, Nov. 28-Nov. 30, and Jan. 9-11. |
| White-tailed deer unit | TPWD unit 18 |
| Towns | Cooper (next to it), Tira (4 mi) and Commerce (4 mi) |
| Highways | TX 154, TX 19, TX 24 and TX 11 (3.4 mi) |
What can you hunt on Cooper WMA in 2026-27?
TPWD's 2026-27 booklet lists 8 legal game entries for Cooper WMA, deer among them. Every line below is TPWD's own wording.
| Species or season | What TPWD's 2026-27 booklet says |
|---|---|
| Archery Only White-tailed Deer Season | Oct. 3-Nov. 6, Nov. 9-27 and Dec. 1-Jan. 3 (either sex). Bag limit - 1 buck and 2 antlerless. Legal buck must have at least one unbranched antler or an inside spread of at least 13 inches. All deer taken on the WMA must be registered at the Hunter Check Station within 24 hours of the time of harvest. |
| Feral Hogs | Archery Only: Oct. 3-Nov. 6, Nov. 9-27 and Dec. 1-Jan. 3 (no bag limit). Shotgun and Archery: Jan. 12-May 31 (no bag limit). Lawful archery equipment and shotguns with any size shot including buckshot or slugs are allowed. |
| Dove | Each day of the first split North Zone Dove. |
| Waterfowl | Shooting hours are one half hour before sunrise to noon except all day hunting is allowed for Early Teal. Hunting is allowed each day of the Early Teal, North Zone Duck and Eastern Zone Goose seasons except dates entire area closed. |
| Woodcock and Snipe | All day hunting is allowed for these species. May be taken during the open seasons for these species. |
| Squirrel, Rabbits & Hares | Oct. 1-Nov.6, Nov. 9-27, Dec. 1-Jan. 3. Jan. 12-Feb. 28 and May 1-31. |
| Bullfrogs | Daily bag limit of 25 |
| Fishing | No APH or LPU permit required. |
Youth and special seasons
- Youth Only Squirrel: Sept. 25-27 Shotgun only.
What are the rules on Cooper WMA?
- Permit and registration: OSR Required Each Day. Only hunters are required to possess the APH Permit. Fishing: No APH or LPU permit required.
- Closed: Entire area closed: Nov. 7-8, Nov. 28-Nov. 30, and Jan. 9-11.
- Means restriction: Except for feral hog hunts, firearms are restricted to shotguns with non-toxic shot or no larger than #4 lead shot.
- Special regulations: Waterfowl decoys may not be left set out overnight. Only hunters are required to possess the APH Permit. See Prohibited Acts for further information and restrictions.
- Rule: Disabled access: Registration at the Cooper WMA Headquarters (903/945-3132) is required prior to ATV use.
- Rule: Map legend: No Waterfowl Hunting
Source: TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet for Public Hunting Lands, unit #731 (PDF).
Which parts of Cooper WMA are closed or limited?
TPWD's map of Cooper WMA marks waterfowl sanctuary. Measured inside the boundary from TPWD's own polygons:
| Zone | Acres | Share of Cooper WMA |
|---|---|---|
| Waterfowl sanctuary | 2,475 | 14% |
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 Cooper WMA?
Cooper WMA lies in Delta County and Hopkins County. Nearest towns: Cooper (next to it), Tira (4 miles), Commerce (4 miles) and Cumby (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: TX 154 (it crosses or touches the area), TX 19 (it crosses or touches the area), TX 24 (it crosses or touches the area), TX 11 (3.4 miles) and TX 50 (3.6 miles).
TPWD's map points for Cooper WMA: 12 info station/designated entrance, 2 boat ramps, 1 deer check station and 1 headquarters.
TPWD's page says: Open year round. TPWD's page gives the area as 14,480 acres. Area office: (903) 945-3132, 829 CR 4795, Sulphur Springs, TX 75482-0402.
From TPWD's Cooper WMA page.
Which deer management unit is Cooper WMA in?
Cooper WMA lies in TPWD white-tailed deer management unit 18. 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 Cooper WMA?
The closest other places on the Annual Public Hunting Permit with a page of their own, measured edge to edge:
| Area | County | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Cooper Lake State Park South Sulphur Unit | Hopkins | 0.6 mi |
| Caddo National Grasslands WMA | Fannin | 12.4 mi |
| Tawakoni WMA | Hunt and Van Zandt | 19 mi |
| Bois d'Arc Lake Public Hunting Land | Fannin | 25.7 mi |
| Pat Mayse WMA | Lamar | 28.4 mi |
| White Oak Creek WMA | Morris and Bowie | 41.2 mi |
TPWD also leases 8 dove and small game areas within 40 miles, the nearest FM 1530 (103 acres, 1.6 mi), Weets Farm North (415 acres, 3.4 mi) and Rattan Community (1,753 acres, 4.5 mi). All of them are on the Texas dove leases page.
Questions hunters ask
Do you need a permit to hunt Cooper 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. Only hunters are required to possess the APH Permit. Fishing: No APH or LPU permit required.
When is deer season on Cooper WMA?
TPWD's 2026-27 booklet: Archery Only White-tailed Deer Season: Oct. 3-Nov. 6, Nov. 9-27 and Dec. 1-Jan. 3 (either sex). Bag limit - 1 buck and 2 antlerless. Legal buck must have at least one unbranched antler or an inside spread of at least 13 inches. All deer taken on the WMA must be registered at the Hunter Check Station within 24 hours of the time of harvest.
Can you camp on Cooper WMA?
TPWD's 2026-27 booklet prints no camping rules for Cooper WMA. Ask the area office before planning to stay overnight.
Where is Cooper WMA?
Cooper WMA is in Delta County and Hopkins County. The nearest towns: Cooper (next to it), Tira (4 miles) and Commerce (4 miles). Highways nearby: TX 154, TX 19 and TX 24.
When is Cooper WMA closed?
TPWD's 2026-27 booklet: the entire area is closed Nov. 7-8, Nov. 28-Nov. 30, and Jan. 9-11.
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 #731.
- 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 Delta County Hopkins County Cooper Lake State Park South Sulphur Unit Caddo National Grasslands WMA Tawakoni WMA