James E. Daughtrey WMA: public hunting, 2026-27 seasons and access
James E. Daughtrey WMA is 26,153 acres of public hunting land in McMullen County and Live Oak County, Texas, TPWD unit #713. 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 dove, quail, waterfowl, sandhill cranes: zone c and rails, gallinules, snipe, moorhen and woodcock as legal game here. TPWD's booklet: Lake portion of wma: Open through the duration of waterfowl season and goose season. Land portion of wma: (see map) Open for species & seasons defined in the legal game box. COMPARTMENTS 1-6, 9 & 10 are closed except to waterfowl hunting by boat access only. Frio River and Bracken boat ramps will be opened during high water conditions only. Entire area closed for non-cosumptive use and general visitation: Feb. 1-Apr. 2.
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 | #713 |
|---|---|
| Size | 26,153 acres (TPWD booklet); 34,404 acres mapped |
| County | McMullen County, Live Oak County |
| Permit | Annual Public Hunting Permit ($48), eOSR registration each day |
| Owned by | U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and City of Corpus Christi |
| Legal game listed | Dove, Quail, Waterfowl, Sandhill Cranes: Zone C, Rails, Gallinules, Snipe, Moorhen and Woodcock and Rabbits & Hares |
| Deer | No deer season for walk-in hunters in the booklet |
| Closed | Lake portion of wma: Open through the duration of waterfowl season and goose season. Land portion of wma: (see map) Open for species & seasons defined in the legal game box. COMPARTMENTS 1-6, 9 & 10 are closed except to waterfowl hunting by boat access only. Frio River and Bracken boat ramps will be opened during high water conditions only. Entire area closed for non-cosumptive use and general visitation: Feb. 1-Apr. 2. |
| White-tailed deer unit | TPWD unit 08 East |
| Towns | Three Rivers (4 mi), George West (12 mi) and Christine (17 mi) |
| Highways | TX 72, TX 16 (2.5 mi), US 281 (3.5 mi) and I-37 (4.1 mi) |
What can you hunt on James E. Daughtrey WMA in 2026-27?
TPWD's 2026-27 booklet lists 7 legal game entries for James E. Daughtrey WMA, none of them deer. Every line below is TPWD's own wording.
| Species or season | What TPWD's 2026-27 booklet says |
|---|---|
| Dove | Each day of the South Zone Dove and Falconry Dove seasons. |
| Quail | Nov 16-29; Dec 11-20; and Jan 9-17. |
| Waterfowl | Each day of the Early Teal, South Zone Duck Youth, Veteran/Active-Duty Military Season, South Zone General Season, Early Canada Goose, East Zone Dark Goose and Falconry South Zone Duck seasons (See area closed dates for access information). When the land areas are closed, all waterfowl hunters may access the lake through public boats ramps but must remain within the first 50 feet of the bank from the existing waters edge on both the north and south shores of the lake. North Shore State Park Shoreline is open for waterfowl hunting only |
| Sandhill Cranes: Zone C | May be taken during the dates for waterfowl provided the season is open for Sandhill Cranes. |
| Rails, Gallinules, Snipe, Moorhen and Woodcock | May be taken during the dates for waterfowl provided the season is open for these species. |
| Rabbits & Hares | Concurrent with dove and quail hunts. |
| Fishing | No APH or LPU permit is required to fish or access the lake through public boat ramps. Fishing from the banks by access through the WMA is prohibited. |
Drawn hunts
E-Postcard selection hunts: Feral Hog/Predator. See front section of booklet for E-Postcard Selection Hunt information. Apply through TPWD's Public Hunt Drawing System.
What are the rules on James E. Daughtrey WMA?
- Permit and registration: All public users must perform on-site registration (eOSR) in the Texas Hunt & Fish app. Fishing: No APH or LPU permit is required to fish or access the lake through public boat ramps.
- Closed: Lake portion of wma: Open through the duration of waterfowl season and goose season. Land portion of wma: (see map) Open for species & seasons defined in the legal game box. COMPARTMENTS 1-6, 9 & 10 are closed except to waterfowl hunting by boat access only. Frio River and Bracken boat ramps will be opened during high water conditions only. Entire area closed for non-cosumptive use and general visitation: Feb. 1-Apr. 2.
- Rule: Parking at designated access points or boat ramps only. No Motor Vehicle Access.
- Notice: No general seasons for big game. All alligator, deer, javelina, turkey, and feral hog hunts are by drawn special permit only. See the Public Hunt Draw System on the TPWD website for more information.
- Rule: Waterfowl Hunting Area - 20,000 acres: Waterfowl Hunting is restricted to the surface of Choke Canyon Reservoir and within the first 50 feet of the bank from the existing water’s edge on both the north and south shores of the lake. No Hunting within 200 yards of the Calliham and South Shore State Park units or dam complex.
- Special regulations: All legal watercraft, including Airboats, are allowed on Choke Canyon Reservoir. Park and walk-in only. Certain compartments are closed for research, habitat management, or demonstration purposes. Please call the Area Office at 361/274-3573 ahead of time for further details. See Prohibited Acts for further restrictions.
- Rule: Frio River Boat Ramp Closed seasonally during low water conditions and during special draw hunts.
- Rule: Bracken Boat Ramp Closed seasonally during low water conditions.
Source: TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet for Public Hunting Lands, unit #713 (PDF).
Which parts of James E. Daughtrey WMA are closed or limited?
TPWD's map of James E. Daughtrey WMA marks no hunting zones and walk-in hunting compartments (open to hunting). No hunting zones are closed to all hunting. Hunting compartments are the numbered blocks hunters register for and hunt. Measured inside the boundary from TPWD's own polygons:
| Zone | Acres | Share of James E. Daughtrey WMA |
|---|---|---|
| No hunting zones | 11,402 | 33.1% |
| Walk-in hunting compartments (open to hunting) | 3,234 | 9.4% |
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 James E. Daughtrey WMA?
James E. Daughtrey WMA lies in McMullen County and Live Oak County. Nearest towns: Three Rivers (4 miles), George West (12 miles), Christine (17 miles) and Jourdanton (26 miles). Highways within 5 miles: TX 72 (it crosses or touches the area), TX 16 (2.5 miles), US 281 (3.5 miles) and I-37 (4.1 miles). Water nearby: Horseshoe Tank, Frio River and Nueces River.
TPWD's map points for James E. Daughtrey WMA: 11 info stations, 6 boat ramps, 1 camp site and 1 headquarters.
TPWD's page says: Limited access by permit only. Area closed to the general public during hunt dates. General Public Use is allowed only from April 1- August 1. Contact the Area Manager for details. TPWD's page gives the area as 34,000 acres. Area office: (361) 274-3573.
From TPWD's James E. Daughtrey WMA page.
Which deer management unit is James E. Daughtrey WMA in?
James E. Daughtrey WMA lies in TPWD white-tailed deer management unit 08 East. 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 James E. Daughtrey WMA?
The closest other places on the Annual Public Hunting Permit with a page of their own, measured edge to edge:
| Area | County | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Chaparral WMA | Dimmit and La Salle | 51.8 mi |
Questions hunters ask
Do you need a permit to hunt James E. Daughtrey 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 perform on-site registration (eOSR) in the Texas Hunt & Fish app. Fishing: No APH or LPU permit is required to fish or access the lake through public boat ramps.
Can you hunt deer on James E. Daughtrey 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 James E. Daughtrey WMA?
TPWD's 2026-27 booklet prints no camping rules for James E. Daughtrey WMA. Ask the area office before planning to stay overnight.
Where is James E. Daughtrey WMA?
James E. Daughtrey WMA is in McMullen County and Live Oak County. The nearest towns: Three Rivers (4 miles), George West (12 miles) and Christine (17 miles). Highways nearby: TX 72, TX 16 and US 281.
When is James E. Daughtrey WMA closed?
TPWD's 2026-27 booklet: Lake portion of wma: Open through the duration of waterfowl season and goose season. Land portion of wma: (see map) Open for species & seasons defined in the legal game box. COMPARTMENTS 1-6, 9 & 10 are closed except to waterfowl hunting by boat access only. Frio River and Bracken boat ramps will be opened during high water conditions only. Entire area closed for non-cosumptive use and general visitation: Feb. 1-Apr. 2.
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 #713.
- 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.