Old Sabine Bottom WMA: public hunting, 2026-27 seasons and access
Old Sabine Bottom WMA is 5,849 acres of public hunting land in Smith County, Texas, TPWD unit #732. 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 hog among the legal game, along with waterfowl, woodcock and snipe, squirrel and raccoon. The entire area is closed Oct. 31-Nov. 1, Nov. 7-9 and Dec. 4-9.
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 | #732 |
|---|---|
| Size | 5,849 acres (TPWD booklet); 5,850 acres mapped |
| County | Smith County |
| Permit | Annual Public Hunting Permit ($48), eOSR registration each day |
| Legal game listed | White-tailed Deer, Feral Hog, Waterfowl, Woodcock and Snipe, Squirrel, Raccoon, Rabbits & Hares and Coyotes |
| Deer | Archery Only White-tailed Deer Season: Oct. 3-Jan. 3 EXCEPT when entire area closed. Bag limit - 3 deer, no more than 1 buck. Legal buck mus... |
| Closed | Oct. 31-Nov. 1, Nov. 7-9 and Dec. 4-9. |
| White-tailed deer unit | TPWD unit 17 |
| Towns | Hawkins (3 mi), Mineola (5 mi) and Lindale (6 mi) |
| Highways | US 80 (1 mi) and US 69 (2.4 mi) |
What can you hunt on Old Sabine Bottom WMA in 2026-27?
TPWD's 2026-27 booklet lists 10 legal game entries for Old Sabine Bottom 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-Jan. 3 EXCEPT when entire area closed. Bag limit - 3 deer, no more than 1 buck. 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 on-site Registration Station within 48 hours |
| Feral Hog | (no bag limit). Archery Only Season: Open year-round except when entire area closed. General Season: Jan. 4-Mar. 31. All legal means including shotguns with buckshot. |
| Waterfowl | Shooting hours - one half hour before sunrise to noon. Hunting is allowed all day and each day of Early Teal season. Hunting is ONLY allowed Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday during North Zone Duck, Falconry, and Eastern Zone Goose season except dates entire area closed. |
| Woodcock and Snipe | May be taken during the open seasons for these species from ½ hour before sunrise to sunset, except dates entire area closed. |
| Squirrel | Oct. 1-29, Dec. 10-Feb. 28, and May 1-31. Rimfire, shotgun and air rifle only. |
| Raccoon | Dec. 10-May 31 Shooting hours are ½ hour after sunset until ½ hour before sunrise. Rimfire, shotgun and air rifle only. |
| Rabbits & Hares | Concurrent with squirrel hunts. No bag limit. |
| Fishing | Open year round except dates entire area closed. |
| Bullfrog | Open year-round except dates entire area closed. Daily limit of 25. No firearms. |
| Coyotes | Jan. 4-Mar. 31 (Daylight hours only). All legal means. |
Youth and special seasons
- Youth Only Squirrel: Sept. 25-27. Rimfire, shotgun and air rifle only.
- 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 Old Sabine Bottom WMA?
- Permit and registration: OSR Required Each Day.
- Closed: Entire area closed: Oct. 31-Nov. 1, Nov. 7-9 and Dec. 4-9.
- Special regulations: Hunting animals at night is prohibited except while pursuing bullfrogs and raccoons during specified seasons. The use of dogs for hunting feral hogs, coyotes, and white-tailed deer is prohibited. Use of horses is prohibited other than by written permission of the Department in advance (903)/881-8233. Parking is restricted to designated parking areas. No target shooting. No camping or fires under check station facilities. NOTE: Entire area may be closed to the public during periods of heavy rain or floods and special permit draw hunts.
- Rule: Special atv/orv trail: Open Oct. 1 - May 31: ATVs and ORVs may be used only while engaged in legal hunting activities. No recreational riding. ATV and ORV engine displacement may not exceed 1000 cc. Vehicles are limited to the designated trail only for remote access to park and walk. East of Main Road: All permitted users. West of Main Road: ADA Access Only; special registration with TPWD at area headquarters is required when trail is open. NOTE: Trail may be closed to all vehicle use during inclement weather conditions or periods of flooding. For information call 903/881-8233.
Source: TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet for Public Hunting Lands, unit #732 (PDF).
Which parts of Old Sabine Bottom WMA are closed or limited?
TPWD's map of Old Sabine Bottom 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 Old Sabine Bottom WMA |
|---|---|---|
| No hunting zones | 6 | 0.1% |
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 Old Sabine Bottom WMA?
Old Sabine Bottom WMA lies in Smith County. Nearest towns: Hawkins (3 miles), Mineola (5 miles), Lindale (6 miles) and Winona (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 80 (1 mile) and US 69 (2.4 miles). Water nearby: Brumley Lake, Overton Lake and Sabine River.
TPWD's map points for Old Sabine Bottom WMA: 2 info stations, 3 camp sites, 8 parking areas, 2 canoe/small craft launches and 1 headquarters.
TPWD's page says: Open year round, except closed for Special Permit hunts. TPWD's page gives the area as 5,727 acres. Area office: (903) 881-8233, 21187 CR 4106, Lindale, TX 75771.
From TPWD's Old Sabine Bottom WMA page.
Which deer management unit is Old Sabine Bottom WMA in?
Old Sabine Bottom WMA lies in TPWD white-tailed deer management unit 17. 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 Old Sabine Bottom WMA?
The closest other places on the Annual Public Hunting Permit with a page of their own, measured edge to edge:
| Area | County | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Tawakoni WMA | Hunt and Van Zandt | 40.4 mi |
| Lake Striker Public Hunting Land | Cherokee and Rusk | 41.4 mi |
| Cooper Lake State Park South Sulphur Unit | Hopkins | 48.5 mi |
| Cooper WMA | Delta and Hopkins | 49.1 mi |
| Gus Engeling WMA | Anderson | 49.6 mi |
| White Oak Creek WMA | Morris and Bowie | 54.2 mi |
Questions hunters ask
Do you need a permit to hunt Old Sabine Bottom 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.
When is deer season on Old Sabine Bottom WMA?
TPWD's 2026-27 booklet: Archery Only White-tailed Deer Season: Oct. 3-Jan. 3 EXCEPT when entire area closed. Bag limit - 3 deer, no more than 1 buck. 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 on-site Registration Station within 48 hours
Can you camp on Old Sabine Bottom WMA?
TPWD's booklet: No camping or fires under check station facilities.
Where is Old Sabine Bottom WMA?
Old Sabine Bottom WMA is in Smith County. The nearest towns: Hawkins (3 miles), Mineola (5 miles) and Lindale (6 miles). Highways nearby: US 80 and US 69.
When is Old Sabine Bottom WMA closed?
TPWD's 2026-27 booklet: the entire area is closed Oct. 31-Nov. 1, Nov. 7-9 and Dec. 4-9.
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 #732.
- 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 Smith County Tawakoni WMA Lake Striker Public Hunting Land Cooper Lake State Park South Sulphur Unit