More than 10,000 acres have been added to Texas’ public hunting program, including in the North Texas region.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission authorized 2025-2026 hunting season dates that include 140 different public hunts in 52 state parks and natural areas, totaling more than 520,000 acres of publicly accessible land.
The newest additions in North Texas include deer hunting in 1,650 acres at Dinosaur Valley State Park near Glen Rose and 1,400 acres at Ray Roberts Lake State Park’s Isle du Bois Unit near Pilot Point.
Other additions include thousands of acres at Post Oak Ridge State Park, Enchanted Rock State Natural Area and Government Canyon State Natural Area.
Greg Creacy, Texas state parks natural resources program director said in a news release that the department is excited to continue to expand public hunting opportunities.
“The number of hunted parks has increased from 45 to 52 in the past five years,” Creacy said. “The addition of some of our newest sites, including the recent acquisitions at Enchanted Rock State Natural Area and Post Oak Ridge State Park, gives hunters a special opportunity to help the department with land management on these unique properties.”
The expansion allows Dinosaur Valley State Park to offer a youth deer hunt and a general deer hunt. The Isle du Bois Unit of Ray Roberts Lake State Park will also offer a youth deer hunt.
When an approved hunt is scheduled for a state park, visitation to the specific park may be restricted, a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department spokesperson said. The closure information is typically distributed in advance at the park or wildlife management area and park reservation center staff are alerted.
The state’s public hunting program includes more than 1 million acres and access to the lands is provided by two types of permits.
The $48 annual public hunting permit for the season will be available beginning Aug. 15, allowing full privileges for hunting, fishing, camping, hiking and other recreational uses in specific locations.
There is also the Texas public hunt drawing program, which issues permits for drawn hunts on public and private lands, including the newly added deer hunts at the North Texas state parks. Applications for the more than 60 hunt categories will open July 1.
This reporting is part of the Future of North Texas, a community-funded journalism initiative ed by the Commit Partnership, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, the Dallas Mavericks, the Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, the McCune-Losinger Family Fund, The Meadows Foundation, the Perot Foundation, the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and the University of Texas at Dallas. The News retains full editorial control of this coverage.