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WMA · Houston/Beaumont
Sam Houston National Forest WMA hunting
A hunter’s summary of Sam Houston National Forest WMA in Montgomery County: permits, zone dates, legal light and local services.
Photo: sonnia hill (CC BY 2.0)
What Sam Houston National Forest WMA is and who runs it
TPWD oversees Sam Houston National Forest WMA, a wildlife management area run by TPWD covering ground in Montgomery County, San Jacinto County and Walker County. Size on record: 161,508 acres, 1st in a field of 36 wildlife management areas. New Waverly is the nearest of our town guides, roughly 2 miles away (the area lies east of it). Sam Houston National Forest is the area that contains it.
Hunters 17 and older carry the $48 APH permit on this ground. Some dates are set aside for young hunters. Apply through TPWD for 2 drawn hunt types.
Headquarters: 8096 FM 2782, Nacogdoches, TX 75964.
From the source record and 7 linked sources, retrieved 2026-10-11; page checked October 11, 2026.
Sam Houston National Forest WMA: complex, county and sibling units
Straight-line miles from this page’s point.
Belongs to Sam Houston National Forest
| Lease or unit | County | Acres | Unit | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Houston National Forest national forest | Montgomery, Walker, San Jacinto | 163,037 | — | 10 mi |
Paperwork for hunting Sam Houston National Forest WMA
Fees are TPWD figures for the license year.
APH permit
Adults (17 and up) need the APH permit, which requires a season hunting license. The same permit opens over 1 million acres on more than 180 areas. Under 17? No permit needed, as long as a permitted adult 18+ is along.
Drawn hunts here
| Category | Apply by |
|---|---|
| USFS Antlerless Deer Permit – Adult | Sep 15, 2026 |
| USFS Antlerless Deer Permit – Youth | Sep 15, 2026 |
All drawn categories are online applications. Deadlines below are from the 2026 schedule.
Licensing
You need a hunting license; residents pay $25. On top of that, bring a migratory endorsement and HIP certification and the federal duck stamp, 16 and over. Hunter education applies to anyone born on or after September 2, 1971.
Hunter orange rule
TPWD requires orange on public hunting lands while firearm seasons are on, except for turkey, migratory bird and alligator hunting.
Hunt area rules
On TPWD hunt areas: no vehicle hunting, no buckshot unless the hunt allows it, dogs only for small game and game birds except turkey.
Sam Houston National Forest WMA species and 2026-27 dates
Game named for the area: whitetails, feral hogs, exotics, doves, ducks and geese, squirrels, rabbits, predators, furbearers by trap and snipe, woodcock and rails. Each row uses the zone that covers Montgomery County.
| Species | Hunt | Zone | Opening | Closing | Limit | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery Only | North Zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 6, 2026 | 4 deer | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth-Only | North Zone | Oct 30, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 4 deer | |
| White-tailed deer | General Season | North Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | 4 deer | |
| White-tailed deer | Muzzleloader | North Zone | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | 4 deer | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth-Only | North Zone | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | 4 deer | |
| Dove | Regular Season | Central Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 15 a day | |
| Dove | Regular Season | Central Zone | Dec 11, 2026 | Jan 14, 2027 | 15 a day | |
| Dove | Falconry | Central Zone | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | 3 a day | |
| September teal | September teal | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | 6 a day | |
| Ducks | Youth-Only | North Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | 6 a day | |
| Ducks | Veterans and military | North Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | 6 a day | |
| Ducks | Regular Season | North Zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | 6 a day | |
| Ducks | Regular Season | North Zone | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 6 a day | |
| Ducks | Dusky Duck | North Zone | Nov 19, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | 6 a day | |
| Ducks | Dusky Duck | North Zone | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 6 a day | |
| Ducks | Falconry | North Zone | Feb 1, 2027 | Feb 21, 2027 | 3 a day | |
| Geese | Early Canada geese | Eastern Zone | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | 5 Canada a day | |
| Geese | Dark Geese | Eastern Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 5 dark a day | |
| Geese | Light Geese | Eastern Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Feb 19, 2027 | 5 light a day | |
| Squirrel | General Season | East Texas | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | 10 a day or none | |
| Squirrel | General Season | East Texas | May 1, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | 10 a day or none | |
| Squirrel | Youth-Only | East Texas | Sep 25, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | 10 a day or none | |
| Woodcock | Regular Season | Statewide | Dec 18, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 3 a day | |
| Woodcock | Falconry | Statewide | Feb 1, 2027 | Feb 21, 2027 | — | |
| Snipe | Regular Season | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Feb 21, 2027 | 8 a day | |
| Rails and gallinules | Regular Season | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | 15 a day | |
| Rails and gallinules | Regular Season | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 6, 2027 | 15 a day | |
| Rails and gallinules | Falconry | Statewide | Feb 1, 2027 | Feb 21, 2027 | — | |
| Feral hogs | Per area rules | — | — | — | — | |
| Exotics | Per area rules | — | — | — | — | |
| Rabbits and hares | Per area rules | — | — | — | — | |
| Predators and furbearers | Per area rules | — | — | — | — | |
| Trapping (furbearers) | Per area rules | — | — | — | — |
Area rules can be narrower than the county zone: fewer days, drawn hunts only or restricted weapons.
Hogs, exotics, rabbits and predators lack a statewide season on private land. Here the area’s rules apply.
Zone dates and bags from the TPWD Outdoor Annual 2026-27 (Outdoor Annual) for Montgomery County; area game list from the area record. Checked October 11, 2026.
Sam Houston National Forest WMA plotted with nearby tracts
Orange marks Sam Houston National Forest WMA. Within 60 miles: 8 other public areas.
Nearest town guides: New Waverly 2 miles out, west; Huntsville 13 miles out, northwest; Coldspring 19 miles out, east.
Huntsville State Park (8 miles northwest)
8 miles to the northwest (Walker County). 2,083 ac.
Sam Houston National Forest (10 miles west)
10 miles to the west (Montgomery County and Walker County). 163,037 ac.
Davy Crockett National Forest (47 miles northeast)
47 miles to the northeast (Houston County and Trinity County). 161,100 ac.
Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge (48 miles southeast)
48 miles to the southeast (Liberty County). 29,607 ac.
Trinity River NWR, Boars Den Unit (51 miles southeast)
51 miles to the southeast (the Houston/Beaumont region).
Trinity River NWR, Brierwood Unit (51 miles southeast)
51 miles to the southeast (the Houston/Beaumont region).
Trinity River NWR, Butler Unit (51 miles southeast)
51 miles to the southeast (the Houston/Beaumont region).
Trinity River NWR, Hirsch Unit (51 miles southeast)
51 miles to the southeast (the Houston/Beaumont region).
Points from TPWD GIS, agency pages and public geocodes as noted in each record. Distances are straight-line. Statewide public land map.
Montgomery County deer rules around Sam Houston National Forest WMA
The county bag below is the ceiling; drawn hunts and area rules can be stricter.
Whitetail limit, Montgomery County
Bucks here must show one unbranched antler or a spread of 13 inches inside; the second buck cannot also be a wide branched one. Antlerless deer Nov. 7-29, on a hunting license tag. no antlerless harvest on National Forest Service property.
Deer calendar for the county
| Segment | First | Last | Applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery Only | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 6, 2026 | Entire county |
| Youth-Only | Oct 30, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | Entire county |
| General Season | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | Entire county |
| Muzzleloader | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | Entire county |
| Youth-Only | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | Entire county |
Zone-by-zone dates for Montgomery County
Sort through 11 game speciess with seasons in Montgomery County; the status column turns green when a season is open.
| Animal | Season | Zone or area | Starts | Ends | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery Only | North Zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 6, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth-Only | North Zone | Oct 30, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | General Season | North Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Muzzleloader | North Zone | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth-Only | North Zone | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| Squirrel | General Season | East Texas | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Squirrel | General Season | East Texas | May 1, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Squirrel | Youth-Only | East Texas | Sep 25, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Quail | Regular Season | Statewide | Nov 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Dove | Regular Season | Central Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Dove | Regular Season | Central Zone | Dec 11, 2026 | Jan 14, 2027 | |
| Dove | Falconry | Central Zone | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| September teal | September teal | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Youth-Only | North Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Veterans and military | North Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular Season | North Zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular Season | North Zone | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Dusky Duck | North Zone | Nov 19, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Dusky Duck | North Zone | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Falconry | North Zone | Feb 1, 2027 | Feb 21, 2027 | |
| Geese | Early Canada geese | Eastern Zone | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Geese | Dark Geese | Eastern Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Geese | Light Geese | Eastern Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Feb 19, 2027 | |
| Alligator | General Season | Non-core | Apr 1, 2027 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Regular Season | Statewide | Dec 18, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Falconry | Statewide | Feb 1, 2027 | Feb 21, 2027 | |
| Snipe | Regular Season | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Feb 21, 2027 | |
| Rails and gallinules | Regular Season | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Rails and gallinules | Regular Season | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 6, 2027 | |
| Rails and gallinules | Falconry | Statewide | Feb 1, 2027 | Feb 21, 2027 |
From the TPWD Outdoor Annual 2026-27 county and species pages, checked October 11, 2026.
How long you can hunt each day near Sam Houston National Forest WMA
Big game and upland birds get a half hour of light on each end of the day. Waterfowl, doves and cranes get the morning half hour but stop at sunset.
Times worked out for Sam Houston National Forest WMA in Central time. Rule from the TPWD Outdoor Annual (shooting hours). Nongame, exotics and feral hogs on private land may be hunted at any hour. Shooting hours for every county.
Processing, taxidermy and supplies near Sam Houston National Forest WMA
Montgomery County listings first, then bordering counties.
Closest warden office on file: TPWD Law Enforcement Office (Houston North) in Houston, 42 miles.
Store locators (Academy, Bass Pro, Cabela’s), the TPWD law enforcement office list, Hunters for the Hungry and business listings, checked October 11, 2026. Call ahead.
Loading up for Sam Houston National Forest WMA
Four items picked for the game hunted here, each with a live search.
Amazon links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you.
Sam Houston National Forest WMA: common questions
What does a youth license cost?
$7 for anyone under 17 at purchase, resident or not, valid the whole license year.
Who counts as a youth hunter?
Licensed hunters 16 or younger. Youth license (Type 169, $7) valid all license year.
Is Sam Houston National Forest WMA state or federal land?
A wildlife management area run by TPWD; the manager is TPWD. Program name: TPWD Wildlife Management Area.
How much ground does Sam Houston National Forest WMA cover?
161,508 acres, as published by TPWD WMA page.
What permit do I need to hunt Sam Houston National Forest WMA?
The $48 APH permit, bought with a season hunting license, for anyone 17 and up.
What game does Sam Houston National Forest WMA list?
10 groups: whitetails, feral hogs, exotics, doves, ducks and geese, squirrels, rabbits, predators, furbearers by trap and snipe, woodcock and rails.
Which zone covers Sam Houston National Forest WMA for doves?
Montgomery County is in the Central Zone for doves: regular season Sep 1 to Oct 25, 2026. The area may allow fewer days.
What are the buck rules near Sam Houston National Forest WMA?
The Montgomery County listing allows 4 deer, 2 bucks max, 2 antlerless max. Buck antler rules apply. Area rules may be tighter.
Does the orange rule apply at Sam Houston National Forest WMA?
400 square inches minimum with 144 each on chest and back and an orange cap, during daylight firearm hunting. Turkey, waterfowl, dove and alligator hunters are exempt.
How far is Sam Houston National Forest WMA from New Waverly?
Straight-line, 2 miles east from New Waverly. Huntsville is 13 miles out.
Wrapping up Sam Houston National Forest WMA
Double-check Sam Houston National Forest WMA with its manager: open days, check-in and any drawn-hunt rules.
Other photos on this page: USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); Department of the Interior. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. National Conservation Training Center. 10/1997-8888 (Public domain); Maciej Kraus (CC BY 2.0); Adrian Delgado2012 (CC BY 2.0).