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Wildlife refuge · Houston/Beaumont
Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge hunting
A hunter’s summary of Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge in Brazoria County: permits, zone dates, legal light and local services.
Photo: roy.luck (CC BY 2.0)
What Brazoria NWR is and who runs it
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service oversees Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge, a national wildlife refuge with a hunt program. Size on record: 46,057 acres, 6th in a field of 16 national wildlife refuges. Angleton is the nearest of our town guides, roughly 15 miles away (the area lies southeast of it). County left blank in the data; Brazoria County is the nearest county center and supplies the zone dates.
The agency’s own access rules are quoted under permits below.
From the source record and 3 linked sources, retrieved 2026-10-11; page checked October 11, 2026.
Paperwork for hunting Brazoria NWR
Fees are TPWD figures for the license year.
Rules from the manager
Waterfowl hunting including an early teal season; Christmas Point is a boat-access area and Middle Bayou is walk-in. The signed 2026-2027 hunting and fishing permit brochure serves as the refuge permit.
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
Federal managers set their own rules; the TPWD public land orange rule is shown for reference.
Brazoria NWR species and 2026-27 dates
Game named for the area: ducks and geese. Each row uses the zone that covers Brazoria County.
| Species | Hunt | Zone | Opening | Closing | Limit | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September teal | September teal | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | 6 a day | |
| Ducks | Youth-Only | South Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 6 a day | |
| Ducks | Veterans and military | South Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 6 a day | |
| Ducks | Regular Season | South Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | 6 a day | |
| Ducks | Regular Season | South Zone | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 6 a day | |
| Ducks | Dusky Duck | South Zone | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | 6 a day | |
| Ducks | Dusky Duck | South Zone | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 6 a day | |
| Ducks | Falconry | South 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 |
Area rules can be narrower than the county zone: fewer days, drawn hunts only or restricted weapons.
Brazoria County was picked as the nearest county center; confirm the zone if the area spans a line.
Zone dates and bags from the TPWD Outdoor Annual 2026-27 (Outdoor Annual) for Brazoria County; area game list from the area record. Checked October 11, 2026.
Brazoria NWR plotted with nearby tracts
Orange marks Brazoria NWR. Within 60 miles: 7 other public areas.
Nearest town guides: Angleton 15 miles out, northwest; Bay City 42 miles out, west; Bolivar Peninsula 54 miles out, northeast.
Justin Hurst WMA, North Stringfellow Pasture (9 miles southwest)
9 miles to the southwest (Brazoria County). 1,409 ac.
Nannie M. Stringfellow WMA (21 miles west)
21 miles to the west (Brazoria County). 3,666 ac.
San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge (29 miles west)
29 miles to the west (the Houston/Beaumont region). 75,019 ac.
Brazos Bend State Park (33 miles northwest)
33 miles to the northwest (Fort Bend County).
Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge (35 miles southwest)
35 miles to the southwest (Matagorda County). 4,526 ac.
Mad Island WMA (52 miles southwest)
52 miles to the southwest (Matagorda County). 7,714 ac.
Points from TPWD GIS, agency pages and public geocodes as noted in each record. Distances are straight-line. Statewide public land map.
Brazoria County deer rules around Brazoria NWR
The county bag below is the ceiling; drawn hunts and area rules can be stricter.
Whitetail limit, Brazoria 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.
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 Brazoria County
Sort through 12 game speciess with seasons in Brazoria 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 | All Other Counties | Sep 1, 2026 | Aug 31, 2027 | |
| Quail | Regular Season | Statewide | Nov 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Dove | Regular Season | South Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Dove | Regular Season | South Zone | Dec 18, 2026 | Jan 21, 2027 | |
| Dove | Falconry | South Zone | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| September teal | September teal | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Youth-Only | South Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Veterans and military | South Zone | Oct 31, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular Season | South Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular Season | South Zone | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Dusky Duck | South Zone | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Dusky Duck | South Zone | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Falconry | South 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 | |
| Sandhill crane | Regular Season | Zone C | Dec 12, 2026 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| Alligator | General Season | Core | Sep 10, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| 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 Brazoria NWR
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 Brazoria NWR 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 Brazoria NWR
Brazoria County listings first, then bordering counties.
Closest warden office on file: TPWD Law Enforcement Office (Houston South) in Houston, 49 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 Brazoria NWR
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.
Brazoria NWR: 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 Brazoria NWR state or federal land?
A national wildlife refuge with a hunt program; the manager is U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Program name: National Wildlife Refuge hunt program.
How much ground does Brazoria NWR cover?
46,057 acres, as published by USFWS Annual Report of Lands as of 9/30/2025 (total refuge acres in Texas).
What permit do I need to hunt Brazoria NWR?
Waterfowl hunting including an early teal season; Christmas Point is a boat-access area and Middle Bayou is walk-in. The signed 2026-2027 hunting and fishing permit brochure serves as the refuge permit.
What game does Brazoria NWR list?
1 group: ducks and geese.
Which zone covers Brazoria NWR for ducks and geese?
Brazoria County is in the South Zone for ducks and geese: regular season Nov 7 to Nov 29, 2026. The area may allow fewer days.
What are the buck rules near Brazoria NWR?
The Brazoria 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 Brazoria NWR?
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. Ask the federal manager.
How far is Brazoria NWR from Angleton?
Straight-line, 15 miles southeast from Angleton. Bay City is 42 miles out.
Wrapping up Brazoria NWR
Double-check Brazoria NWR with its manager: open days, check-in and any drawn-hunt rules.
Other photos on this page: Shiva Shenoy (CC BY 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain); Adrian Delgado2012 (CC BY 2.0); Maciej Kraus (CC BY 2.0).