Home › Texas › Public land › Playa Lakes WMA Dimmitt Unit
Panhandle region
Playa Lakes WMA, Dimmitt Unit hunting
Public hunting on Playa Lakes WMA, Dimmitt Unit (422 acres): ducks and geese, sandhill cranes and pheasants, with zone dates, permits, the county deer rules and the nearest towns.
Photo: objectfox (CC BY 2.0)
The basics of Playa Lakes WMA Dimmitt Unit
Type of ground: wildlife management area run by TPWD. Manager: TPWD. Counties: Castro. The 422 acre figure places it 36th among 36 wildlife management areas with known acreage. From Muleshoe, the nearest town we cover, the area sits around 30 miles to the northeast.
Access is through the TPWD Annual Public Hunting permit. A few hunts go by E-Postcard drawing for APH holders. TPWD runs 2 drawn hunt categories here (listed in the permit section).
The WMA office is at 3036 FM 3256, Paducah, TX 79248.
From the source record and 6 linked sources, retrieved 2026-10-11; page checked October 11, 2026.
What you can hunt at Playa Lakes WMA Dimmitt Unit, and when
Ducks and geese, sandhill cranes and pheasants are on the area list, and the season dates below are the Castro County zone dates.
| Game | Season | Zone | Opens | Closes | Bag | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September teal | September teal | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | 6 a day | |
| Ducks | Youth-Only | High Plains MMU | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | 6 a day | |
| Ducks | Veterans and military | High Plains MMU | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | 6 a day | |
| Ducks | Regular Season | High Plains MMU | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 6 a day | |
| Ducks | Regular Season | High Plains MMU | Oct 30, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 6 a day | |
| Ducks | Dusky Duck | High Plains MMU | Oct 31, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 6 a day | |
| Geese | Dark Geese | Western Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Feb 7, 2027 | 5 dark a day | |
| Geese | Light Geese | Western Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Feb 7, 2027 | 5 light a day | |
| Sandhill crane | Regular Season | Zone A | Oct 31, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 3 a day | |
| Pheasant | General Season | Panhandle | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | 3 a day |
Read the area rules too; managers of Playa Lakes WMA Dimmitt Unit can trim these seasons or limit them to drawn permits.
Zone dates and bags from the TPWD Outdoor Annual 2026-27 (Outdoor Annual) for Castro County; area game list from the area record. Checked October 11, 2026.
Whitetail limits that apply near Playa Lakes WMA Dimmitt Unit
Deer limits for Castro County, the county this page uses for Playa Lakes WMA Dimmitt Unit.
Castro County buck and doe rules
Muleys
Panhandle applies to mule deer. A legal buck needs a 20 inch outside spread.
2026-27 deer dates, Castro County
| Season | Open | Close | Part of county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery Only | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 6, 2026 | All areas |
| Youth-Only | Oct 30, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | All areas |
| General Season | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | All areas |
| Youth-Only | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | All areas |
Around Playa Lakes WMA Dimmitt Unit: towns and public areas
The map shows Playa Lakes WMA Dimmitt Unit in orange with 8 public neighbors inside 60 miles.
Town guides close by: Muleshoe (30 miles southwest, pop. 5,218); Canyon (40 miles northeast, pop. 16,457); Claude (69 miles northeast, pop. 1,175).
Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge (30 miles northeast)
The Panhandle region; 30 miles northeast. 7,664 ac.
Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge (46 miles southwest)
The Panhandle region; 46 miles southwest. 6,449 ac.
Palo Duro Canyon State Park (49 miles northeast)
Randall County and Armstrong County; 49 miles northeast.
Points from TPWD GIS, agency pages and public geocodes as noted in each record. Distances are straight-line. Statewide public land map.
Licenses and permits that cover Playa Lakes WMA Dimmitt Unit
Permit facts are from TPWD and the managing agency.
The APH permit
The APH permit is required for adults 17 and older on TPWD public hunting lands, and you must hold a season hunting license to buy it. It is good on 180+ areas totaling over 1 million acres. A permitted adult 18 or older can bring hunters under 17 at no charge.
TPWD drawing
| Drawn hunt | 2026 deadline |
|---|---|
| E-Postcard Waterfowl | Oct 1, 2026 |
| E-Postcard Waterfowl/Pheasant | Oct 1, 2026 |
Apply through the TPWD drawing system before the category deadline; youth apply free.
License and endorsements
License first: $25 for a resident, $7 for youth. For the game listed here, add free HIP plus the migratory bird endorsement, a federal duck stamp for waterfowl hunters 16 and older, a free sandhill crane permit and upland game bird endorsement. Born September 2, 1971 or later? Hunter education is required.
Orange on public land
When guns are allowed in daylight, wear the orange; turkey, migratory birds and alligator are the exceptions.
On the hunt area
Take deer directly to the check station; hunting from vehicles is off limits; dogs only for squirrel, rabbits, hares and birds other than turkey.
Sunrise, sunset and shooting time for Playa Lakes WMA Dimmitt Unit
Morning legal light comes 30 minutes before sunrise for every game species. In the evening, migratory birds stop at sunset and everything else 30 minutes later.
Times worked out for Playa Lakes WMA Dimmitt Unit 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.
Outfitting a hunt in Playa Lakes WMA Dimmitt Unit
Items matched to the species listed for this place.
Amazon links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you.
Who handles game killed at Playa Lakes WMA Dimmitt Unit
Sorted by county, nearest first.
Nearest TPWD law enforcement office: TPWD Law Enforcement Office (Amarillo) in Amarillo, about 55 miles away.
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.
Quick answers on Playa Lakes WMA Dimmitt Unit
Does Playa Lakes WMA Dimmitt Unit have drawn hunts?
Apply online for E-Postcard Waterfowl and E-Postcard Waterfowl/Pheasant. Look for DP in the catalog. 2026 deadlines ran Oct 1, 2026 to Oct 1, 2026.
If Playa Lakes WMA Dimmitt Unit is crowded, where else can I go?
Closest on the TPWD and federal lists: Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge (30 miles), Cobb Farms (45 miles) and Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge (46 miles).
What time does legal light start at Playa Lakes WMA Dimmitt Unit?
From 30 minutes before sunrise. Game animals and upland birds run to 30 minutes after sunset; migratory birds stop at sunset. Daily times are in the table above.
Is there a map of Playa Lakes WMA Dimmitt Unit?
Unit 736. Use the map button above. Printed booklets stop after this season.
What license do I need for Playa Lakes WMA Dimmitt Unit?
A Texas hunting license: $25 for residents, $315 for the nonresident general license, $7 for hunters under 17.
Can I put off hunter education?
Hunters 17 and older can buy a one-time $10 deferral, good to the end of the license year, and hunt accompanied.
Which agency runs Playa Lakes WMA Dimmitt Unit?
TPWD runs it as a wildlife management area run by TPWD. Program: TPWD Wildlife Management Area.
Are there youth-only waterfowl days?
Youth waterfowl: HPMMU Oct. 17-18; South Oct. 31 – Nov. 1; North Nov. 7-8, 2026.
Does Playa Lakes WMA Dimmitt Unit call for a permit beyond the license?
An APH permit ($48) on top of a Texas hunting license; under 17 hunt free with a permitted adult.
Is Playa Lakes WMA Dimmitt Unit a large area?
Roughly 422 acres.
Playa Lakes WMA Dimmitt Unit trip checklist
Seasons, permits and boundaries at Playa Lakes WMA Dimmitt Unit can change during the license year. Open the official page before you load the truck.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0); USFWSmidwest (Public domain); BaronBrian (CC BY 2.0); Free Public Domain Illustrations by rawpixel (CC BY 2.0).