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2026-27 Outdoor Annual
Chachalaca Hunting in Texas
Chachalaca season covers just four Rio Grande Valley counties: Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy. From the zone calendar to drawn hunts, the chachalaca rules for 2026-27 in one place.
Photo: cuatrok77 (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Chachalacas are open Nov 1, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027, with a daily bag of five and 15 in possession. Chachalacas are upland game birds, so the Upland Game Bird Endorsement applies. 9 public areas in our list name chachalaca.
Chachalaca in brief
- Nov. 1, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027; 5/day.
Chachalaca season dates, 2026-27
Chachalaca hunters get 1 season row in 2026-27; day counts include the opening and closing dates.
| Zone | Segment | Opens | Closes | Days | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open counties | Regular Season | Nov 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | 120 |
Dates from the TPWD Outdoor Annual 2026-27 (species page), checked October 11, 2026.
Chachalaca limits in Texas
The figures below are the 2026-27 chachalaca limits as TPWD prints them.
Limit, chachalaca
5/day, possession 15.
| Zone | Limit | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Open counties | Daily Bag Limit | 5 |
| Open counties | Possession Limit | 15 |
Chachalaca zone map, county by county
Counties open to chachalacas: 4. Each county in the chachalaca lists links to its own guide.
| Zone | Whole | Part |
|---|---|---|
| Open counties | 4 | 0 |
List Open counties (4)
Chachalaca county table
Region, ecoregion and county deer bag for all 4 chachalaca counties; 4 of them have public areas naming chachalacas.
| County | Zone | Region | Ecoregion | Public areas | Whitetail limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cameron | Open counties | San Antonio/Corpus Christi | South Texas Plains | 6 | 5 deer |
| Hidalgo | Open counties | San Antonio/Corpus Christi | South Texas Plains | 4 | 5 deer |
| Starr | Open counties | San Antonio/Corpus Christi | South Texas Plains | 1 | 5 deer |
| Willacy | Open counties | San Antonio/Corpus Christi | South Texas Plains | 1 | 5 deer |
Chachalaca licenses, hours and methods
Rules for chachalacas from TPWD, with prices as listed on October 11, 2026.
License list
What chachalaca hunters buy before the first hunt, at TPWD prices.
Daily hours
The chachalaca day starts a half hour before sunrise and ends a half hour after sundown.
Blaze orange
TPWD recommends orange for chachalacas on private property and requires it on public hunting lands when firearms are allowed.
Course requirement
Hunter education ($15 in person) applies to chachalaca hunters born Sept. 2, 1971 or later; veterans, active duty and peace officers are exempt.
Chachalaca air guns
Air guns for chachalaca must be .177 caliber or larger at 600 fps.
Chachalaca on a nonresident five-day license
The Non-resident Special 5-Day Small Game/Exotic license covers chachalaca, since it is a game bird other than turkey.
From the TPWD Outdoor Annual general regulations, license and species pages (endorsements, hunting regulations), checked October 11, 2026. All Texas hunting laws · License guide.
Chachalaca public hunting areas by region
Chachalacas appear on the game list of 9 public tracts; 2 of them also run drawn or E-Postcard hunts (orange pins).
San Antonio/Corpus Christi (9)
Las Palomas WMA · Las Palomas WMA – Anacua Unit (220 ac) · Las Palomas WMA – Baird Unit (122 ac) · Las Palomas WMA – Carricitos Unit (118 ac) · Las Palomas WMA – Chapote Unit (220 ac) · Las Palomas WMA – Ebony Unit (266 ac) · Las Palomas WMA – Longoria Unit (374 ac) · Las Palomas WMA – Taormina Unit (600 ac) · Las Palomas WMA – Tucker Unit (175 ac)
Public chachalaca tracts by size
| Area | Type | County | Acres | Drawn hunts | Other game listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Las Palomas WMA – Taormina Unit | WMA Unit | Hidalgo | 600 | – | dove, quail, rabbit |
| Las Palomas WMA – Longoria Unit | WMA Unit | Cameron | 374 | Yes | javelina, dove, quail, rabbit |
| Las Palomas WMA – Ebony Unit | WMA Unit | Cameron | 266 | – | dove, quail, rabbit |
| Las Palomas WMA – Anacua Unit | WMA Unit | Cameron | 220 | – | dove, quail, rabbit |
| Las Palomas WMA – Chapote Unit | WMA Unit | Hidalgo | 220 | – | dove, quail, rabbit |
| Las Palomas WMA – Tucker Unit | WMA Unit | Cameron | 175 | – | dove, quail, rabbit |
| Las Palomas WMA – Baird Unit | WMA Unit | Hidalgo | 122 | – | dove, quail, rabbit |
| Las Palomas WMA – Carricitos Unit | WMA Unit | Cameron | 118 | – | dove, quail, rabbit |
| Las Palomas WMA | WMA | Starr, Hidalgo, Cameron and Willacy | – | Yes | white-tailed deer, exotics, javelina, dove, quail, rabbit |
Adult chachalaca hunters need the $48 Annual Public Hunting permit on TPWD public hunting lands; youth under 17 hunt free with a permitted adult. How the APH permit works.
TPWD APH data, WMA and drawn hunt lists and federal land managers, 2026-27, checked October 11, 2026. Species lists are what each manager names; area rules still apply.
Drawn hunts and chachalacas
Neither the public hunt drawing nor Big Time Texas Hunts lists chachalacas this year.
Chachalaca country: what goes in the truck
Items matched to the species listed for this place.
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Asked about chachalacas
Where can I hunt chachalacas?
Only in Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr and Willacy counties.
What is the chachalaca bag?
Five a day and 15 in possession.
What are the 2026-27 dates for chachalacas?
For chachalacas: Open counties regular season Nov 1, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027.
What is the possession limit for chachalacas?
5/day, possession 15.
What does it cost to hunt chachalacas in Texas?
Buy, as applies to chachalacas: Resident license ($25); Upland endorsement ($7); Nonresident 5-day ($48).
Is there public land for chachalacas in Texas?
Las Palomas WMA – Taormina Unit, Las Palomas WMA – Longoria Unit and Las Palomas WMA – Ebony Unit lead a list of 9 areas for chachalacas. Bring the $48 APH permit for chachalacas on TPWD tracts.
How late can I shoot chachalacas?
The chachalaca day starts a half hour before sunrise and ends a half hour after sundown.
Must I wear hunter orange for chachalacas on public land?
TPWD recommends orange for chachalacas on private property and requires it on public hunting lands when firearms are allowed.
Which counties are open for chachalacas?
Chachalacas are open in 4 counties.
Heading out after chachalacas
Dates and limits here match the 2026-27 Outdoor Annual as of October 11, 2026; county pages and area rules can add to them, so read both before a chachalaca hunt.
Other photos on this page: greg westfall. (CC BY 2.0); Intermountain Region US Forest Service (Public domain); USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0); VSmithUK (CC BY 2.0); Jay Phagan (CC BY 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0).