4 min read
Texas Just Added 2,850 Acres Of Public Hunting Ground
Texas added 2,850 acres of public hunting land. The opportunity starts with knowing the ground.
The buck, the why, and the gear
Texas Just Added 2,850 Acres Of Public Hunting Ground.
Texas hunters have a new 2,850-acre wildlife management area in Stephens County. The Robbie Davis WMA is planned for walk-in dove hunting and drawn hunts for deer and turkey.
More public land is good news. New ground still asks for homework before the truck leaves the driveway. Let’s dive in.
The Buck
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Texas public land · Robbie Davis WMA · 2,850 acres · August 2026
2,850
ACRES
1
WALK-IN
2
DRAWN HUNTS
Texas Parks and Wildlife has acquired 2,850 acres in Stephens County for the new Robbie Davis Wildlife Management Area. The property sits in the western Cross Timbers, with post oak and live oak forest, ponds, seasonal drainages, sandstone bluffs, and rocky hillsides.
For hunters, the important part is access. TPWD plans walk-in dove hunting plus drawn hunts for deer and turkey, with waterfowl potentially added later. The property is within driving distance of Dallas-Fort Worth, and the agency says the acquisition expands public hunting in a part of Texas where public land is limited.
This is not a piece of ground to treat like a familiar lease. New public land means new boundaries, new access points, and different hunt systems by species. Before making the drive, confirm the final WMA hunt listing, permit requirements, and the area open for your hunt, then scout the terrain with enough time to find a clean route in and out.
𐂂 Field Fact
TPWD plans walk-in dove hunting at Robbie Davis WMA, while deer and turkey are planned as drawn hunts. Waterfowl is listed only as a potential opportunity, so do not assume every species will use the same access system.
The Woodsman’s Edge
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New public ground pays off for the hunter who learns it before opening morning.
A 2,850-acre WMA gives you room, but room can waste time if you arrive without a plan. Treat the first trip like a scouting job: learn access, mark landmarks, and figure out where your hunt permit actually lets you be.
𐂂 Start with the official WMA map and hunt listing. Mark legal access points, parking, boundaries, ponds, drainages, and the route back to the truck before you start worrying about where game might be.
𐂂 Match your scouting to the hunt you actually drew or plan to walk in for. Dove, deer, and turkey use the same property differently, and the access system is not identical for each.
𐂂 On unfamiliar public ground, leave your route and return time with someone, carry an offline map or backup navigation, and avoid pushing farther than you can safely walk out in fading light.
Gear Bench
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Outdoor Edge RazorMax
$59.99
Dale’s note: A drawn deer hunt on unfamiliar public ground can put you a long walk from the truck, so I like field tools that do more than one job. The RazorMax gives you a 3.5-inch drop-point blade and a 5-inch boning blade, with three of each included. The non-slip handle and replaceable-blade system make it a practical kit for field dressing and breaking down game when you need to keep the load manageable.
The Last Word
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New public hunting ground is valuable because it gives more hunters a place to go. It is not valuable if we treat access like a shortcut around preparation.
Robbie Davis WMA is planned to offer different paths in depending on the species, from walk-in dove hunting to drawn deer and turkey hunts. That makes the homework part of the hunt: know the access rules, know the boundary, and know how you are getting back out.
Public land gives everyone a stake in the place. Hunt it like you plan to hand it to the next hunter in good shape.
Robbie Davis WMA is planned to offer different paths in depending on the species, from walk-in dove hunting to drawn deer and turkey hunts. That makes the homework part of the hunt: know the access rules, know the boundary, and know how you are getting back out.
Public land gives everyone a stake in the place. Hunt it like you plan to hand it to the next hunter in good shape.
Would you put in for a deer or turkey draw at Robbie Davis WMA, or start with a walk-in dove hunt? Reply and tell me which one you’d scout first.
Learn the ground before you hunt it.
Dale Richey
Big Buck Journal
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