Matagorda County hunters will see two of the biggest local changes in Texas Parks and Wildlife’s newly approved 2026-27 hunting regulations. The county’s wild turkey season is being closed, and the South Zone dove season will open earlier with the special white-wing weekends eliminated. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission approved the changes April 1.
For Matagorda County, the most significant change is wild turkey. Texas Parks and Wildlife said Matagorda and Wharton counties were closed to wild turkey hunting because of declining wild turkey populations in the area. Under the current 2025-26 county regulations, Matagorda is listed as a one-turkey spring county with an April 1-30 season, so the newly approved rules end that local season for 2026-27.
Dove hunters in Matagorda County also will need to adjust. Because Matagorda is in the South Zone, the first segment of dove season will now run Sept. 1 to Oct. 25, 2026, instead of opening later in September. The commission also eliminated the Special White-winged Dove Days and standardized daily bag limits and shooting hours across all South Zone days. The second segment will run Dec. 18, 2026, through Jan. 21, 2027. Under the current county page, Matagorda’s regular South Zone dove season begins Sept. 14 and includes separate Special White-winged Dove Days with noon-to-sunset shooting hours, so that structure is being replaced.
Another change that could affect Matagorda County deer hunters is statewide rather than county-specific. The commission approved a new definition of “muzzleloader” to allow newer muzzleloading technology for taking white-tailed deer.
One change that does not directly extend to Matagorda County is the expanded 16-day “doe days” season. The approved list includes several counties in other parts of Texas, but not Matagorda.
Texas Parks and Wildlife said hunters should watch the Outdoor Annual for the full 2026-27 county-by-county season dates and regulations as they are updated. The agency noted that other information currently shown in the Outdoor Annual still reflects last season’s rules.
