bighorn sheep open area · Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Desert bighorn sheep open counties (permit only)

Texas, United States

The map opens on this unit. Turn on Hunting units in Layers to see its boundary with public land, your pins and the forecast.

About Desert bighorn sheep open counties (permit only)

Desert bighorn sheep open counties (permit only) is a bighorn sheep open area in Texas, United States, set by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. It covers about 53,607 km² (20,698 mi²). Towns inside it include Alpine and Presidio.

HuntGrid draws its boundary from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's data for the 2026 season. The agency uses this unit system for Bighorn sheep.

Unit code: Open
Area: 53,607 km²
Area (miles): 20,698 mi²
Boundaries: 2026

Public and protected land mapped inside it

HuntGrid's public land layers map about 8,475 km² of public or protected land inside it, 16% of the unit. Some protected land is privately owned (a conservation group's, for one). By manager, as the source names it:

Manager	km²	Share
National Park Service	3,528	7%
Surface Operations University Lands	2,185	4%
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department	1,314	2%
Unknown	718	1%
Texas Agricultural Land Trust	360	under 1%
The Nature Conservancy	192	under 1%
University of Texas at El Paso	139	under 1%
Texas General Land Office - School Land Board	68	under 1%
Other or unnamed managers	39	under 1%

Boundaries are approximate and aren't legal descriptions. Public land doesn't always mean you can hunt there: check your local regulations and posted signs.

Public land: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Gap Analysis Project (GAP), 2025, Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US) 4.1

Seasons and regulations

Season dates, bag limits and licences for Desert bighorn sheep open counties (permit only) are in Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's official regulations. HuntGrid shows a season in the app only once a person has checked it against them.

Official regulations: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Units around it

Other hunting units that cover part of it

What HuntGrid shows for Desert bighorn sheep open counties (permit only)

Its boundary on the map; tap inside it for the unit's card with the agency's regulations link.
Public land and the other hunting units in the same view, each with its source.
Season dates once a person has checked them, and legal shooting hours where the rule is checked.
Hourly wind with a scent cone for every stand, and official weather alerts.
Offline maps: download the area and use the map, your pins and the forecast with no signal.

Open in HuntGrid

Questions

How big is Desert bighorn sheep open counties (permit only) (bighorn sheep open area)?

About 53,607 km² (20,698 mi²), as HuntGrid maps Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's boundary.

How much public or protected land is in Desert bighorn sheep open counties (permit only)?

HuntGrid's public land layers map about 8,475 km² of public or protected land, 16% of the unit; the largest share is managed by National Park Service. Public land doesn't always mean you can hunt there.

Where are the season dates for Desert bighorn sheep open counties (permit only)?

In Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's official regulations: https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/regs/animals/desert-bighorn-sheep/

Sources

Unit boundary: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (zone definitions); U.S. Census Bureau (county boundaries). Licence: Open counties defined in 31 TAC § 65.48; county boundaries public domain (U.S. Census Bureau). Boundaries for the 2026 season.

HuntGrid isn't affiliated with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The official regulations and maps have the final word.