Las Palomas' Area 739 Crosses the Willacy County Line

Las Palomas means "the Doves," but this wildlife area is not one park behind one gate. It has 18 units across Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy counties. Nine are open for public use. The spread-out lines make Las Palomas a patchwork of South Texas habitat.

Area 739 shows that pattern at county scale. The 57-acre public-hunting tract follows the Arroyo Colorado and crosses the Cameron-Willacy line. It has an information station and a public-hunting road. The 57 acres cover this mapped tract, not the whole Arroyo Colorado Unit.

Public use has a set season. Daylight access runs from March 1 through August 31. Hunts can close the tract. Each visitor must sign in through TPWD's online system every day. Visitors age 17 and older need an Annual Public Hunting Permit or a Limited Public Use Permit for normal public use.

The two permits do different jobs. A Limited Public Use Permit does not allow hunting. A hunter will usually need the Annual Public Hunting Permit. The right license, tags, and species stamps may also be due. Drawn hunts can use a different permit route. Do not count on drinking water or regular park features. Bring the Area 739 map and the current unit rules to this small piece of Las Palomas.