Walter Buck Wildlife Management Area

The Walter Buck Wildlife Management Area (Buck Area) is located five miles southwest of Junction off of US 377. The Area is bounded on the north side by the South Llano River State Park, and consists of approximately 2,155 acres of rough Texas Hill Country composed of limestone hills with dense stands of juniper, live oak, and Spanish oak. Activities include hiking, bicycling, hunting,  and wildlife viewing. The area contains 16 miles of hiking and biking trails, as well as 18 blinds for wildlife viewing, photography or hunting (in season).

Mr. Walter Buck Jr. donated both the Walter Buck Wildlife Management Area and the adjacent South Llano River State Park with a combined acreage of 2,630 to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in 1977.

The objectives of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department on the Buck Area are to maintain healthy, native wildlife habitats and populations. This goal is accomplished through the use of wildlife and habitat management programs implemented on various habitat types located throughout the management area.

The Buck Area is open all year to the general public except during the periods when public hunts are being conducted. During that time, public hunters drawn for a particular hunt are the only individuals allowed access.

All walking and bicycling visitors must obtain a $2.00/day use permit from the adjacent South Llano River State Park headquarters. Since potable water is not available on many of the Wildlife Management Areas, it is a good idea to bring plenty of drinking water.

Phone: (325) 446-3617 

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The headings for each of the following activities are links to the Texas Parks & Wildlife site for specific activities in the Walter Buck Wildlife Management Area. We will be providing you with some of the TP&W information below. But, if you still need to know more and you choose to click on one of these links, you will be leaving the Legends Inn website. Please jot down our phone numbers before you click, just in case you get lost in cyberspace.

325-446-8644
Toll free 877-445-8444

Have Fun! 

Hiking at Walter Buck Wildlife Management Area

There are approximately 16 miles of unpaved roads that dissect many distinct habitat types opened to the public during non-hunting periods. The trail roads are steep and rocky throughout many locations on the Buck Area. Trail maps are available at the Park entrance.

Bicycling at Walter Buck Wildlife Management Area
The trails and roads maintained for hunters and hikers are also used by mountain bikers. The trail map, available from the Park entrance, has the length and terrain information needed to plan a route to tour the various scenic options the WMA/Park has to offer.

Hunting at Walter Buck Wildlife Management Area
Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) have rules and regulations for hunting not required on private property. Hunters must possess a valid hunting license, the appropriate tags and stamps, as well as the proper public hunting permit. 

Bird and Wildlife Viewing at Walter Buck Wildlife Management Area

More than 150 bird species may be seen either on the South Llano River State Park or the Buck Area during different periods of the year. The endangered Black-capped vireo and the common Western Screech Owl have been documented on the Buck Area for the past several years. There is one birding blind located within the South Llano River State Park and one located in the Buck Area. Both blinds have water and feed, which attract many different bird species.

Wildlife movements are at the highest during dawn and dusk hours of the day. Wildlife viewing may be difficult during periods of good forage conditions within the dense vegetation of the Buck Area. Visitors may want to visit any of the water sources found on the Buck Area early in the morning or late afternoon in order to improve their odds of viewing wildlife.