There's a lot to see and learn out there, just now. And even if a person doesn't have a lease to visit, there are hundreds of thousands of acres of primo wild country for exploring. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has 50 or so wildlife management areas scattered across the state. The WMAs are primarily used as research sites where the agency can develop and demonstrate wildlife and land management techniques. And while they are not specifically designed for public use as with state parks, and they mostly are wild and undeveloped, most of them offer at least limited access for day hikes or wildlife watching.
Spring is a great time to see the WMAs because so much is going on.
The WMAs have differing rules on access, with some allowing properly permitted persons general access during daylight hours and others having very limited or even prohibiting access. Perhaps the best general source of information on the WMAs and their recreational opportunities can be found on TPWD's website. Those interested in discovering the WMAs can find excellent opportunities in all of the state's ecological regions. In South Texas, the Daughtrey and Chaparral WMAs offer rare opportunities for the general public to explore the wildlife-rich Brush Country. Black Gap WMA hard against the Rio Grande.