There are multiple areas of Guadalupe Delta Wildlife Management area publicly accessible. The Refugio County section can be reached from two places. The area south of Tivoli off of Austwell Road is the largest of the accessible areas. You'll need one of the permits listed below to access this area. You can find this gate at a curve in Austwell Road by the small fenced in dump. From the entrance for about a half mile you will drive a road through 10 foot high mesquite and hackberry trees. These are great for passerines including Long-billed thrasher and Olive Sparrow. At the half mile point is a large water empoundment to the north and a marsh pond beyond that. A difficult to walk road next to the marsh will get you to the back trees. To the south of the road is a large agricultural field. Be on the lookout for White-tailed Kite and White-tailed Hawk. Plus geese and Sandhill Cranes feeding.

Past the pond the road goes down off the ridge to a grassland marsh. The a small scrubby ridge. Beyond the ridge is an expansive saltwater marsh. There is a small raised platform immediately to  the right. A great location to scope out an open water area for ducks, large shorebirds and waders. The road extends to the north through the marsh to a parking area. Check the schedule on the current map for hunting seasons to make sure you can park in the area. From the parking area you can walk the half mile to Hynes Bay. These marshes are great for rails, Common Yellowthroats, Marsh and Sedge Wrens, plus in the winter good for Seaside Sparrows. Depending on the tides, the road will have a low water crossing that can be muddy. At the bay you can scope for Loons, mergansers, Common Goldeneye and other open bay specialties. All of Hynes Bay is in Refugio County. Back at the parking area the road to the west takes you through more of the grassy slightly dryer marsh back to the ridge. this is great for snipe and yellowlegs. Early in the winter mornings there can be large flocks of geese and Sandhill Crane roosting in the marsh. Whooping Crane have been seen in the area.

The other area of Guadalupe Delta WMA is on River Road, just south of the Guadalupe River. Some birders include that section in the Guadalupe River Rd. (Refugio Co.) Hotspot. That section parallels the Guadalupe River and has many of the same species, plus more riparian specialties. 

This is the northern edge of south Texas specialties like Common Paraque, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Long-billed Thrasher, Olive Sparrow, Green Jays and Great Kiskadee. It is also the southern end of eastern species like Red-bellied Woodpecker, American Crow, Carolina Chickadee. You'll have both Boat-tailed and Great-tailed Grackle. Also great for migration, spring and fall.

Many Texas Wildlife Management Areas are open for activities such as biking, primitive camping, birding, fishing, hiking, equestrian activities, driving tours, and wildlife viewing.

Many times you need minimally a Texas Limited Public Use Permit (LPU - #175). You can purchase a Limited Public Use Permit or Annual Public Hunting Permit at any location that sells hunting licenses or at the Texas License Connection. If purchased online a representation of receipt is acceptable until official printer version has been mailed to you. In some cases it's not obvious when you need a permit for a Texas Wildlife Management Area so it might be better to be safe, because Texas game wardens do check for such permits.

In the late 70's the Guadalupe delta area was identified by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and Texas Parks and Wildlife as a wetlands area that needed to be preserved to protect the wildlife habitat. Guadalupe Delta Wildlife Management Area consists of four units, Mission Lake Unit (4,447.62 acres), Hynes Bay Unit (1007.72 acres), Guadalupe River Unit (1138 acres) and the San Antonio Unit (818 acres). The Guadalupe Delta WMA units are located in Calhoun, Victoria and Refugio Counties within the delta of the Guadalupe River along the Texas coast between Houston and Corpus Christi. The units of the Guadalupe Delta are freshwater marshes subject to flooding from the Guadalupe River and its adjacent bayous. Riparian areas along the numerous small bayous form "corridor forests" of pecan, black willow, cedar, American elm, hackberry and green ash, and provide excellent forage area for neotropical songbirds.