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National forest · Houston County
Davy Crockett National Forest hunting
Who runs it, what it costs to hunt, which seasons apply for whitetails, feral hogs, exotics and doves, and where the closest public tracts and towns are.
Photo: Adrian Delgado2012 (CC BY 2.0)
Davy Crockett National Forest: size, manager and access
Davy Crockett National Forest falls in the TPWD Pineywoods hunting region and is a national forest in Houston County and Trinity County. By acreage (161,100) it sits at number 2 of 4 national forests in the data. Nearest town guide: Groveton, 6 miles off; the area is northeast of there. You hunt it unit by unit; there are 1.
Full agency access wording sits in the permits band.
Contains TPWD's Alabama Creek WMA.
From the source record and 3 linked sources, retrieved 2026-10-11; page checked October 11, 2026.
Units and tracts tied to Davy Crockett National Forest
Miles are measured point to point.
Hunt units here
| Area | Counties | Acres | Number or code | From here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama Creek WMA WMA | Trinity | 14,561 | 904 | 9 mi |
Season windows for Davy Crockett National Forest game
Listed game here runs to 10 groups: whitetails, feral hogs, exotics, doves, ducks and geese, squirrels, rabbits, predators, furbearers by trap and snipe, woodcock and rails. Texas zones split many of these, so the rows are for Houston County.
| Species | Segment | Zone | Starts | Ends | Limit | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery Only | North Zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 6, 2026 | 4 deer | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth-Only | North Zone | Oct 30, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | 4 deer | |
| White-tailed deer | General Season | North Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | 4 deer | |
| White-tailed deer | Muzzleloader | North Zone | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | 4 deer | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth-Only | North Zone | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | 4 deer | |
| Dove | Regular Season | Central Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 15 a day | |
| Dove | Regular Season | Central Zone | Dec 11, 2026 | Jan 14, 2027 | 15 a day | |
| Dove | Falconry | Central Zone | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | 3 a day | |
| September teal | September teal | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | 6 a day | |
| Ducks | Youth-Only | North Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | 6 a day | |
| Ducks | Veterans and military | North Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | 6 a day | |
| Ducks | Regular Season | North Zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | 6 a day | |
| Ducks | Regular Season | North Zone | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 6 a day | |
| Ducks | Dusky Duck | North Zone | Nov 19, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | 6 a day | |
| Ducks | Dusky Duck | North Zone | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 6 a day | |
| Ducks | Falconry | North Zone | Feb 1, 2027 | Feb 21, 2027 | 3 a day | |
| Geese | Early Canada geese | Eastern Zone | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | 5 Canada a day | |
| Geese | Dark Geese | Eastern Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 5 dark a day | |
| Geese | Light Geese | Eastern Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Feb 19, 2027 | 5 light a day | |
| Squirrel | General Season | East Texas | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | 10 a day or none | |
| Squirrel | General Season | East Texas | May 1, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | 10 a day or none | |
| Squirrel | Youth-Only | East Texas | Sep 25, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | 10 a day or none | |
| Woodcock | Regular Season | Statewide | Dec 18, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | 3 a day | |
| Woodcock | Falconry | Statewide | Feb 1, 2027 | Feb 21, 2027 | — | |
| Snipe | Regular Season | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Feb 21, 2027 | 8 a day | |
| Rails and gallinules | Regular Season | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | 15 a day | |
| Rails and gallinules | Regular Season | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 6, 2027 | 15 a day | |
| Rails and gallinules | Falconry | Statewide | Feb 1, 2027 | Feb 21, 2027 | — | |
| Feral hogs | Area rules | — | — | — | — | |
| Exotics | Area rules | — | — | — | — | |
| Rabbits and hares | Area rules | — | — | — | — | |
| Predators and furbearers | Area rules | — | — | — | — | |
| Trapping (furbearers) | Area rules | — | — | — | — |
These are statewide zone dates. Davy Crockett National Forest can run shorter seasons, fewer days or drawn-only hunts, so check the area rules before opening day.
No statewide season exists on private land for hogs, exotics, rabbits or predators, so check the area rules.
Zone dates and bags from the TPWD Outdoor Annual 2026-27 (Outdoor Annual) for Houston County; area game list from the area record. Checked October 11, 2026.
Where Davy Crockett National Forest sits, with neighbors
8 public tracts within a 60 mile radius, plus Davy Crockett National Forest itself in orange.
Closest towns we cover: Groveton 6 miles southwest, 942 people; Trinity 23 miles southwest, 2,474 people; Lufkin 24 miles northeast, 34,399 people.
Alazan Bayou WMA, Old River Tract (29 miles northeast)
WMA unit 29 miles off to the northeast. 485 ac.
Alazan Bayou WMA, Blount Tract (30 miles northeast)
WMA unit 30 miles off to the northeast. 2,255 ac.
Lake Kurth (City of Lufkin) (39 miles east)
Public tract 39 miles off to the east.
Huntsville State Park (45 miles southwest)
State park 45 miles off to the southwest. 2,083 ac.
Points from TPWD GIS, agency pages and public geocodes as noted in each record. Distances are straight-line. Statewide public land map.
Davy Crockett National Forest: permits, endorsements and blaze orange
Card by card: permits, licenses, orange.
Annual Public Hunting (APH)
Anyone 17 or older needs the APH permit on these lands; it can only be bought with a season hunting license. Statewide it reaches 180-plus areas and over 1 million acres. Hunters younger than 17 go free alongside a permitted adult (18+).
Agency permit rules
General forest: Texas hunting license only; no Limited Use Permit needed. Only portable stands (72-hour limit), no baiting, no antlerless deer harvest in general forest during the general season. WMA portions need the TPWD Annual Public Hunting Permit; antlerless deer there need a USFS Antlerless Deer Permit drawn through the TPWD Public Hunt System.
What to buy first
Every hunter needs a Texas hunting license ($25 resident). Given the species here, also carry migratory endorsement and HIP and the federal duck stamp (16 and up) for ducks and geese. Hunter education covers every hunter born from September 2, 1971 on.
Hunter orange
This applies whenever firearm hunting is permitted in daylight, with turkey, migratory birds and alligators exempt.
Deer bag for the Houston County side of Davy Crockett National Forest
County deer rules from TPWD for Houston County, with county facts for context.
Deer rules for Houston County
Measure before you shoot: 13 inches inside spread or an unbranched antler, with a single wide branched buck allowed. Antlerless harvest runs Nov. 7-29 using a license tag. no antlerless harvest on National Forest Service property.
County whitetail segments
| Segment | Opens | Closes | Part |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery Only | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 6, 2026 | Countywide |
| Youth-Only | Oct 30, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | Countywide |
| General Season | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | Countywide |
| Muzzleloader | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | Countywide |
| Youth-Only | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | Countywide |
Game seasons that reach Houston County
11 speciess have a 2026-27 season here. Texas splits most of them into zones, and this table keeps only the zones that include Houston County.
| Species | Season type | Area | Begins | Ends | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Archery Only | North Zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 6, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth-Only | North Zone | Oct 30, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | General Season | North Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Muzzleloader | North Zone | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | Youth-Only | North Zone | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | |
| Squirrel | General Season | East Texas | Oct 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Squirrel | General Season | East Texas | May 1, 2027 | May 31, 2027 | |
| Squirrel | Youth-Only | East Texas | Sep 25, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Quail | Regular Season | Statewide | Nov 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | |
| Dove | Regular Season | Central Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | |
| Dove | Regular Season | Central Zone | Dec 11, 2026 | Jan 14, 2027 | |
| Dove | Falconry | Central Zone | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| September teal | September teal | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Youth-Only | North Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Veterans and military | North Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular Season | North Zone | Nov 14, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Regular Season | North Zone | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Dusky Duck | North Zone | Nov 19, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Dusky Duck | North Zone | Dec 5, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Ducks | Falconry | North Zone | Feb 1, 2027 | Feb 21, 2027 | |
| Geese | Early Canada geese | Eastern Zone | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Geese | Dark Geese | Eastern Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Geese | Light Geese | Eastern Zone | Nov 7, 2026 | Feb 19, 2027 | |
| Alligator | General Season | Non-core | Apr 1, 2027 | Jun 30, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Regular Season | Statewide | Dec 18, 2026 | Jan 31, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Falconry | Statewide | Feb 1, 2027 | Feb 21, 2027 | |
| Snipe | Regular Season | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Feb 21, 2027 | |
| Rails and gallinules | Regular Season | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | |
| Rails and gallinules | Regular Season | Statewide | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 6, 2027 | |
| Rails and gallinules | Falconry | Statewide | Feb 1, 2027 | Feb 21, 2027 |
From the TPWD Outdoor Annual 2026-27 county and species pages, checked October 11, 2026.
Davy Crockett National Forest: what goes in the truck
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Davy Crockett National Forest legal hunting light, next seven days
Shooting time for deer, javelina, turkey and quail is sunrise less 30 minutes to sunset plus 30. Dove and waterfowl hunters stop at sunset.
Times worked out for Davy Crockett National Forest in Central time. Rule from the TPWD Outdoor Annual (shooting hours). Nongame, exotics and feral hogs on private land may be hunted at any hour. Shooting hours for every county.
Shops and processors serving Davy Crockett National Forest
County listings lead; neighbors follow.
Game wardens closest to this area work out of TPWD Law Enforcement Office (Tyler) in Tyler (82 miles).
Store locators (Academy, Bass Pro, Cabela’s), the TPWD law enforcement office list, Hunters for the Hungry and business listings, checked October 11, 2026. Call ahead.
What people want to know about Davy Crockett National Forest
What size is Davy Crockett National Forest?
It covers 161,100 acres on the record.
Is Davy Crockett National Forest open with just a hunting license?
You need the APH permit ($48) and a hunting license.
What animals are hunted on Davy Crockett National Forest?
The listing names whitetails, feral hogs, exotics, doves, ducks and geese, squirrels, rabbits, predators, furbearers by trap and snipe, woodcock and rails.
What 2026-27 dates apply to doves at Davy Crockett National Forest?
The Central Zone sets it: Sep 1 to Oct 25, 2026 (regular season). Check the area for any shorter dates.
How many deer can I take around Davy Crockett National Forest?
County bag (Houston): 4 deer, 2 bucks max, 2 antlerless max. Spread rules apply to bucks. Hunts here may carry their own limits.
Is blaze orange required on Davy Crockett National Forest?
Wear 400 square inches of orange, including 144 on chest and back, plus headwear, during firearm hunting hours. Turkey, migratory bird and alligator hunters are exempt.
Which covered town sits nearest Davy Crockett National Forest?
Base in Groveton, 6 miles off to the northeast. Also near: Trinity (23 miles).
Name some public ground close to Davy Crockett National Forest.
Within reach: Alabama Creek WMA (9 miles), Germany (27 miles) and Alazan Bayou WMA, Old River Tract (29 miles).
How late can I hunt deer at Davy Crockett National Forest?
A half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset for deer, turkey and quail; doves and waterfowl stop at sunset.
Do I need hunter education to hunt Davy Crockett National Forest?
Yes, if you were born on or after September 2, 1971; Texas sets 9 as the minimum age to take the course.
Last checks for Davy Crockett National Forest
The managing agency has the final word on Davy Crockett National Forest. Check its page and the TPWD county listing the week of your hunt.
Other photos on this page: bgv23 (CC BY 2.0); US Forest Service – Southern Region (Public domain); Maciej Kraus (CC BY 2.0); sonnia hill (CC BY 2.0).