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Bowie County · Pineywoods
Wright Patman Lake hunting
Everything we could verify about Wright Patman Lake: access, acreage, game list, season dates and the ground nearby.
Photo: Adrian Delgado2012 (CC BY 2.0)
Wright Patman Lake in brief, for hunters
In Bowie County and Cass County, Wright Patman Lake is a Corps of Engineers lake under U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District. At 54,358 acres it is the 1st largest of the 18 Corps of Engineers lakes that report a size. Of the towns with a guide on this site, Atlanta is closest: the map point is about 12 miles north of it.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District sets the access rules; they are quoted in full in the permit section below.
Legal game per the Corps guide: Dove, squirrel, rabbits, waterfowl, feral hog, woodcock, and white-tailed deer.
From the source record and 2 linked sources, retrieved 2026-10-11; page checked October 11, 2026.
Game and season dates at Wright Patman Lake
The source lists whitetails, feral hogs, doves, ducks and geese, squirrels, rabbits and snipe, woodcock and rails for this ground. Dates follow the Bowie County zones.
| Game | Segment | Zone or area | Begins | Ends | Bag | Right now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 (South of IH 30) | Sep 1, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | 15 a day | |
| Dove | Regular Season | Central Zone (South of IH 30) | Dec 11, 2026 | Jan 14, 2027 | 15 a day | |
| Dove | Falconry | Central Zone (South of IH 30) | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | 3 a day | |
| Dove | Regular Season | North Zone (North of IH 30) | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | 15 a day | |
| Dove | Regular Season | North Zone (North of IH 30) | Dec 18, 2026 | Jan 7, 2027 | 15 a day | |
| Dove | Falconry | North Zone (North of IH 30) | 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 | Set by area | — | — | — | — | |
| Rabbits and hares | Set by area | — | — | — | — |
Wright Patman Lake sets its own calendar inside these dates; some seasons may be shorter or by permit only.
Rows marked area rules are species with no statewide season on private land; the managing agency decides on public ground.
Zone dates and bags from the TPWD Outdoor Annual 2026-27 (Outdoor Annual) for Bowie County; area game list from the area record. Checked October 11, 2026.
Wright Patman Lake permit, license and orange rules
What you need in your pocket, card by card.
Agency requirements
No permit required to hunt (ATV access permit with Special Activity Fee); archery and muzzleloaders allowed.
Base license and add-ons
The base is a hunting license, $25 for Texans. Also plan on HIP (free) and the migratory endorsement, a federal stamp for waterfowl at 16 and older and an archery endorsement for bow seasons. Hunter ed is required from the September 2, 1971 birth date forward.
Wear orange
Orange is required on TPWD public hunting lands; this area’s federal manager may add its own rule.
Bowie County deer listing for Wright Patman Lake hunters
Texas sets deer bags county by county; this is the Bowie County version that applies around Wright Patman Lake.
Bowie County deer bag
Antler rule county: a legal buck has an unbranched antler or a 13 inch inside spread, and only one of two bucks may be branched and 13 inches wide. Does Nov. 7-29, with license tags.
Bowie County deer segments
| Hunt | Begins | Ends | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery Only | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 6, 2026 | All |
| Youth-Only | Oct 30, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | All |
| General Season | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | All |
| Muzzleloader | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | All |
| Youth-Only | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | All |
Public tracts within 60 miles of Wright Patman Lake
5 more public areas lie within 60 miles; the orange pin is Wright Patman Lake.
Covered towns within reach: Atlanta (12 miles to the south); Linden (21 miles to the southwest); Jefferson (37 miles to the south).
White Oak Creek WMA (28 miles west)
WMA, 28 miles west, Bowie County and Cass County. 25,777 ac.
Caddo Lake WMA (38 miles south)
WMA, 38 miles south, Marion County and Harrison County. 8,124 ac.
Lake O' the Pines (41 miles southwest)
Corps lake, 41 miles southwest, Camp County and Harrison County. 4,500 ac.
Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge (43 miles south)
Wildlife refuge, 43 miles south, Harrison County. 8,602 ac.
Points from TPWD GIS, agency pages and public geocodes as noted in each record. Distances are straight-line. Statewide public land map.
After the hunt at Wright Patman Lake: processors and taxidermy
Nearest first within each county.
The TPWD office nearest the area is TPWD Law Enforcement Office (Mount Pleasant) in Mount Pleasant, about 45 miles out.
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.
Wright Patman Lake hunting kit
Prices change; the buttons search Amazon at the moment you click.
Amazon links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you.
Field dressing kit
Knife, saw and gloves in one pouch for the first job after the shot.
Wright Patman Lake: seven days of hunting hours
The TPWD window runs from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes past sunset, except for migratory game birds, which end right at sunset.
Times worked out for Wright Patman Lake 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.
Hunters ask about Wright Patman Lake
When is youth-only squirrel season?
Squirrel: East Texas counties Sept. 25-27, 2026, bag 10.
What does the Super Combo include?
For $68, residents get hunting and fishing licenses plus archery, upland and migratory endorsements; the federal duck stamp is extra.
What is the acreage of Wright Patman Lake?
The listed figure is 54,358 acres.
Who manages Wright Patman Lake?
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District. The ground is a Corps of Engineers lake. It runs under: USACE public hunting program.
Which game does the listing name for Wright Patman Lake?
Per the source, whitetails, feral hogs, doves, ducks and geese, squirrels, rabbits and snipe, woodcock and rails.
Which permits cover Wright Patman Lake?
No permit required to hunt (ATV access permit with Special Activity Fee); archery and muzzleloaders allowed.
What does Bowie County allow for whitetails?
Bowie County: 4 deer, 2 bucks max, 2 antlerless max. The 13 inch rule applies. Drawn hunts and area rules can be stricter.
When can I hunt doves at Wright Patman Lake?
In the Central Zone, regular season runs Sep 1 to Oct 25, 2026; confirm area dates.
Which of our town guides is closest to Wright Patman Lake?
Start from Atlanta; the area is 12 miles north. Or Linden, 21 miles away.
Is orange mandatory when gun hunting Wright Patman Lake?
Yes, when firearms are allowed: at least 400 sq in of orange, 144 front and back, and orange headwear. Exceptions include turkey, migratory birds and alligators. See the agency rules too.
Wright Patman Lake send-off notes
Every area writes its own fine print. Read the Wright Patman Lake page at the agency and carry your permits.
Other photos on this page: Shiva Shenoy (CC BY 2.0); Intermountain Region US Forest Service (Public domain); sonnia hill (CC BY 2.0); Maciej Kraus (CC BY 2.0).