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Wildlife refuge · Harrison County
Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge hunting
Who runs it, what it costs to hunt, which seasons apply for whitetails, feral hogs and squirrels, and where the closest public tracts and towns are.
Photo: sonnia hill (CC BY 2.0)
Caddo Lake NWR: size, manager and access
Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge falls in the TPWD Pineywoods hunting region and is a national wildlife refuge with a hunt program in Harrison County. By acreage (8,602) it sits at number 13 of 16 national wildlife refuges in the data. Nearest town guide: Jefferson, 14 miles off; the area is southeast of there.
Full agency access wording sits in the permits band.
From the source record and 6 linked sources, retrieved 2026-10-11; page checked October 11, 2026.
Season windows for Caddo Lake NWR game
Listed game here runs to 3 groups: whitetails, feral hogs and squirrels. Texas zones split many of these, so the rows are for Harrison 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 | |
| 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 | |
| Feral hogs | Area rules | — | — | — | — |
These are statewide zone dates. Caddo Lake NWR 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 Harrison County; area game list from the area record. Checked October 11, 2026.
Where Caddo Lake NWR sits, with neighbors
7 public tracts within a 60 mile radius, plus Caddo Lake NWR itself in orange.
Closest towns we cover: Jefferson 14 miles northwest, 1,996 people; Marshall 16 miles southwest, 24,263 people; Linden 27 miles northwest, 1,812 people.
Sabine River Authority Unit 630 (46 miles south)
Public hunting land 46 miles off to the south. 7,484 ac.
Points from TPWD GIS, agency pages and public geocodes as noted in each record. Distances are straight-line. Statewide public land map.
Caddo Lake NWR: 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
Archery deer seasons need a signed General Refuge Hunting Permit plus the TPWD Annual Public Hunting Permit ($48) and check-in; firearms and youth deer hunts are by TPWD drawing ($80 permit for adults). Listed in TPWD's APH booklet as unit 509 (deer, feral hog, squirrel).
What to buy first
Every hunter needs a Texas hunting license ($25 resident). Given the species here, also carry an archery stamp for bow-only hunts. 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 Harrison County side of Caddo Lake NWR
County deer rules from TPWD for Harrison County, with county facts for context.
Deer rules for Harrison 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.
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 |
Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge: dinners, hunts and competitions
Youth hunts: 1 upcoming date. Retrieved October 11, 2026.
Next up
| Day | Listing | Location | Go |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 5-8, 2026 | National Refuge Youth Deer – Caddo Lake NWR · drawn youth-only hunt | Caddo Lake NWR, Harrison County | Drawing page |
Game seasons that reach Harrison 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 Harrison 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.
Caddo Lake NWR: what goes in the truck
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Caddo Lake NWR 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 Caddo Lake NWR 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 Caddo Lake NWR
County listings lead; neighbors follow.
Game wardens closest to this area work out of TPWD Law Enforcement Office (Mount Pleasant) in Mount Pleasant (59 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 Caddo Lake NWR
What is Caddo Lake NWR?
National wildlife refuge with a hunt program, under U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Program: National Wildlife Refuge hunt program.
What size is Caddo Lake NWR?
It covers 8,602 acres on the record.
Is Caddo Lake NWR open with just a hunting license?
You need the APH permit ($48) and a hunting license.
Can anyone walk on and hunt Caddo Lake NWR?
Some slots are limited. Archery deer seasons need a signed General Refuge Hunting Permit plus the TPWD Annual Public Hunting Permit ($48) and check-in; firearms and youth deer hunts are by TPWD drawing ($80 permit for adults). Listed in TPWD's APH booklet as unit 509 (deer, feral hog, squirrel).
What animals are hunted on Caddo Lake NWR?
The listing names whitetails, feral hogs and squirrels.
What 2026-27 dates apply to whitetails at Caddo Lake NWR?
The North Zone sets it: Nov 7, 2026 to Jan 3, 2027 (general season). Check the area for any shorter dates.
How many deer can I take around Caddo Lake NWR?
County bag (Harrison): 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 Caddo Lake NWR?
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 Caddo Lake NWR?
Base in Jefferson, 14 miles off to the southeast. Also near: Marshall (16 miles).
Name some public ground close to Caddo Lake NWR.
Within reach: Caddo Lake WMA (5 miles), Lake O' the Pines (32 miles) and Atlanta State Park (39 miles).
Last checks for Caddo Lake NWR
The managing agency has the final word on Caddo Lake NWR. Check its page and the TPWD county listing the week of your hunt.
Other photos on this page: DaPuglet (CC BY-SA 2.0); Joe Mabel (CC BY-SA 4.0); Maciej Kraus (CC BY 2.0); Adrian Delgado2012 (CC BY 2.0).