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Pineywoods region
Angelina National Forest hunting
Public hunting on Angelina National Forest (153,179 acres): whitetails, feral hogs, exotics and doves, with zone dates, permits, the county deer rules and the nearest towns.
Photo: US Forest Service – Southern Region (Public domain)
The basics of Angelina National Forest
Type of ground: national forest. Manager: U.S. Forest Service (National Forests and Grasslands in Texas). Counties: Angelina, Nacogdoches, San Augustine, Jasper. The 153,179 acre figure places it 4th among 4 national forests with known acreage. From Broaddus, the nearest town we cover, the area sits around 4 miles to the northeast. Below are the 1 units that make up the hunting here.
Access is set by U.S. Forest Service (National Forests and Grasslands in Texas); see the permit section for the exact wording.
Contains TPWD's Bannister WMA.
From the source record and 3 linked sources, retrieved 2026-10-11; page checked October 11, 2026.
What you can hunt at Angelina National Forest, and when
Whitetails, feral hogs, exotics, doves, ducks and geese, squirrels, rabbits, predators, furbearers by trap and snipe, woodcock and rails are on the area list, and the season dates below are the Angelina County zone dates.
| Game | Season | Zone | Opens | Closes | Bag | 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 | 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 sets it | — | — | — | — | |
| Exotics | Area sets it | — | — | — | — | |
| Rabbits and hares | Area sets it | — | — | — | — | |
| Predators and furbearers | Area sets it | — | — | — | — | |
| Trapping (furbearers) | Area sets it | — | — | — | — |
Read the area rules too; managers of Angelina National Forest can trim these seasons or limit them to drawn permits.
For hogs, exotics, rabbits and predators, the private-land rule is no season and no limit; public areas write their own.
Zone dates and bags from the TPWD Outdoor Annual 2026-27 (Outdoor Annual) for Angelina County; area game list from the area record. Checked October 11, 2026.
Whitetail limits that apply near Angelina National Forest
Deer limits for Angelina County, the county this page uses for Angelina National Forest.
Angelina County buck and doe rules
TPWD restricts bucks in this county to spikes and other unbranched bucks or a 13 inch inside spread, one wide branched buck at most. Nov. 7-29: antlerless with a tag from the hunting license. no antlerless harvest on National Forest Service property.
2026-27 deer dates, Angelina County
| Season | Open | Close | Part of county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery Only | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 6, 2026 | All areas |
| Youth-Only | Oct 30, 2026 | Nov 1, 2026 | All areas |
| General Season | Nov 7, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | All areas |
| Muzzleloader | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | All areas |
| Youth-Only | Jan 4, 2027 | Jan 17, 2027 | All areas |
Linked units around Angelina National Forest
Rows link to each unit; distance is as the crow flies.
Units inside this area
| Unit | County | Acres | Unit no. | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bannister WMA WMA | San Augustine | 25,695 | 903 | 1 mi |
Around Angelina National Forest: towns and public areas
The map shows Angelina National Forest in orange with 8 public neighbors inside 60 miles.
Town guides close by: Broaddus (4 miles southwest, pop. 183); San Augustine (14 miles northeast, pop. 1,848); Pineland (16 miles southeast, pop. 896).
Sam Rayburn Reservoir (10 miles southwest)
Angelina County and Jasper County; 10 miles southwest. 6,000 ac.
Lake Kurth (City of Lufkin) (13 miles southwest)
The Pineywoods region; 13 miles southwest.
Moore Plantation WMA (20 miles east)
Sabine County and Jasper County; 20 miles east. 26,772 ac.
Angelina-Neches/Dam B WMA (31 miles south)
Jasper County and Tyler County; 31 miles south. 12,636 ac.
Alazan Bayou WMA (33 miles west)
Nacogdoches County and Angelina County; 33 miles west. 2,063 ac.
Town Bluff Dam and B.A. Steinhagen Lake (33 miles south)
Jasper County and Tyler County; 33 miles south. 875 ac.
Points from TPWD GIS, agency pages and public geocodes as noted in each record. Distances are straight-line. Statewide public land map.
Licenses and permits that cover Angelina National Forest
Permit facts are from TPWD and the managing agency.
The APH permit
The APH permit is required for adults 17 and older on TPWD public hunting lands, and you must hold a season hunting license to buy it. It is good on 180+ areas totaling over 1 million acres. A permitted adult 18 or older can bring hunters under 17 at no charge.
What the agency requires
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.
License and endorsements
License first: $25 for a resident, $7 for youth. For the game listed here, add free HIP plus the migratory bird endorsement and a federal duck stamp for waterfowl hunters 16 and older. Born September 2, 1971 or later? Hunter education is required.
Orange on public land
When guns are allowed in daylight, wear the orange; turkey, migratory birds and alligator are the exceptions.
Sunrise, sunset and shooting time for Angelina National Forest
Morning legal light comes 30 minutes before sunrise for every game species. In the evening, migratory birds stop at sunset and everything else 30 minutes later.
Times worked out for Angelina 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.
Outfitting a hunt in Angelina National Forest
Items matched to the species listed for this place.
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Deer feeder
Feeders are legal for deer on private land; public areas set their own rules.
Who handles game killed at Angelina National Forest
Sorted by county, nearest first.
Nearest TPWD law enforcement office: TPWD Law Enforcement Office (Beaumont) in Beaumont, about 84 miles away.
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.
Quick answers on Angelina National Forest
Is Angelina National Forest a large area?
Roughly 153,179 acres.
Which agency runs Angelina National Forest?
U.S. Forest Service (National Forests and Grasslands in Texas) runs it as a national forest. Program: National Forest System lands.
What is on the game list for Angelina National Forest?
The area lists whitetails, feral hogs, exotics, doves, ducks and geese, squirrels, rabbits, predators, furbearers by trap and snipe, woodcock and rails.
Does Angelina National Forest call for a permit beyond the license?
An APH permit ($48) on top of a Texas hunting license; under 17 hunt free with a permitted adult.
What is the deer bag near Angelina National Forest?
4 deer, 2 bucks max, 2 antlerless max in Angelina County. Antler restrictions are in force. The area can set a lower limit.
When does doves season open at Angelina National Forest?
Regular season, Sep 1 to Oct 25, 2026, under the Central Zone (Angelina County). Area rules can be shorter.
Which town makes a base for Angelina National Forest?
Broaddus sits 4 miles away (the area is northeast of it). San Augustine is next at 14 miles.
Do I need hunter orange at Angelina National Forest?
The public land rule is 400 sq in, 144 on both chest and back, orange on the head, whenever guns are in season. It does not apply to turkey, migratory bird or alligator hunting.
What time does legal light start at Angelina National Forest?
From 30 minutes before sunrise. Game animals and upland birds run to 30 minutes after sunset; migratory birds stop at sunset. Daily times are in the table above.
If Angelina National Forest is crowded, where else can I go?
Closest on the TPWD and federal lists: Bannister WMA (1 mile), Sam Rayburn Reservoir (10 miles) and Lake Kurth (City of Lufkin) (13 miles).
Angelina National Forest trip checklist
Seasons, permits and boundaries at Angelina National Forest can change during the license year. Open the official page before you load the truck.
Other photos on this page: US Forest Service – Southern Region (Public domain); US Forest Service – Southern Region (Public domain); sonnia hill (CC BY 2.0); Adrian Delgado2012 (CC BY 2.0).