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Fannin County · Dallas/Ft. Worth
Caddo National Grassland hunting
Everything we could verify about Caddo National Grassland: access, acreage, game list, season dates and the ground nearby.
Photo: greg westfall. (CC BY 2.0)
Caddo National Grassland in brief, for hunters
In Fannin County, Caddo National Grassland is a national grassland under U.S. Forest Service (National Forests and Grasslands in Texas). At 17,727 acres it is the 3rd largest of the 4 national grasslands that report a size. Of the towns with a guide on this site, Bonham is closest: the map point is about 16 miles northeast of it. The area divides into 1 hunt units.
U.S. Forest Service (National Forests and Grasslands in Texas) sets the access rules; they are quoted in full in the permit section below.
Contains TPWD's Caddo National Grasslands WMA.
From the source record and 3 linked sources, retrieved 2026-10-11; page checked October 11, 2026.
Game and season dates at Caddo National Grassland
The source lists whitetails, feral hogs, turkey, doves, ducks and geese, quail, squirrels, rabbits, predators and snipe, woodcock and rails for this ground. Dates follow the Fannin 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 | |
| Turkey | Spring season | East Zone (North of US 82) | Apr 22, 2027 | May 14, 2027 | 1 gobbler | |
| Dove | Regular Season | North Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Nov 8, 2026 | 15 a day | |
| Dove | Regular Season | North Zone | Dec 18, 2026 | Jan 7, 2027 | 15 a day | |
| Dove | Falconry | North 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 | |
| Quail | Regular Season | Statewide | Nov 1, 2026 | Feb 28, 2027 | 15 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 | — | — | — | — | |
| Predators and furbearers | Set by area | — | — | — | — |
Caddo National Grassland 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 Fannin County; area game list from the area record. Checked October 11, 2026.
How Caddo National Grassland fits with nearby units
Each row links to that unit’s own page; miles are straight-line.
Unit list
| Unit | Where | Acres | Code | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caddo National Grasslands WMA WMA | Fannin | 16,140 | — | 1 mi |
Caddo National Grassland permit, license and orange rules
What you need in your pocket, card by card.
Annual Public Hunting permit
Hunters 17 and over carry the APH permit here. A season hunting license comes first. One permit covers more than 1 million acres across 180-plus areas. Kids under 17 need no permit when with a permitted adult 18+.
Agency requirements
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.
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 upland bird endorsement. Hunter ed is required from the September 2, 1971 birth date forward.
Wear orange
The orange rule runs during daylight when firearms are allowed on the area. It does not apply to turkey, waterfowl and dove, or alligator hunters.
Fannin County deer listing for Caddo National Grassland hunters
Texas sets deer bags county by county; this is the Fannin County version that applies around Caddo National Grassland.
Fannin 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.
Fannin 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 Caddo National Grassland
8 more public areas lie within 60 miles; the orange pin is Caddo National Grassland.
Covered towns within reach: Bonham (16 miles to the southwest); Paris (26 miles to the east); Cooper (31 miles to the southeast).
Caddo National Grasslands WMA, Bois d'Arc Unit (2 miles east)
WMA unit, 2 miles east, Fannin County. 13,360 ac.
Bois d'Arc Lake Public Hunting Lands (9 miles southwest)
Public hunting land, 9 miles southwest, Fannin County. 5,305 ac.
Caddo National Grasslands WMA, Ladonia Unit (22 miles south)
WMA unit, 22 miles south, Fannin County.
Rattan Community (24 miles southeast)
APH lease, 24 miles southeast, Delta County. 1,753 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 Caddo National Grassland: 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 71 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.
Caddo National Grassland 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.
Caddo National Grassland: 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 Caddo National Grassland 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 Caddo National Grassland
What does Fannin County allow for whitetails?
Fannin 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 Caddo National Grassland?
In the North Zone, regular season runs Sep 1 to Nov 8, 2026; confirm area dates.
Which of our town guides is closest to Caddo National Grassland?
Start from Bonham; the area is 16 miles northeast. Or Paris, 26 miles away.
Is orange mandatory when gun hunting Caddo National Grassland?
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.
When does shooting end at Caddo National Grassland?
Shooting opens 30 minutes before sunrise; it ends at sunset for migratory birds and 30 minutes after for other game.
Which public areas neighbor Caddo National Grassland?
Close by are Caddo National Grasslands WMA (1 mile), Caddo National Grasslands WMA, Bois d'Arc Unit (2 miles) and Bois d'Arc Lake Public Hunting Lands (9 miles).
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.
Is hunter education required for adults?
For adults born on or after September 2, 1971, yes, unless they buy the deferral and hunt accompanied.
Who manages Caddo National Grassland?
U.S. Forest Service (National Forests and Grasslands in Texas). The ground is a national grassland. It runs under: National Forest System lands.
When is youth-only turkey season?
Turkey: Fall: Oct. 30 – Nov. 1, 2026 plus Jan. 4-17 (North) / Jan. 18-31 (South), 2027.
Caddo National Grassland send-off notes
Every area writes its own fine print. Read the Caddo National Grassland page at the agency and carry your permits.
Other photos on this page: ZionNPS (CC BY 2.0); USFWSmidwest (Public domain); US Forest Service – Southern Region (Public domain); daveynin (CC BY 2.0).