National Wildlife Refuge · Texas · FWS Region 2

Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge Hunting & Fishing Guide 2026–27

Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge lies in Harrison County, Texas, with about 8,118 acres of land owned in fee by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For the 2026–2027 season the refuge has 12 mapped hunt units: 11 open with special regulations and 1 closed, covering about 6,940 huntable acres.

11 with special regs1 closedPermit required
View hunt map Directions Official hunting page ↗
12hunt units
6.9Khuntable acres
8.1KFWS-owned acres
3game categories

Caddo Lake NWR hunt unit map

Hunt units are colored by 2026–2027 status. Toggle layers for FWS-owned land, the approved refuge boundary and private easements. Use satellite imagery to scout marshes, timber edges and access points.

Loading interactive map…
OpenSpecial regulationsClosedFWS-owned landWPA (public)Refuge boundaryEasement (private) Tip: switch to Satellite or USGS Topo in the layer menu · click the map for GPS coordinates
Take it into the field: KML (Google Earth / onX) GPX waypoints GeoJSON

Hunting at Caddo Lake NWR

Hunting opportunities include big game, small game, and feral & exotic, subject to state seasons and refuge-specific rules. A refuge permit is required for at least some activities, in addition to your state license.

Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge, once part of the Longhorn Army Ammunition Plant, was acquired by a coalition of organizations. Wildlife and vegetation are coming back as its lands and waters are restored.

Big GameWhite-tailed and mule deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and other large mammalsSmall GameSquirrel, rabbit, hare, raccoon, opossum and other small mammalsFeral & ExoticFeral hogs and other non-native species where refuge rules allow

Categories are those listed by USFWS for this station; exact species, seasons and bag limits follow Texas regulations plus refuge-specific rules.

Hunt units (12)

Acreage by status
Special regulations: 6,940 (87%)Closed: 1,004 (13%)6.9Khuntable acres
  • Special regulations6,940 ac 87%
  • Closed1,004 ac 13%
Units by size (acres)
Closed
1,004 ac
5
997 ac
4
959 ac
9
814 ac
10
672 ac
12
620 ac
11
521 ac
1
520 ac
7
472 ac
8
470 ac
2
466 ac
6
429 ac
UnitStatusAcresPermitDetails
1
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 520 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Free hunting brochure needs to be signed and in your possession.
2
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 466 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Free hunting brochure needs to be signed and in your possession.
4
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 959 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Free hunting brochure needs to be signed and in your possession.
5
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 997 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Free hunting brochure needs to be signed and in your possession.
6
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 429 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Free hunting brochure needs to be signed and in your possession.
7
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 472 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Free hunting brochure needs to be signed and in your possession.
8
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 470 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Free hunting brochure needs to be signed and in your possession.
9
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 814 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Free hunting brochure needs to be signed and in your possession.
10
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 672 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Free hunting brochure needs to be signed and in your possession.
11
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 521 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Free hunting brochure needs to be signed and in your possession.
12
Show on map · Directions		 Special regs 620 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Free hunting brochure needs to be signed and in your possession.
Closed
Show on map · Directions		 Closed 1,004 Required
Signed Brochure or Similar		 Free hunting brochure needs to be signed and in your possession.

Caddo Lake NWR by the numbers

With about 6,940 huntable acres, Caddo Lake NWR ranks #12 of 16 refuges and stations with mapped hunting land in Texas and #233 of 420 nationwide. Roughly 87% of the acreage inside its mapped hunt units is open to hunting in some form.

The largest huntable unit is 5 (997 acres, special regulations), while the smallest, 6, covers 429 acres. Every huntable unit requires a refuge permit.

1 unit totaling 1,004 acres is closed to hunting (Closed). Closed areas often serve as sanctuaries — learn their boundaries before you set up nearby.

When to hunt Caddo Lake NWR

Typical U.S. season windows for the game categories offered here. Texas sets the exact dates, and refuges often open fewer days than the statewide season — use this to plan scouting, then confirm the 2026–2027 dates in the state regulations and the refuge hunt brochure.

Typical season windows — Big Game, Small Game, Feral & Exotic
AugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarAprMayJun
🦌 Big Game
Archery deerFirearm deer
🐇 Small Game
Squirrel & rabbit
🐗 Feral & Exotic
Feral hog (often year-round)

Permits & licenses

Refuge permit

Required

Free hunting brochure needs to be signed and in your possession.

Type: Signed Brochure or Similar

How to get it:

  • 🪧 Kiosk at the refuge
  • 💻 Online (FWS)
  • 📋 Other (see refuge)
  • 🏛️ Refuge visitor center / office

You'll also need

  • A valid Texas hunting license and any required tags or stamps — Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
  • Hunter education certification where your state requires it
  • The current refuge hunt brochure / regulations (often must be signed and carried)

Fishing at Caddo Lake NWR

USFWS does not list fishing opportunities for Caddo Lake NWR.

How to get to Caddo Lake NWR

Navigate

Destination: Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge (FWS reference point)

Google Maps Apple Maps Waze
Decimal
32.65879, -94.13770
DMS
32°39′31.6″N 94°08′15.7″W

Download for GPS / onX / Google Earth:KMLGPX

Nearest towns

  • Shreveport, LA24 mi W of town
  • Texarkana, AR54 mi S of town
  • Tyler, TX71 mi E of town
  • El Dorado, AR93 mi SW of town

Closest airports

  • SHV Shreveport Regional23 mi
  • DFW Dallas/Fort Worth169 mi

Straight-line distances. Driving routes are longer; many refuge roads are gravel and may close seasonally.

The navigation point is the station reference location published by USFWS — often the headquarters or main entrance. For a specific hunt unit, open its page or click it on the map for coordinates and parking planning.

Sunrise, sunset & shooting hours

Today at Caddo Lake NWR

Legal light*–
Sunrise–
Sunset–

*½ hour before sunrise — the standard federal shooting-hour start for migratory game birds. Times in Chicago local time.

Full season calculator →

2026–2027 season sun table

DateShooting lightSunriseSunsetDaylight
Tue, Sep 1, 20266:20 AM6:50 AM7:43 PM12h 52m
Tue, Sep 15, 20266:29 AM6:59 AM7:24 PM12h 25m
Thu, Oct 1, 20266:39 AM7:09 AM7:02 PM11h 53m
Thu, Oct 15, 20266:49 AM7:19 AM6:44 PM11h 26m
Sun, Nov 1, 20266:03 AM6:33 AM5:26 PM10h 54m
Sun, Nov 15, 20266:16 AM6:46 AM5:16 PM10h 31m
Tue, Dec 1, 20266:30 AM7:00 AM5:11 PM10h 11m
Tue, Dec 15, 20266:40 AM7:10 AM5:12 PM10h 01m
Fri, Jan 1, 20276:48 AM7:18 AM5:20 PM10h 02m
Fri, Jan 15, 20276:48 AM7:18 AM5:31 PM10h 13m
Mon, Feb 1, 20276:41 AM7:11 AM5:47 PM10h 36m

Computed for 32.659, -94.138 (CDT / DST-aware). Check state rules — big game hours vary.

7-day hunting weather

Loading National Weather Service forecast…

Forecast from the National Weather Service. Wind direction matters — plan your approach downwind of where game beds.

Guides for hunting Caddo Lake NWR

Deer Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges: Quota Hunts, Archery Units and Stand Rules

How refuge deer hunts work — lotteries and quota permits, archery-only and muzzleloader units, tree-stand rules…

Your First Public-Land Hunt: A Step-by-Step Checklist for New Hunters

Hunter education, licenses, choosing a first species, gear, practice, scouting with maps and what to expect on your…

Feral Hog Hunting on National Wildlife Refuges

Why many refuges allow — and encourage — feral hog hunting, how refuge rules handle hogs, safe shot placement, disease…

Refuge Hunting Permits: Types, Lotteries & How to Apply

Signed brochures, quota permits, special use permits and where to get them — online, kiosk, mail or visitor center.

How to Read a Refuge Hunt Brochure (and Not Miss the Rule That Matters)

What's inside a National Wildlife Refuge hunt brochure, where to find it, how it relates to 50 CFR Part 32 and state…

Hunting Safety on Public Land: Cold Water, Tree Stands, Crowds and Weather

The safety habits that matter most on refuges and WPAs — firearm rules, blaze orange, tree-stand harnesses, cold-water…

Caddo Lake NWR FAQ

Is hunting allowed at Caddo Lake NWR?

Yes. Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge offers hunting in 11 units (6,940 acres) during 2026–2027 for big game, small game, and feral & exotic. Seasons follow state regulations plus refuge-specific rules in 50 CFR Part 32.

Do I need a permit to hunt Caddo Lake NWR?

Yes — Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge requires a refuge permit for some or all hunting. Permit type: Signed Brochure or Similar. Permits can be obtained kiosk, online through fws, other, or visitor center. You also need the appropriate state hunting license and, for waterfowl, a Federal Duck Stamp.

Where is Caddo Lake NWR located?

Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge is in Harrison County, Texas, about 24 miles W of Shreveport, LA (straight-line). GPS: 32.65879, -94.13770.

What are legal shooting hours at Caddo Lake NWR?

Migratory game bird shooting hours are generally one-half hour before sunrise to sunset; big game and other seasons follow state rules. See the sunrise/sunset table on this page and confirm in the refuge hunt brochure.

Nearby refuges & public land

Pond Creek NWR

Sevier County, AR · 83 mi N

2 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐇🐗🎣

28.4K huntable acres

Natchitoches NFH

Natchitoches Parish, LA · 89 mi SE

1 closed
No hunting listed

Neches River NWR

Cherokee County, TX · 93 mi SW

7 special1 closed
🦌🦆🐇🐗

9.8K huntable acres

Little River NWR

McCurtain County, OK · 94 mi N

6 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐇🐗🎣

14.1K huntable acres

Red River NWR

Natchitoches Parish, LA · 110 mi SE

1 special1 closed
🦌🦆🦃🐦🕊️🐇🐗🎣

10.9K huntable acres

D'Arbonne NWR

Ouachita Parish, LA · 112 mi E

3 special
🦌🦆🕊️🐇🐗🎣

17.6K huntable acres

All refuges in Texas →

Data: USFWS National Hunt Units 2026–2027, Hunting & Fishing Opportunities, Realty Boundaries & Tracts. Page updated October 28, 2026.