Fort Worth District
Lakes and Recreation Menu
Hunting at Wright Patman Lake
2024-2025 Fort Worth District Hunting Guide
For the Wright Patman Lake Mobile Hunting Map, scan the QR code below with your smart phone.
To access the Wright Patman Lake Mobile Hunting Map on your computer, click HERE
All hunting access roads are open for season.
Wright Patman Lake offers more than 54,358 acres of federally owned property for excellent hunting opportunities. In addition, Wright Patman Lake covers 20,300 water surface acres which provides some of the best waterfowl hunting habitat in East Texas. No permit is required to hunt, but all rules must be followed to ensure the safety of all our visitors. Some of the legal game found on Wright Patman Lake includes: white-tailed deer, eastern wild turkey, squirrel, feral hogs, dove, and many species of waterfowl. The Corps has constructed and maintains hunting access roads, primitive campsites, and primitive boat ramps. There are approximately 20 miles of all weather access roads, most of which are open during hunting seasons only and are closed to vehicle traffic from 15 January – 15 September. More than 30 primitive campsites are available at various Hunting Areas including: Flatwoods, Bassett Creek, Corley, and Mud Lake. Finally, five primitive boat ramps (constructed of gravel) are available for use at the Basset Creek picnic table area, Glenn Mills crossing, Flatwoods hunting area, Corley hunting area, and at the end of Bowie County Road 4128 (also know as Monument Road).
Rules For Wright Patman Lake
All Terrain Vehicle (A.T.V.) and Utility Terrain Vehicle (U.T.V.)
1. An A.T.V. (4-wheeler) or U.T.V. (side by sides) that fit through the
designated entrance (120” long, 60” wide, 78” high and a maximum of
1,500 pounds) will be allowed into the area with a permit.
2.
Operating ATV’s on wildlife food plots or beyond recognizable
gates and barricades is strictly prohibited.
2. Hunters must obey all state and federal hunting regulations.
3. All hunters operating A.T.V.'s or U.T.V.’s must possess an “A.T.V.
Rider Certification Permit”. (Available at all A.T.V. dealers)
4.
Only the specified carrying capacity per A.T.V. or U.T.V. will
be allowed.
5. Check in/out stations have been constructed at the entrance of each
management area. These are the only entrance and exit points allowed. A
check in slip will be filled out prior to entering the area and this
slip will be kept on the person and turned in at the station, at the end
of the hunt.
6.
Only portable non-bark penetrating tree stands will be allowed.
They must be at least three hundred (300) feet from all trails
and road
s.
7. Hunters may access these areas by walking, horseback or boat without
a permit.
8. All A.T.V. and U.T.V. vehicles are required to stay on designated
trails with the exception of physically impaired operators who will be
allowed to ride an A.T.V. or U.T.V. to a stand or use the A.T.V. or
U.T.V. as a stationary stand, a minimum distance of
three hundred (300) feet
from all roads or trails.
With the only exception being no vehicles will be allowed to
operate a motor vehicle on wildlife food plots or around
recognizable barricades and gates
. All physically impaired persons must possess a physician’s statement
certifying that they meet the criteria for a permanent ambulatory
disability.
9. Trails may be closed by the use of red flexible posts installed at
the entrance of the trail.
10. The use of an A.T.V. or U.T.V. within these hunting areas is for
transportation only, fast or excessive riding is strictly prohibited.
11. All A.T.V. or U.T.V. hunters must check out of the management area
within 30 minutes after dark.
12. Rifles, shotguns (with slugs only), muzzleloaders, and archery
equipment may be used.
13. All firearms must be unloaded while operating A.T.V.'s.
14. Hunters operating an A.T.V. or U.T.V. must contact lake headquarters
for details regarding the sale of A.T.V. or U.T.V. hunting access
permits, before entering either management area. Contact Lake
Headquarters at (903) 838-8781.
***Flooding is a natural event and flood control is a vital mission for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Wright Patman Lake.
Clear Springs ATV
Archery: Sep. 14 - Nov. 3, 2023 (Closed Oct. 27 - 29, 2023 for special event hunt)
Gun 1: Nov. 4 - Dec. 8, 2023
Gun 2: (w/ muzzleloader): Dec. 9, 2023 - Jan. 14, 2024
Big Creek ATV
Archery: Sep. 14 - Nov. 3, 2023
Gun 1: Nov. 4 - Dec. 8, 2023
Gun 2: (w/ muzzleloader): Dec. 9, 2023 - Jan. 14, 2024
Please contact the Project Office at (903)838-8781 or email during mid summer for updated details.
Clear Springs Park
64 Clear Springs
Park
Texarkana, Texas
75501
(903)
838-8781, (903) 832-6396 (fax)
Counties: Bowie / Cass
Acreage: 54,358 acres
Corps
Permit: Yes, ATV permit
www.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/wrightpatman/
Administration:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Legal Game:
Mourning dove, squirrel, rabbits, waterfowl, feral hog and
white-tailed deer.
Season:
As published in the Texas Outdoor Annual for these counties.
Muzzleloaders and Crossbows:
Yes, for white-tailed deer and feral hogs only.
Special Restrictions
- Hunters (and anyone accompanying the hunter) must wear at least 400 square inches of hunter orange material (144 square inches on both chest and back) when hunting and are also required to wear some type of orange head wear.
- Hunters exempt from the hunter orange requirements are: Persons hunting deer or feral hogs during the archery only season, persons hunting squirrels outside of the deer firearms season, and persons hunting waterfowl, or migratory birds (except dove hunters during concurrent hunts for quail).
- Rifles are authorized for hunting in most areas.
- For all areas due east of US Highway 59, hunting for deer or feral hogs is restricted to shotguns with slugs and legal archery equipment.
- Primitive Camping and Hunting Access Road maps showing emphasized No Hunting Areas are available at the Project Office and all park gate houses.
- Hunting or shooting within 600 feet of homes, developed parks, roads, fishing piers or platforms, concentrated livestock areas with holding pens, the outlet structure, the emergency spillway, or other lands and water areas posted by the Corps of Engineers is prohibited.
- Tree stands are restricted to portable non-bark penetrating stands only; they are only to be left for periods of 72 consecutive hours or less and must be clearly marked with the owner’s name, address, telephone number, and date of placement.
- All-terrain vehicle (ATV) use is prohibited, except by permit only in the Clear Springs and Big Creek Wildlife Management Areas (encompassing 3,700 acres).
- Permits will be distributed at the Clear Springs Park gate house on Sep. 9, 2023, beginning at 9:00 AM on a first come-first serve basis.
- Only one permit per person per season will be allowed.
- All individuals purchasing a permit MUST provide proof (certificate) at the time of purchase showing that the individual has completed a certified ATV safety course.
- Permits are $20 each. Payment can be made by credit/debit card only.
- Due to special hunting events, the Clear Springs Wildlife Management area will be closed to all but the participants in the events from Oct. 27 - 29, 2023.
- Baiting for white-tailed deer and feral hogs, by the use of corn, is allowed by hand spreading or small bucket type hanging feeders.
- Nutria, a non-native, invasive species, may be harvested during daylight hours of any designated hunting season by shotgun (using #4 non-toxic shot or larger) or archery equipment (using an arrow retrieval system). A trapper's license is required to take or attempt to take nutria, except that a person who possesses a hunting license may take and possess nutria, provided the nutria (or any part thereof) is not to be sold. Reasonable efforts must be taken to retrieve harvested nutria and remove them from the lake, and Government property, upon the end of the hunt.
- Hunting of eastern wild turkey is not allowed at Wright Patman Lake.
Special Restrictions for Bow Fishing
Bow fishing will not be allowed within 600 feet of a developed park, roadway, fishing pier, fishing platform, or at any other areas posted at the project. Bow fishing is prohibited within the outlet structure and emergency spillway areas with no exceptions. Bow fishing will be allowed in those areas east of US Highway 59 below the spillway on the Sulphur River and in remote locations on Wright Patman Lake.
For additional information on hunting opportunities and regulations on Fort Worth District Corps of Engineers properties, please refer to the 2024-2025 Fort Worth District Hunting Guide