Bois d'Arc Lake Public Hunting Land: public hunting, 2026-27 seasons and access
Bois d'Arc Lake Public Hunting Land is 5,305 acres of public hunting land in Fannin County, Texas, TPWD unit #602. Adults hunt it on the $48 Annual Public Hunting Permit and register on site each day, in the Texas Hunt & Fish app (eOSR). TPWD's 2026-27 map booklet lists waterfowl and rail, gallinule, and moorhen as legal game here.
Data updated October 2026. Seasons and rules: TPWD's 2026-27 Map Booklet for Public Hunting Lands. Boundaries: TPWD's Public Hunt Locator map.
This areaOther public hunting landNo hunting zoneCounty lineLake or riverHighway
| TPWD unit | #602 |
|---|---|
| Size | 5,305 acres (TPWD booklet); 5,299 acres mapped |
| County | Fannin County |
| Permit | Annual Public Hunting Permit ($48), eOSR registration each day |
| Owned by | North Texas Municipal Water District |
| Legal game listed | Waterfowl and Rail, Gallinule, and Moorhen |
| Deer | No deer season for walk-in hunters in the booklet |
| White-tailed deer unit | TPWD unit 18 |
| Towns | Bonham (3 mi), Dodd City (4 mi) and Windom (6 mi) |
| Highways | US 82, TX 78 (1.4 mi), TX 121 (1.8 mi) and TX 56 (1.8 mi) |
What can you hunt on Bois d'Arc Lake Public Hunting Land in 2026-27?
TPWD's 2026-27 booklet lists 2 legal game entries for Bois d'Arc Lake Public Hunting Land, none of them deer. Every line below is TPWD's own wording.
| Species or season | What TPWD's 2026-27 booklet says |
|---|---|
| Waterfowl | Each day of the Early Teal, North Zone Duck, Falconry and Eastern Zone Goose seasons. Shooting hours - one half hour before sunrise to noon. |
| Rail, Gallinule, and Moorhen | May be taken during the open seasons and falconry season for these species. Shooting hours - one half hour before sunrise to noon. |
Youth and special seasons
- Youth and Veteran/Active-Duty Military Only Waterfowl Season: See TPWD Outdoor Annual for Special Season information and regulations. Shooting hours end at noon.
What are the rules on Bois d'Arc Lake Public Hunting Land?
- Permit and registration: OSR Required Each Day. Only adult hunters are required to have a current APH permit. Youth hunters are required to be accompanied by a permitted adult.
- Rule: Waterfowl Hunting Only Area: Hunting is restricted to the water surface of Bois d' Arc Lake as identified on area maps. Hunters must remain within the existing water's edge. Waterfowl are the only legal species that may be hunted. All hunting is prohibited within 200 yards of occupied structures, boat ramps, and NTMWD area offices. Construction of permanent duck blinds is prohibited.
- Means restrictions: Firearms are restricted to shotguns with no larger than #2 non-toxic shot.
- Special regulations: Hunting is only allowed west of the FM 897 bridge. No hunting allowed east of the FM 897 bridge or west of County Road 2610 between the bridge and Lake Bonham Dam. Hunting is only allowed within the existing water's edge. No vehicular traffic across or on the shoreline for access or hunting is allowed. No hunting for upland game animals or game birds on NTMWD property. See Prohibited Acts for further restrictions.
- Note: Only adult hunters are required to have a current APH permit. Youth hunters are required to be accompanied by a permitted adult.
- Rule: Littoral Wetlands Unit, No Motorized Watercraft
Source: TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet for Public Hunting Lands, unit #602 (PDF).
Which parts of Bois d'Arc Lake Public Hunting Land are closed or limited?
TPWD's map of Bois d'Arc Lake Public Hunting Land marks no hunting zones and hunting compartments (open to hunting). No hunting zones are closed to all hunting. Hunting compartments are the numbered blocks hunters register for and hunt. Measured inside the boundary from TPWD's own polygons:
| Zone | Acres | Share of Bois d'Arc Lake Public Hunting Land |
|---|---|---|
| No hunting zones | 37 | 0.7% |
| Hunting compartments (open to hunting) | 5,262 | 99.3% |
Measured by FilledTag from TPWD's Public Hunt Locator map. Posted signs and the booklet's map are the final word on the ground.
How do you get to Bois d'Arc Lake Public Hunting Land?
Bois d'Arc Lake Public Hunting Land lies in Fannin County. Nearest towns: Bonham (3 miles), Dodd City (4 miles), Windom (6 miles) and Ravenna (6 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 82 (it crosses or touches the area), TX 78 (1.4 miles), TX 121 (1.8 miles) and TX 56 (1.8 miles). Water nearby: Lake Bonham.
TPWD's map points for Bois d'Arc Lake Public Hunting Land: 1 headquarters/office, 3 boat ramps and 3 designated access points.
Which deer management unit is Bois d'Arc Lake Public Hunting Land in?
Bois d'Arc Lake Public Hunting Land lies in TPWD white-tailed deer management unit 18. TPWD publishes its harvest survey statewide; across Texas in 2025-26 it estimates 714,424 white-tailed deer hunters took 782,405 deer. The page on Texas public hunting has the statewide table.
Units: TPWD white-tailed deer management units. Harvest: TPWD Big Game Harvest Survey, 2025-26.
What other public hunting is near Bois d'Arc Lake Public Hunting Land?
The closest other places on the Annual Public Hunting Permit with a page of their own, measured edge to edge:
| Area | County | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Caddo National Grasslands WMA | Fannin | 1.7 mi |
| Pat Mayse WMA | Lamar | 21 mi |
| Cooper WMA | Delta and Hopkins | 25.7 mi |
| Cooper Lake State Park South Sulphur Unit | Hopkins | 31.5 mi |
| Tawakoni WMA | Hunt and Van Zandt | 41.9 mi |
TPWD also leases 8 dove and small game areas within 40 miles, the nearest Crossroads Farm (130 acres, 3.8 mi), South Muddig (292.71 acres, 19.4 mi) and Rattan Community (1,753 acres, 19.7 mi). All of them are on the Texas dove leases page.
Questions hunters ask
Do you need a permit to hunt Bois d'Arc Lake Public Hunting Land?
Yes. Hunters 17 and older need the $48 Annual Public Hunting Permit along with a Texas hunting license; hunters under 17 may hunt free with a permitted adult. TPWD's booklet adds: OSR Required Each Day. Only adult hunters are required to have a current APH permit. Youth hunters are required to be accompanied by a permitted adult.
Can you hunt deer on Bois d'Arc Lake Public Hunting Land?
Not on the Annual Public Hunting Permit: TPWD's 2026-27 booklet lists no deer season here.
Can you camp on Bois d'Arc Lake Public Hunting Land?
TPWD's 2026-27 booklet prints no camping rules for Bois d'Arc Lake Public Hunting Land. Ask the area office before planning to stay overnight.
Where is Bois d'Arc Lake Public Hunting Land?
Bois d'Arc Lake Public Hunting Land is in Fannin County. The nearest towns: Bonham (3 miles), Dodd City (4 miles) and Windom (6 miles). Highways nearby: US 82, TX 78 and TX 121.
Get a Texas hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Texas are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Texas included.
Where these facts come from
- Legal game, dates, rules, permits and closures: TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet for Public Hunting Lands, unit #602.
- Boundaries, zones and map points: TPWD Public Hunt Locator map. Acres and distances measured by FilledTag.
- Counties, highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 and Gazetteer. Lakes and rivers: USGS National Hydrography Dataset.
FilledTag is not part of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. TPWD's booklet and posted signs are the final word on every rule; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
Texas public hunting Fannin County Caddo National Grasslands WMA Pat Mayse WMA Cooper WMA