What’s up everyone,

I work within a few miles from the Caddo National Grasslands and see deer there all the time! Fortunately I don’t NEED a place to hunt as I have access to hunt where I work and it is LOADED with deer! I have yet to ever kill a deer and I have this weird primal urge for my first deer to be with a compound bow. Without sounding cocky, I know I can shoot a deer, I’ve been to sniper school and can shoot pretty good, so I know shooting a deer won’t give me that same feeling as it would with my bow. My issue is, I know I won’t feel good about my self killing a deer at a feeder. I plan on having a discussion about feeders on the appropriate thread, but in my mind it just doesn’t feel right.

To end this long “going no where” post I am just looking for people’s advice or experience on hunting at the Caddo National Grasslands. How’s the hunting? Is it jam packed with hunters? How far in do people hunt? And are you allowed to hike in a few miles and camp, to hike further the next day to hunt? I apologize if these questions seem a bit ridiculous.

Thanks in advance!

Typically during the week not too many hunters. First three weekends very busy.

I don't think there's much of the Caddo NG that's more than a mile from a road. That goes for most public hunting lands in Texas.

Look at the NF forest website (google national forest and grasslands in Texas). It will give you the camping rules. Some NF properties you can only camp in designated places. I think caddo is one of them but I'm not sure. As said before, your never far from a road.

I agree with your feeder statement. I quit hunting feeders about ten years ago. I'll still spread some corn for hogs and deer on draw hunts where it is allowed but mostly I hunt NF and you can't corn there. I have nothing against it. I just wanted a different experience. The best hunting experience for deer I've had is stalking a desert mule deer. That get's pretty intense once your inside 100 yards.

Welcome to the forum and good luck.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/texas/home/?cid=STELPRDB5292305

Here is the link. Choose the order for hunting camps and look at the Caddo map. There's also a hunting information Q & A sheet in there somewhere.

Also, Caddo is in a Wildlife Management Area. This requires an Annual Hunting Permit from TPW. It's $48. Look at the link to Caddo national grasslands in the TPWD Map booklet on the recreation page for NFGT website.

I hunted the Bois D'Arc unit (901N) 11/9 thru 11/22. I saw a lot of deer sign and heard a couple blow from the heavy thickets, but didn't see one. There were a lot of hunters and an extreme amount of shots fired. Several of the hunters were just wandering around and could care less if they disturbed other hunters. ( A lot of trash left at deer stands too)

I'll continue to hunt the unit, but will focus on December and as far away from the trails that I can get.

It's a good place to hunt, but you really have to either avoid the first couple weeks or be prepared to deal with the clowns.

I have hunted this many years and was surprised it was not crowded this year. I went three times during bow season on 901S during weekdays and did not see a single hunter and only passed 0 to 1 trucks each time. I saw a group of does from 300 yards on open ground but nothing I could shoot at. Go to the TPWD website and download the KMZ for Google Maps. The boundaries have changed somewhat. Check the booklet for camping but it is limited to designated sites only. Everything is close enough to a road so no walk would be over a few miles long.