Gene Howe WMA


Phone: (806) 323-8642

Contact: Brody Larkin

Dates Open:

Open year-round, except entire area closed for special hunts

Description

The Gene Howe Wildlife Management Area GHWMA has 5,394 acres located along the Canadian River in the Northern Rolling Plains of Hemphill County. Using Pittman-Robertson funds Texas Parks and Wildlife Department purchased the first parcels in 1950 and 1951, for the purposes of wildlife management, public use, and research.

The GHWMA is comprised of roughly two-thirds sandsage/midgrass rangeland and one third cottonwood/tallgrass bottomland. Common plant species in the sandsage/midgrass habitat type include sandsage brush, sand plum, fragrant sumac, little bluestem, sand bluestem, and blue grama. Dominant plants found in the cottonwood/tallgrass habitat type include eastern cottonwood, netleaf hackberry, black locust, big bluestem, switchgrass, indiangrass, and alkali sacaton. Numerous wildlife species occur on the GHWMA, including bobwhite quail, scaled quail, Rio Grande turkey, lesser prairie-chicken, white-tailed deer, mule deer, coyote, bobcat, black-tailed jackrabbit, raccoon, eastern cottontail, black-tailed prairie dog, feral hog, burrowing owl, Mississippi kite, Texas horned lizard, mourning dove, prairie rattlesnake, and western massasauga rattlesnake.

Students, teachers, and scientists use the GHWMA for instructional, educational, and research purposes. Do not disturb any markings, flags, traps, etc. that you encounter, as this may affect results.

white-tailed doe and fawns

White-tailed Doe and Fawns at the Gene Howe WMA

Please Note
  • Camping is primitive.
  • Bring your own drinking water.
  • Please contact in advance to make sure that WMA is available for equestrial activities.
  • All visitors must register upon arrival at the registration building (open 24 hours) and check out when leaving.
  • Not wheelchair accessible.