This section is about The Pat Mayse Wildlife Management Area (WMA) only.

The WMA consists of 8,925 acres located in the Post Oak Savannah Ecological Region on the western edge of the Pat Mayse Reservoir in northern Lamar County. Approximately 11 miles northwest of Paris, the area has no buildings or resident staff. The Pat Mayse Wildlife Management Area contains approximately 1,500 surface acres of water, 2,500 acres of abandoned fields and 4,925 acres of hardwood timber. The land area is composed of approximately 1,000 acres of bottomlands and 6,500 acres of uplands. There are three permanently flowing streams on the Pat Mayse Wildlife Management Area: Sanders Creek, Craddock Creek and Sand Branch as well as many small water impoundments scattered throughout the area. Many of the Interior roads consist of logging trails and require a four-wheel drive vehicle to navigate them. ATV use is prohibited.

The primary utilization of the Pat Mayse WMA is for public hunting lands.

Beginning October 5, 2020, the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Weston Solutions Inc. will be conducting an ordnance remediation project on the area, and may include the use of ATVs, UTVs, tractors, rotary cutters, or chainsaws. Please be aware of your surroundings and obey all posted signage and verbal commands from USACE staff and contractors.

Many Texas Wildlife Management Areas are open for activities such as biking, primitive camping, birding, fishing, hiking, equestrian activities, driving tours, and wildlife viewing.

Many times you need minimally a Texas Limited Public Use Permit (LPU - #175). You can purchase a Limited Public Use Permit or Annual Public Hunting Permit at any location that sells hunting licenses or at the Texas License Connection. If purchased online a representation of receipt is acceptable until official printer version has been mailed to you. In some cases it's not obvious when you need a permit for a Texas Wildlife Management Area so it might be better to be safe, because Texas game wardens do check for such permits.