The Gene Howe Wildlife Management Area GHWMA is open to visitors year round except during the Public Hunts. A permit is needed for visitors. See section below regarding where to purchase permits. And see map for schedule of "Entire Area Closed". FM 2266 divides the area into two different habitat types. The north area has rolling sandhills and the south is bottomlands.

There are two observation blinds for wildlife viewing. The blind in the south area sits on the edge of the marsh in the West Bull Pasture. A nature trail begins here and winds through the riparian bottomland for a fourth of a mile. The second viewing blind overlooks the prairie dog town in the Middle Pasture in the north area.

The 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.

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.