Texas Hunting Leases

AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, at its March 26 meeting, adopted changes to hunting and fishing regulations designed to create additional recreational opportunities while effectively managing the state’s natural resources.

As part of the annual regulations review process, public input and discussion among agency staff two proposals related to upland bird hunting were withdrawn. Staff recommended turning to the Commission’s newly appointed Game Bird Advisory Committee for further discussion on potential changes to quail and pheasant regulations.

One other proposal, which would have extended regulations allowing the take of catfish by means of bow and arrow, was also withdrawn. As of Sept. 1, 2008, taking of catfish by means of bow and arrow will no longer be legal.

Meanwhile, the following changes were approved by the Commission:

Carp Bag Limit

Anglers fishing Lady Bird Lake (formerly Town Lake) in Austin will be allowed to retain only one common carp 33 inches or larger per day. There will remain no limit on common carp measuring less than 33 inches in length.

Community Fishing Lake Pole Limit

Anglers will be limited to using two fishing poles on designated community fishing lakes. This new rule addresses hoarding of limited bank fishing access. The change affects impoundments 75 acres or less totally within a city limits or a public park, but will not be enacted on any waters inside a state park.

Lake Nacogdoches Bass Limit

This rule changes the largemouth bass regulations on Lake Nacogdoches to a 16-inch maximum size limit. The daily bag will be five bass under 16 inches, although one bass 24 inches or larger can be retained temporarily in a livewell and then weighed using handheld scales for possible donation to the Budweiser ShareLunker program.

Purtis Creek/Lake Raven Bass Limit

This rule changes the largemouth bass temporary retention length limit to 24 inches on Purtis Creek State Park Lake and Lake Raven (Huntsville State Park). Both lakes are catch and release only for largemouth bass, although currently one trophy bass may be retained temporarily for weighing purposes and donation to the Budweiser ShareLunker program.

Lake Texoma Spotted Bass

This rule removes the 14-inch minimum length limit for spotted bass on Lake Texoma consistent with the Texas statewide regulation (no length limit) and the limit for the Oklahoma side of Texoma.

Lake Nasworthy/Colorado City Red Drum Limit

This removes the harvest exceptions for red drum on Lake Nasworthy and the 20-inch minimum length limit for red drum on Colorado City Reservoir. Both water bodies revert to the statewide limits of three fish per day and a 20- 28-inch reverse slot limit.

Expand Panhandle Mule Deer Season

This adds Sherman and Hansford counties to the northern Panhandle mule deer season (16 days beginning the Saturday before Thanksgiving) and in Gaines, Martin, and the eastern portion of Andrews counties to the southwest Panhandle season (nine days beginning the Saturday before Thanksgiving). These counties, wildlife biologists believe, have mule deer populations sufficient to allow the harvest of a few buck mule deer.

Eliminate Bowhunting Minimum Draw Weight

This removes the requirement of a 40-pound minimum peak draw weight on bowhunting equipment.

Deer Proof of Sex Requirement Change

This allows special deer permit tags, including Managed Land Deer Permits, Landowner Assisted Management Permitting System, antlerless mule deer, special public hunting and Antlerless and Spike Control, to satisfy proof of sex tagging requirements.

Lower Minimum Age for Hunter Education Certification

This lowers the minimum age a student may receive hunter education certification from 12 years to 9 years.

Quota for Commercial Catch of Gulf Menhaden in State Waters

This rule establishes a quota for the commercial catch of Gulf menhaden in state waters. The move is a precautionary measure that basically limits the fishery at its current level. The total allowable catch from state waters would be set at 31,500,000 pounds

The changes will take effect after the required posting period or as specified in the rule.

Chances are, if you are a hunter in Texas, you also own a rod and reel. According to statistics compiled by the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, there are nearly one million hunters in Texas and just over two million anglers – half of which fish saltwater. And, because you can fish virtually year round, many hunters fill in the gaps between hunting seasons with a wet line, especially outdoorsmen in the coastal United States. The outdoorsmen who share this dual love affair have a strong grass-roots organization to back their interests known as the Coastal Conservation Association or CCA. And, some of their strongest supporters and chapters are hours away from salt water.

CCA began in 1977 with a small group of fourteen concerned recreational saltwater anglers. This group created the Gulf Coast Conservation Association to combat commercial fishing excesses and conserve the resource. Today, it spans 17 states along all three coasts of the United States. In Texas, there are over fifty chapters ranging from Midland/Odessa to Tyler/Longview and all points south. So, what does a marine resources organization have to do with hunting the Llano Estacado or the Piney Woods? Plenty! For one, the health of our coastal bays relies heavily on the freshwater inflows from the state’s rivers and streams whose beginnings stretch deep into the heart of the state. CCA has been on the forefront of legislative activity that will help ensure free flowing fresh water for wildlife to enjoy from top to bottom. Second, the Texas coast is home to many wintering waterfowl species whose migration south provides hunting opportunities state-wide. The key driver for this migration is the health of our bays and coastal marshes which provide invaluable winter food sources for these birds. Finally, because of the reciprocity of hunting and fishing among outdoorsmen, CCA’s strong relationship with organizations such as Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Texas State Legislature is a powerful force in shaping public policy that affects all sportsmen.

As a grass-roots organization, CCA relies on the financial resources and volunteerism of its 50,000 plus members across the state. In many local communities, CCA garners support from their popular fund raising banquets and events that offer local sportsmen an evening of food, fun and friendship. In fact, the San Antonio chapter banquet is the organizations single largest annual fundraiser and the city is hours away from the coast. Also popular is the State of Texas Angler’s Rodeo or STAR Tournament that gives away over $1,000,000 in prizes and scholarships each year. Especially focused on children, CCA and STAR have awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships to kids all along the Texas coast.

There are very few conservation organizations that can boast as strong a record of success as CCA – especially in the relatively short term of its existence. So, if you are looking for an evening of fun for you and your hunting lease buddies before hunting season, look into a CCA event near you.  You are sure to have a good time!

AUSTIN, Texas — Turkey hunters should get plenty of calling action this spring, based on field reports of an abundance of Rio Grande gobblers observed by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists.

“I have been getting reports from many of our field biologist and they all agree that this is going to be a good season in Rio Grande turkey country due to the 2007 spring and summer rains and mild temperatures,” said Jason Hardin, TPWD turkey program coordinator. “Some of the guys mentioned last year seeing new poults as late as August. That probably means these birds had ample opportunity to re-nest two to three times over the summer. So, there should be lots of jakes seen, making it a fun year to call in lots of birds. There will be plenty of mature gobblers, as well, so hunters should not hesitate to get in the field.”

Rio Grande spring turkey hunting season opens in the North Zone March 29 and runs through May 11. Special youth-only weekends are set for March 22-23 and May 17-28. The South Zone opens March 15 and runs through April 27, with youth-only weekends set for March 8-9 and May 3-4.

The spring eastern turkey season is open in 43 East Texas counties from April 1-30.

TPWD harvest surveys estimate nearly 88,000 hunters take part in Texas’ spring turkey season and take about 23,000 gobblers. Most of the state’s spring turkey hunting activity occurs in South Texas and in the Hill Country, where Hardin noted timely rainfall could give the bird population a boost.

“It wouldn’t hurt to get a little rainfall to green it up,” he said. “We still have some herbaceous plants on the ground, but it has been extremely dry in South Texas. The birds are still going to be active, but some rain would kick things off faster.”

On the other hand, Hardin noted, there was too much rain in East Texas and many of the Eastern turkey poults did not survive. “Too much exposure in the first few weeks will lead to low survival,” he explained. “However, the population as a whole is stable and will probably provide an average hunting season.”

Statewide regulations allow the use of shotgun, rifle, handgun, legal archery equipment or crossbow to take Rio Grande turkey; however, individual landowners and public hunting areas may further restrict the devices to be used. The bag limit for Rio Grande turkey is four turkeys per license year. Regulations and bag limits vary by county, so check the county specific rules where you are hunting. Only gobblers are allowed to be harvested during the spring hunting season. Consult the 2007-08 Outdoor Annual for season dates and bag limits in your area.

Eastern turkey hunting is limited to shotgun, lawful archery equipment or crossbow, with a one-gobbler bag limit. All harvested eastern turkeys must be taken to a check station within 24 hours. To find the check station nearest you, contact a TPWD field office or call (800) 792-1112.

“Hunters are probably not going to see a lot of young gobblers because we likely lost production due to rains throughout the nesting season last year,” added Gary Calkins, TPWD district wildlife biologist in Jasper. “Where we have birds, we have birds.”