Texas Hunting Leases

TPWD announced today that the wildlife commission approved the changes to the 2009-2010 Dove season.  Of key interest is a 70 day season and a 15 bird daily bag limit statewide.  If authorized under federal guidelines, Texas dove season in the North and Central Zones will run from Tuesday, Sept 1 through Sunday, Oct. 25 and reopen Saturday, Dec 26 through Sunday, Jan. 9, with a 15 bird bag and not more than two white-tipped doves.  The South Zone dove season will run Sept. 18 – Nov. 3, reopening Dec. 26-Jan 17 with same limits as the other zones.

On another note, the department released information on its proposed waterfowl season for 2009-2010.  Texas will likely revert this fall to the standard 74-day season and six bird daily bag limit for ducks during the general waterfowl seasons.

TPWD is recommending the High Plains Mallard Management Unit waterfowl season run Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 24 — 25 and Friday, Oct. 30 through Sunday, Jan. 24, with a youth-only season of Saturday/Sunday, Oct. 17-18.

The proposed season for the North and South Zones would run concurrently Saturday, Oct. 31 through Sunday, Nov. 29 and Saturday, Dec. 12 through Sunday, Jan. 24, with a youth-only season of Saturday/Sunday, Oct. 24-25 to avoid conflict with the youth deer season.

The daily bag limit statewide would be six ducks, with the following species and sex restrictions: five mallards (of which only two may be hens), three wood ducks, two scaup, two redheads, one pintail, one canvasback, and one “dusky duck” (mottled duck, Mexican-like duck, black duck and their hybrids).

“There still remains the outside chance that pintail, canvasback and mottled ducks could have a season within a season structure or a 39 day season within the 74 days allowed,” said Dave Morrison, TPWD waterfowl program leader.

The season dates TPWD is proposing for the Western Goose Zone are Saturday, Nov. 7 through Sunday, Feb. 7. The daily bag limit is 20 light geese in the aggregate and four Canada geese and one white-fronted goose. Possession limit is twice the daily bag limit for dark geese and no possession limit on light geese.

Proposed dates for the Eastern Goose Zone are Saturday, Oct. 31 through Sunday, Jan. 24 for light geese and Canada geese and Saturday, Oct. 31 through Sunday, Jan. 10 for white-fronted geese. The daily bag limit is 20 light geese in the aggregate and three Canada geese and two white-fronted geese.

For more information, see the News Release as of May 28th, 2009.

AUSTIN, Texas — Most hunters, anglers and boaters in Texas could see a modest $2-$4 bump in license and boat registration/titling fees if a proposed 5 percent across-the-board increase is approved in May by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department says the fee increase is necessary to address critical needs.

“As you know license fees were last increased in 2004 and prior to that there had been no increase in eight years,” Gene McCarty, TPWD’s deputy executive director for administration, told commissioners. “Since that time, our operational costs have increased an average of 6.1 percent, while our fund balances continue to dwindle.”

McCarty said the department initially considered a 10-15 percent increase, but scaled back due to the current economic downturn.

“Instead we are proposing a very slight increase of 5 percent rolled up to the next dollar,” he explained. “This fee increase will not create new programs or services. The last fee increase in 2004 was just enough to maintain current levels of service. This increase will do the same. ”

Under the proposed increase, hunting licenses would go from the current price of $23 to $25, while the popular Super Combo all-inclusive license would increase from $64 to $68. Fishing packages would increase by $2. McCarty noted the cost for all of the special endorsement stamps would not go up.

The vast majority of boat owners in Texas would also see only a small increase in boat registration and titling fees under the proposal. Biennial boat registration for vessels less than 16 feet in length would increase from $30 to $32 and those in the 16-26 foot range would go from $50 to $53.

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Two exceptions pertain to larger craft. Those vessels 26-40 feet in length would increase by $40 and 40-foot-plus vessels would go up by $110. These larger increases are necessary because the department has been undercharging for these larger boats for many years in comparison with smaller boats, especially when considering the fee as a percentage of boat size and value.

A complete list of proposed fee changes can be found online at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/releases/news_roundup/license_and_boat_fees/.

The public is invited to comment on these proposals by visiting the TPWD Web site or by writing TPWD Public Comment, attn. Robert Macdonald, 4200 Smith School Rd., Austin, TX 78744 or email robert.macdonald@tpwd.state.tx.us.

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas waterfowl hunters will once again have the Hunter’s Choice bag limit during the 2008-09 seasons. The Central Flyway, of which Texas is a member, will be allowed to complete the three-year experimental Hunter’s Choice bag limit pilot this season despite a decline in canvasback breeding population numbers that mandate a conservative harvest federal framework.

“The other flyways came out in strong support of the Hunter’s Choice experiment in the Central Flyway,” said Dave Morrison, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department waterfowl program leader. “We gave up some things the last couple of years in order to get the Hunter’s Choice and I think they recognized the sacrifices our Flyway has made.”

The Hunter’s Choice allows hunters to shoot five ducks daily, but only one in the aggregate of certain species. In the aggregate category, that one bird could be either a pintail, or a canvasback, or a “dusky duck” (mottled, black duck or Mexican-like duck) or a hen mallard.

All other flyways will see a closed season on canvasbacks and a more restricted season for scaup.

The general duck season length will be the same as last year in the North and South Zones at 74 days and 89 days in the High Plains Mallard Management Unit.

“In the High Plains, the season will be 7 days shorter than last year because we’re taking advantage of a 16-day teal season,” said Morrison.

This year’s North American waterfowl spring breeding population survey showed populations of the 10 most popular duck species was down 9 percent below last year, but remains11 percent above the long-term average with an estimated 37.3 million birds.

“The breeding population is similar to last year, but I expect production to be down and there probably will be fewer young birds heading our way,” Morrison noted. “I would not expect the season to be as good as last year for that reason, but I could be wrong. It depends on what happens up and down the country and how weather condition and food resources play out.”

Following is a rundown of the proposed Texas waterfowl hunting seasons: The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission will finalize the waterfowl hunting season regulations at its Aug. 21 public meeting in Houston.

2008-2009 Waterfowl Hunting Season Dates
(Shooting Hours: ½ hour before sunrise to sunset)

Ducks
Duck Daily Bag Limit: The daily bag limit shall be 5 ducks with the following species and sex restrictions — 2 scaup, 2 redhead, 2 wood duck; only 1 from the following aggregate bag: 1 hen mallard, or 1 pintail, or 1 canvasback, or 1 dusky duck (mottled duck, Mexican like duck, black duck and their hybrids), all other ducks not listed — 5. Merganser Daily Bag Limit: 5 in the aggregate, to include no more than 2 hooded mergansers. Possession Limit: Twice the daily bag limit.

High Plains Mallard Management Unit
Youth — Oct. 18–19, 2008
Regular Gun — Oct. 25–26, 2008; Oct. 31, 2008–Jan. 25, 2009
North Zone
Youth — Oct. 25–26, 2008
Regular Gun — Nov. 1–30, 2008; Dec. 13, 2008–Jan. 25, 2009
Falconry — Jan. 26–Feb. 9, 2009
South Zone
Youth — Oct. 25–26, 2008
Regular Gun — Nov. 1–30, 2008; Dec. 13, 2008–Jan. 25, 2009
Falconry — Jan. 26–Feb. 9, 2009

Geese With Conservation Order
Possession Limit: Twice the daily bag limit for dark geese, no possession limit for light geese.

West Zone
West Zone Daily Bag Limit: Light geese — 20 in the aggregate; Dark geese — 4 Canada and 1 white-fronted goose.

Light and Dark Geese — Nov. 8, 2008–Feb. 8, 2009
Light Geese (Conservation Order) — Feb. 9, 2009–March 29, 2009
East Zone
East Zone Daily Bag Limit: Light geese — 20 in the aggregate; 3 Canada geese and 2 White-fronted geese.

Light Geese, White-fronted Goose, Canada Goose — Nov. 1, 2008–Jan. 25, 2009; Nov. 1, 2008–Jan. 11, 2009; Nov. 1, 2008–Jan. 25, 2009
Light Geese (Conservation Order) — Jan. 26–Mar. 29, 2009
Sandhill Crane
Zone A — Nov. 8, 2008–Feb. 8, 2009 — Bag Limits: 3 daily, 6 in possession
Zone B — Nov. 28, 2008–Feb. 8, 2009 — Bag Limits: 3 daily, 6 in possession
Zone C — Dec. 20, 2008–Jan. 25, 2009 — Bag Limits: 2 daily, 4 in possession
Public comment about the waterfowl proposals will be accepted through Aug. 18. Comments should be sent by e-mail to dave.morrison@tpwd.state.tx.us or by regular mail to Dave Morrison, TPWD Waterfowl Program Leader, 4200 Smith School Rd., Austin, TX 78744. Input may also be made online via the Public Comment link on the TPWD Web site home page.