Texas Hunting Leases

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.

AUSTIN, Texas — New hunting and fishing licenses for 2008-09 will be available beginning Friday, Aug. 15, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is encouraging hunters to buy early and avoid the rush heading into the Sept. 1 dove season opener.

“If you wait until the Labor Day Weekend, you’re probably going to be standing in line to buy a license,” said Tom Newton with TPWD’s licensing section. “Savvy hunters have figured it out and are buying their licenses early.”

Sportsmen are reminded all current annual hunting and fishing licenses (except for the year-to-date fishing license) expire Aug. 31. Texas issues 2.1 million hunting and fishing licenses annually through 28 TPWD field offices, more than 65 state parks and at over 1,500 retailers across Texas.

Because dove season in the North and Central Dove Zones opens on a Monday, Newton predicts there will be a weekend rush to buy licenses. “Last year, we sold over 350,000 licenses during the four-day period around the opening weekend of dove season,” he recalled. “It takes an average of three-to-five minutes to process a license sale transaction, so it’s likely there will be delays if you wait ‘til the last minute.”

By comparison, Newton said the department averaged less than 20,000 license transactions a day during the two weeks prior to the dove season opener as opposed to five or six times that number on the days around opening weekend.

A last-minute license purchase rush is probably inevitable in some areas of the state, TPWD officials say, particularly along the I-35 corridor where many dove hunters descend. Fortunately, there are other license buying avenues available.

“Hunters who need to purchase a license at the last minute or those who don’t want to stand in line have a couple of options,” said Newton. “They can also purchase licenses online through the TPWD web site (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/) or by calling (800) 895-4248. There is a $5 convenience fee for either option and a major credit card is required.”

License sales call center hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday — Friday. The online transaction system is available 24/7.

“We sold about 4,500 licenses online and by phone during the peak sales weekend last year,” Newton said. “We’d like to steer more of the traffic to the call center and Internet during the peak volume periods.”

A license confirmation number is issued at the time of purchase for online and phone orders, and the physical license is mailed separately. Confirmation numbers will verify that a license has been purchased, which is sufficient for dove hunting, but will not allow hunters to take fish or wildlife that requires a tag.

“Some people are using the convenience options to purchase licenses for everyone in their family or hunting group,” Newton said. “It can help ensure that everybody who shows up to hunt, especially those coming in from out of state or kids coming in from college, already have a hunting license waiting for them. You can buy a license for someone else, even at the retail counter, but to avoid delays please be sure you have all their personal information.”

In addition to a hunting license, all wing shooters will need to purchase a game bird stamp. To hunt doves or teal in September, a Migratory Game Bird Stamp ($7) is required. Duck hunters also need to purchase a Federal Duck Stamp and receive HIP (Harvest Information Program) certification. HIP certification will be printed on the license at the time of sale only after the purchaser answers a few brief migratory bird questions. Lifetime license holders must also be HIP-certified and purchase the Federal Duck Stamp to hunt migratory birds. All other state stamp endorsements are included with a lifetime license

“Remember, it’s your responsibility to make sure you are properly licensed, so be sure to check your license before you leave the sales counter,” Newton said. “We do get a fair number of requests for re-issuance of licenses because the hunter forgot to get HIP certified.”

There are other mandatory endorsements to consider at the time of purchase, too. An Upland Game Bird Stamp ($7) is required to hunt all non-migratory game birds, including turkey, quail, pheasant, chachalaca and lesser prairie chicken.

Of course, anyone who purchases the Super Combo license package, the best bang for the buck, automatically gets these needed stamps.

Hunter Education Certification is also required of any hunter born on or after Sept. 2, 1971 and who is at least 17 years old. For hunters who are unable to work in a hunter education class before hunting season for whatever reason, TPWD does offer a deferral option.

The deferral option allows people 17 years of age or older a one-time only extension to complete the state’s hunter education requirements. The individual must first purchase a hunting license and then may purchase the deferral option.

Hunters using the deferral must be accompanied by someone 17 years old or older who is also licensed to hunt in Texas. The accompanying individual must have completed hunter education or be exempt from the requirements (born before Sept. 2, 1971). The extension is good for one license year, by which time the person with the deferred option needs to complete a hunter education course.

This option is not available to those who have ever received a conviction or deferred adjudication for lack of hunter education certification. They still must take the course before going afield.

AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is proposing moving the South Zone second split of dove season deeper into January, but otherwise is recommending minimal changes to the 2008-09 Early Migratory Game Bird Proclamation.

TPWD staff announced the proposed dove and teal season calendar during the Regulations Committee meeting of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, Wednesday, May 21.

The proposed dove season in the North Zone would run Sept. 1-Oct. 30, with a 15-bird bag and not more than two white-tipped doves; the Central Zone would be Sept. 1-Oct. 30 and reopen Dec. 26-Jan. 4, with a 12-bird bag and not more than two white-tipped doves; and the South Zone would run Sept. 20-Nov. 2, reopening Dec. 26-Jan. 20 with a 12 bird bag and not more than two white-tipped doves. Possession limit is twice the daily bag.

The Special South Texas Whitewing Zone, which now encompasses land west of I-35 and south of U. S. Highway 90, would open to white-winged dove afternoon-only (noon to sunset) hunting the first two Saturdays and Sundays in September and reopen Sept. 20-Nov. 2 and again from Dec. 26-Jan. 16. The daily bag limit is 12 birds, not more than four (4) mourning doves during the first two weekend splits and two (2) white-tipped doves.

In South Texas, a few hunters have requested more hunting opportunity in January. To accommodate this request, the department is proposing to move one week from the end of the first season segment (Nov. 3-9) and put it in January (Jan. 14-20). Quail and deer hunting would still be concurrent during either of these periods. The public is urged to provide public comment online at www.tpwd.state.tx.us/business/feedback/public_comment before June 26.

The early teal season is proposed tentatively for Sept. 13-28 if a 16-day season is granted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or Sept. 20-28 under a 9-day season framework. The daily bag limit for teal is four.

Suggested dates for ducks and geese were also presented to the Commission and simply reflected calendar adjustments from last year. Upon completion of breeding population surveys and development of harvest packages, dates will be refined and provided for public comment probably in late July or early August.

One change that was proposed is shifting the crane season one week later. By suggesting this change, the crane season will run one week later in Zones A and B, take advantage of the entire season length and close one week later. With this suggested change, the Light Goose Conservation Order will open a few days later than in past years in the west Goose Zone. Season dates for sandhill cranes are as follow:

• Zone A-Nov. 8 — Feb. 8. Bag Limit: 3
• Zone B: Nov. 28 — Feb. 8, Bag Limit: 3
• Zone C: Dec. 20 — Jan. 25, Bag Limit: 2

Proposed seasons for other game bird species include: Rail/gallinule Sept. 13-28 and Nov. 1-Dec. 24; snipe Nov. 1-Feb. 15; and woodcock Dec. 18-Jan. 31.

Adoption of the early migratory game bird seasons will take place later this summer as population and other data becomes available.