Texas Hunting Leases

The odds of winning a Lotto Texas drawing usually exceed a million to one.  But, the odds of being drawn for one of the positions offered in special drawn hunt categories by TP&W are much better.  Last year, 44,298 applicants vied for the opportunity to hunt some of the state’s managed wildlife areas and habitat.  This year, 5,700 hunters will be selected for hunts that include white-tailed deer, mule deer, pronghorn, javelina, alligator, exotics, feral hog and spring turkey.

In years past, the process for applying for these opportunities was somewhat antiquated.  Using a large TP&W booklet, a hunter had to flip back and forth through pages in order to determine what hunts they wanted to apply for.  After that, the process involved cutting out applications and mailing checks before the deadlines listed.  The application fee for most of drawings is $3 per adult and there may be other fees as well. 

Today, TP&W has modernized its process to take online applications and have added a nifty search feature by species and area to make it easier to apply.  In looking through the choices, I did not see the highly prized “Big Time Texas Hunts” linked here.  To access these hunting opportunities, one must go to the dedicated website and apply.  By applying online, you save 1$ off the regular application price of $10.  Not to mention the hassle of using “snail-mail”.  These hunts will be available sometime in mid-August (See the Big Time Hunts Video).

Kids are not forgotten with this program either.  There are eight free youth-only hunt categories for hunters between the ages of 8-16.  These, like all hunt positions, are randomly selected in a computer drawing from all correctly completed entries received by the specified deadline.

With the online application process, TP&W has dramatically improved its public hunting program for hunters and the many opportunities available to them.  With that, the chances of winning a “hunt of lifetime” just got a lot easier to go for.

A quick survey of deer corn prices for 50 lb. bags is a little shocking.  Some reports have it getting close to the $10 mark.  If things keep going like this, it will soon pass up protein - is a barrel of oil next?  It makes you think about your off-season feeding regimen, if gas prices have not got you thinking already.  And, there may be no end in sight for a while.

If memory serves me right, that same bag of corn was around $5.00 a few years ago.  Some feed store operators predict prices will be up nearly 50% from last year.  And, it will be a good idea to shop around and buy in bulk if available.  If you are having to drive down to the lease to fill feeders, you might consider rotating your feeders or even buying bigger ones.  The first will cut down on the corn you use, the other on the number of times you need to drive down to fill them.  Sure, bigger feeders are more expensive, but compare that to a tank of gas.  Especially for those who drive more than a few hours to the lease.  If you want to get ahead of the curve and buy your corn now, you need to be concerned with storage.  Keeping pests out of stored corn is a chore at best.  Some recommend using medicated cattle ear-tags to keep pests away, and its also a good idea to put these in feeder motor boxes to keep out insects as well. 

Hunters are feeling price pressures from every aspect of the sport.  Good leases are getting further away from most major cities as the “ranchette” craze continues in nearby counties.  Those same leases are also costing more as the Texas oil-based economy brings surplus dollars for “corporate leases”.  Their bigger budgets push out the average hunter who are starting to have long-term leases pulled right out from under them.  Firearms and ammunition are going up too, as manufacturing materials used for both are at all time highs.  Finally, fuel costs round out the siege to complete a painful undertaking for those who are still mad at the horns.

It remains to be seen if our legislators will provide some price relief in the form of ethanol legislation.  The mandates most certainly have contributed to the cost and price speculation.  On a drive down to South Texas recently, fields that I usually see filled with budding cotton plants are now brimming with stalks and ears.  More supply, yes, but will it be enough to catch up to demand?  One can only hope.  I wonder how many bags of corn can fit in an oil barrel anyways.

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.